How to bet on Handicap – top approaches explained

One of the common problems of sports betting is that people rarely wager on underdogs, visibly weaker teams, and all such. If a matchup is uneven, the majority of bettors will bet on the safe choice. True, if the probable loser actually wins, the payoffs are going to be huge. But that’s not enough.

To make it more interesting, and to convince participants to risk more money, bookies often include spreads into such uneven matches. Handicaps (or spreads) make it more likely that your bet on an underdog will be successful. Whole leagues are often imbued with different handicaps to make the experience more thrilling.

These handicap betting tips will help you understand more about this betting method.

What is a handicap bet and what sports are involved?

Spread is an intentional fixing of odds in favor of weaker teams in a league. It’s not an uncommon occurrence, as many major tournaments include often include these bonuses. Premier League, European Cup, Stanley Cup, Super Bowl, and many others. It’s a widespread thing with many varieties.

Spread essentially makes it easier for you to make a successful bet on a team that is less likely to win. Even if it loses, you can still cash in. In some varieties, like the European type, you need to make an approximate bet in points before the league starts. So, it adds another layer of leniency toward the bettor.

What are different handicap systems? Top ways to bet on Handicap

It can come in absolutely different forms, which depends on the betting site and its own preferences. But the most common types are, as follows:

• European handicap. This sort of shuffles the points that the teams need to earn during the upcoming league so that stronger teams need to earn more, while weaker teams have a point boost from the get-go. The exact numbers depend on the performance of the teams in question.
• Asian handicap. This sort demands that a stronger team wins by a particular amount of goals or that a weaker team loses only by a specific margin. You can select your desired difference (-2, -1, -0.25, +0.25, +1, +2 and more). 

There can be other spreads, but these two are classic. The former is more common in European bookies, and the latter – in Asian ones, but they can be present wherever. It’s a matter of preference, and big worldwide providers often offer both.

The system is most often used in football betting, but similar sports, where systems of points and scores can work, also have spread. Ice hockey, American football, basketball, and many others get representation, even if to a smaller degree. Football remains a preferential sport.

Pros and cons of Handicap betting

Handicap betting is an interesting addition that makes life for many bettors more interesting but also makes it harder to bet on stronger challengers. If we take into account that this system is in place on a website, and you can’t just bet as normal, then it can be a double-edged sword.

Spread games are certainly more interesting and ‘even’, but it comes at a cost of artificially mashing all teams into more-or-less the same skill group. The stronger teams will still have an advantage, even with reduced points. But it can often make differentiating between teams useless.

Where to look for the best odds for Handicap?

The odds differ from place to place, but they can also depend on the type of handicap you’ll encounter. The Asian type usually has better odds. It doesn’t mean you need to go to Asian bookie websites, but it may be a better way to earn money if that’s what you want.