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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.
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Soccer handicap key takeaways
A type of betting that gives the underdog a virtual advantage.
It makes 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.
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.
What do plus and minus odds mean in soccer handicap betting?
Sportsbook odds display a number with a plus (+) or a minus sign (-) preceding it. Minus odds indicate a team is the favorite, while a plus will appear in front of the underdog's moneyline odds. Successfully backing a team with a plus sign (+) in front of their moneyline odds mean you will receive winnings that are greater than your original stake, and a minus less.
If we successfully wager $100 on a winning handicap bet at odds of +105, we will be paid $105 of profit and our original $100 stake ($105 in total).
On the other hand, favorite betting means we have to bet more to win less. For example, a wager at odds of -210 means we need to place $210 to win back $100 on top of our stake.
A working knowledge of soccer odds and how they work is useful, but you can use the OnlineBetting bet calculator to check on potential handicap wager winnings. You can also convert American odds to fractional odds, or decimal odds (popular in the UK and Europe).
Soccer handicap betting vs moneyline betting
We’ll notice that unlike moneyline betting where the favorite is minus odds and the underdog is plus odds, you will often see the reverse with a soccer handicap wager. The favorite on the moneyline will often be plus odds with a -1.5 goal handicap while the underdog on the moneyline will often be minus odds with +1.5 goals advantage.
Soccer is a sport where handicap betting as opposed to moneyline wagering is a great idea especially with favorites. There will be many instances when a favorite on the moneyline at -200 can be taken at plus odds on at -1.5 goals.
This offers bettors great value when betting on games with a heavy favorite.
Use what you've learned to back our World Cup 2022 picks
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Soccer handicap FAQs
What does handicap mean in soccer betting?
How to win Asian handicap in soccer betting?
What is two-way soccer handicap betting?
How does handicap betting work in soccer?
What is the difference between handicap betting and spread betting in soccer?
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