To make use of handicap betting it is important to know what it is and how it works. Handicap betting makes games where one team is superior more equal and interesting to bet on. It may be giving one team a point advantage and the other a point disadvantage to make betting more entertaining. There isn’t a universal method for determining a handicap for all types of sports. The basic principle involved in handicapping is trying to level the playing field. This has benefits for sportsbooks and for sports bettors.
What is a handicap?
A handicap in sports betting is where one selection in an event has a ‘handicap’ to overcome in order to win. It is a popular option when certain teams are strong favorites. The handicap is a numerical figure bookmakers will set so as not to allow implied probability to affect a bet. Gamblers doing online sports betting will bet on their selection taking the handicap into account.
Sports that use handicaps
Sportsbooks offer odds that enable them to win more than they lose. They also handicap many events they offer markets in. Handicapping is available for most sports that rely on scoring points, such as football, soccer, basketball, golf, and tennis.
American football: In American football, handicapping one team over another is common. The New England Patriots may have +8.5 and the New York Giants -8.5. A bet on the Patriots to win would mean adding +8.5 to their final score. If the game ended with 21-24 to the New York Giants, a handicap bet on the Patriots would win. The handicap would make the final score 21 + 8.5 = 29.5.
Basketball: The same concept applies to other sports such as basketball. The New York Knicks may be +6 and the Boston Celtics -6. If the final score was 100 to 101 in favor of the Boston Celtics, betting on the Knicks would be a winning bet. The final score would be 106 to 101.
Golf: In golf, knowing the number of strokes over par that a player averages over four rounds of golf is necessary to determine the handicap of a player. If a certain player with a handicap of ten is playing against someone with a handicap of two, he or she will get an extra stroke on eight different holes.
Handicap league betting
In the U.S., the sports betting market size has increased considerably as states continue to legalize sports betting. Handicap league betting has become very popular, and bookmakers use handicaps to level the playing field. If a team is likely to win the league, a bookmaker will give it lower odds than a weaker team that has little chance of winning.
No-draw handicap option
In a horse race, a no-draw handicap is a betting option where sports bettors wager on the outcome of a horse race without picking a certain horse as the winner. They can select one or more horses with projected odds of winning.
If you choose to bet on sports that use handicapping, it is important to understand how it works. It is a good way to make betting on an underdog more profitable. It is also a useful way for bookmakers to balance games that would otherwise be lopsided with more action on one side of a bet.
