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Handicaps

Although handicaps is one of the most important notions in the world of bookmaker bets many still don’t understand the meaning of this word. Meeting your expectations in this tutorial

we have decided to present not only the notion but also the types of handicaps displaying everything with the help of simple and clear examples. Let’s start from the very beginning…

What are the handicaps?
What kinds of handicaps exist?
European handicaps
Asian handicaps
Advantages of the Asian handicap:

What are the handicaps?to top

Handicaps or odds is a kind of bet in which a bookmaker gives a theoretically weaker team an advantage of points, the aim of which is to even the chances of both teams for victory. Handicaps are set before the beginning of the match and is added to the final result. After this the bookmaker finds out if the placed bets were winning or losing.

In which disciplines is handicap used?
Handicaps can be used in all sporting disciplines starting with football, handball, basketball, volleyball, American kinds of sports or even tennis. It is one of the most popular kinds of games in sports betting.

What kinds of handicaps exist?to top

The easiest section includes European and Asian handicaps. European handicaps (EH) differs from Asian (AH) by symbolics.
The next distinction which helps to distinguish these two kinds of handicap is the difference in the quantity of game variants.

There are three variants to choose from in European handicaps and only two in Asian.
The final important criteria which helps distinguish these two kinds is the fact that in the European handicaps integral numbers are used for creation of the so called handicap line (0:1, 0:2), and in case of the Asian handicap rational numbers are used (1/2, 3/4).

European handicapsto top

European handicaps are simpler for understanding than its Asian double.
European handicaps (0:1) are equated to the variant X2 for the win of guests which doesn’t mean that the odds in both cases will be the same. Let’s imagine some examples of the European handicap:
EH Manchester United – Stoke (0:1) [-1] Manchester 2.30 / Draw 3.60 / [+1] Stoke
1.Place bets for Manchester United with the odds 2,30.
We win if footballers of Manchester win with a goal difference of 2 or more goals. (2:0, 3;1, 4:1, 6:1 and so on).

2.Predict the end of the match in a draw with the odds 3,60.
We win in case Manchester United wins with a goal difference of 1 goal (results 1:0, 2:1, 3:2, 4:3).
3.Predict the win of Stoke [+1] with the odds 2,90.
Our bet wins in case Stock wins or the match ends in a draw (2:2, 1:2).

Which bookmakers have European handicaps in their offers?
Bwin, Sportingbet, Expekt, Gamebookers, Betsafe, Tobet

Asian handicapsto top

Asian handicaps is more difficult than European. There are several kinds of Asian handicaps. The most popular of them are:

DNB handicaps – handicaps “draw no bet”:
The simplest Asian handicap Draw No Bet (DNB)
If our chosen match ends in a draw (or a draw considering the handicaps) then our bet will be returned.
Example: we have a match between Arsenal – Sunderland (AH +1) we predict 1 and the match ends with the win of Arsenal 1-0, after setting the handicap we have the result 2-2 and then have the bet returned according to the “draw no bet” principle.

Non-integral handicaps:
We bet for the match “Real (-0.5) – Valencia” for 1 or the win of Real M. with the Asian handicaps -0,5, subtract from the quantity of scored goals by Real which is equaled to the win of Real. If the match ends in a 1-1 draw considering the handicap, our result will be (0.5-1) or our “one” for the win of Real won’t pass, our coupon loses.

If the match ends with the result 2-1 for Real then taking into consideration the handicap our result will be 1.5-1 or our “one”, which means that the coupon wins.
If we decide to bet for a “two” with such handicap then it will be equaled to betting against Real Madrid or X2 (a draw or a win of guests brings winning).

Quarter handicaps:
Quarter handicaps are the most difficult kind of handicaps. Its essence is in the division of non-integral handicaps into 2 bets (division of a bet into 2 variants).
Let’s imagine that we bet for the match “Bavaria (-0.25) – Schalke” for “1” for the win of Bavaria.
In practice this means that we bet in proportions:
Half of the bet for “Bavaria (-0.5) – Schalke” for “1”
Second half of the bet for “Bavaria” (+0) – Schalke” = “Bavaria – Schalke (DNB)” also for 1.
Calculation of a quarter handicaps:

If Bavaria wins – we win the whole bet.
If the match ends in a draw – we lose half of the bet and the second half will be returned.
If Schalke wins – we lose the whole bet.