• Soccer Handicap Betting Explained
• Three Types of Asian Handicap

Find out what soccer handicap betting is, how it works, & the different types of soccer handicap betting markets offered by Pinnacle. Read on to become an expert in handicap betting.

In Soccer, being an all-sports sport, there is often a difference in the perceived quality of opposing teams; the magnitude of this difference depends on a complex range of effects, ranging from historical dominance & financial backing to things like home-field advantage or player injuries /Availability and other situational factors. Football betting interprets these factors and expresses them as each side’s chance of success through the odds.

Handicap Betting

Where there is a significant difference in perceived ability, betting odds on the favorite will be so small that it provides little return and, therefore, little incentive for the Bettor.

To combat perceived biases in ability and offer more balanced and attractive odds, bookmakers offer so-called handicap betting. In football, handicap odds level the playing field by applying a target handicap (both positive and negative) to each side to account for differences in players’ perceived power. It allows bettors to find a better value than backing the favorites in traditional 1X2 betting-the most common form of football betting.

The handicap applies to the actual result of the match to score the Bet (outcome). There are three types of handicap betting you need to know before placing your Bet:

Level handicap

A level handicap means no perceivable difference in ability between teams X and Y, so no handicap bias is assigned, and both teams start with 0 goals.

To win a bet, bettors must identify the team they believe will score more goals than their opponent. This type of handicap has nothing to do with one-sided encounters but is helpful because it eliminates a tie; if the game ends in a draw, all bets will refund, as neither team has any advantage in zero handicap betting.