Soccer moneyline explained
Check out our easy and simple guide to soccer moneyline betting online.
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Soccer handicap betting explained
Handicap soccer betting is when the sportsbook gives the underdog a virtual advantage, so that the odds on each side are more even. Handicap betting is all about the margin of victory and it’s a great way to generate extra excitement on a match, especially between a strong favorite and an underdog.
What is soccer handicap betting?
When you believe you know the margin by which a team will win a soccer match, handicap betting is an ideal choice for you.
Handicap betting sees the sportsbook give one of the teams a virtual head start over the other to bring their respective odds closer together. This means that if you think a favorite is going to win by several goals – an amount greater than the head start given to their opponent by the sportsbook – you can back it at much better odds than the moneyline.
Handicap soccer betting is similar to the point spread, the term most commonly used across sports in the US. The principle is the same, that one team is given a head start and the other has to win by that amount or more to “cover the spread”.
Asian handicap betting has become increasingly popular because using fractions – usually 0.5 of a goal – means that there is no possibility of a tie and you’re always guaranteed a result.
Handicap bets can also be combined in a parlay, a bet made up of multiple selections, to offer the chance of a larger payout.
How to place a soccer handicap bet
Let’s look at handicap betting on a Premier League match-up. When Liverpool play West Ham, the odds on them winning may be very short. If you bet the moneyline, there’s not a lot of profit to be made.
However, if the sportsbook gives West Ham a head start, the odds on each team will be much closer together.
Here’s how you’ll see handicap odds expressed in soccer:
| Team | Handicap | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | -2 | -105 |
| Handicap tie | -2 | -115 |
| West Ham | +2 | -120 |
West Ham is effectively starting the game with a two-goal advantage.
This means that if Liverpool win by three goals, you win $100 for every $105 you stake on them. If the Reds tie, your bet will be refunded.
If West Ham win, tie, or lose by only one goal, you win $100 for every $120 you stake on them. If they lose by a margin of two goals, your bet will be refunded.
For the handicap tie (-2) to win, the match would have had to have finished in a Liverpool victory by an exact 2 goal margin, e.g., 2-0, 4-2, 5-3, etc.
Here’s how you’ll see it expressed when the possibility of a tie is removed:
| Team | Handicap | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | -2.5 | -105 |
| West Ham | +2.5 | -120 |
This means that if Liverpool win by three goals, you win $100 for every $105 you stake on them. If West Ham win, tie, or lose by only two goals, you win $100 for every $120 you stake on them.
When you make your bet, you do not have to wager $100. You can bet however much you like. Our Odds Calculator will tell you how much you would win based on your stake.
The key to handicap betting is that it can provide value on uneven matchups where a straight moneyline bet may not.
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Soccer handicap explained
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Soccer parlays explained
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Soccer handicap FAQs
What does handicap mean in betting?
Handicap soccer betting is when one team is given a virtual head start by the sportsbook to make the odds on both teams more even. The favorite has to win by a margin greater than that handicap to ensure that people who back it win their bet.
How to win Asian handicap in betting?
Asian handicap betting is extremely popular. Because it uses fractions, usually 0.5 of a goal, you cannot have a tie and are always sure of getting a result, as there is no such thing as half a goal.
What is two-way handicap betting?
In two-way handicap betting, the tie is taken out of the equation. This occurs when a sportsbook uses fractions of a goal to ensure an outcome on the bet regardless of the result of the match – or when the market includes overtime/extra time or a penalty shootout to be sure of a winner.
How does handicap betting work in soccer?
Handicap betting explained: Imagine that one team starts the match a certain number of goals ahead of the other. The team behind on the handicap – the favorite – then has to win by that margin or more to beat the handicap and ensure its backers get a payout.
What is the difference between handicap betting and spread betting?
They are very similar, but handicap betting tends to be more common in soccer, where moneyline (or match result) bets are the most popular market and offers various options of handicap. Spread betting, more prevalent within US sports, sees sportsbooks determine a single spread for a game, with bettors choosing to back one team or the other based on that spread.
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