Definition
Handicap Betting
Also known as Handicap, Spread Betting, Line Betting
By Abhinav VasudevanReviewed Editorial policy
In short
Handicap betting applies a virtual advantage or deficit to a team before the match starts, evening out a mismatch. It is the European term for what American books call the point spread.
Handicap betting gives one side a head start and the other a deficit, so that a lopsided fixture becomes a near coin flip. It is the same mechanism as the American point spread, with different conventions.
European handicap
The standard three-way version uses whole numbers and keeps the draw as a possible outcome.
Manchester City −2 vs Luton +2 produces three results:
- City win by 3+ → City −2 wins
- City win by exactly 2 → handicap draw, and the draw bet wins
- Anything else → Luton +2 wins
The retained draw is what distinguishes European handicap from Asian. It means three prices instead of two, and a genuine possibility of losing a bet that “should” have been safe.
Asian handicap
Asian handicap removes the draw by using half-goal lines, and adds quarter lines that split the stake across two handicaps. It is the more popular version among serious bettors precisely because eliminating the draw removes a third of the ways to lose.
Why use a handicap at all
Two reasons.
Price. Backing a heavy favourite on the moneyline might pay 1.15. The same team at −2 might pay 1.90. You take on more risk and get a meaningful return.
Expressing a view precisely. “This team will win comfortably” and “this team will win” are different opinions. A handicap lets you bet the first one.
Handicaps in racing
Confusingly, handicap means something different in horse racing: a race in which horses carry different weights assigned by an official handicapper, intended to give every runner an equal chance. It is a property of the race, not a bet type. See handicapper.
Common questions
What is the difference between European and Asian handicap?
European handicaps use whole numbers and keep the draw as a third outcome, so a handicap draw is possible. Asian handicaps use half and quarter goals to remove the draw entirely, leaving two outcomes and a much lower margin.
Why bet a handicap instead of the match winner?
Price and precision. Backing a heavy favourite outright might pay 1.15, while the same team at -2 pays nearer 1.90. A handicap also lets you express the view that a team wins comfortably rather than just wins.