Key points
- A handicap adds or subtracts goals from a team’s final score for the purpose of the bet only.
- European handicap has three outcomes, including a handicap draw. Asian handicap has two, and refunds or splits the stake instead.
- A half line such as -0.5 or -1.5 cannot be drawn; a whole line such as -1 refunds the stake when the margin is exact.
- A quarter line such as -0.75 is two bets in one: half the stake on each of the neighbouring lines.
Handicap betting starts where a strong favourite’s win pays very little. The handicap makes the match even again on paper: the favourite starts a goal or two behind, or the underdog starts ahead. The odds on both sides move towards the middle. You are no longer betting on who wins, but on whether a team beats the start it has been given.
How a handicap changes the result
A handicap changes the result by adding the start to the real score. 22Bet’s rules define it as an advantage or a disadvantage expressed in goals, added to the actual result to settle the bet. Take Team A (-1) against Team B (+1). If the match ends 2-0, the handicap result is 1-0 and Team A still wins. If it ends 1-0, the handicap result is 0-0: a handicap draw. If it ends 1-1, Team B wins on the handicap.
European handicap with three outcomes
European handicap, also called three-way handicap, works like 1X2 after the start is applied. You can back the favourite, the handicap draw or the underdog. Some bet slips write it as (0:1), meaning the away team starts one goal up, or (1:0) for the home team.
| Final score | Team A (-1) | Handicap draw | Team B (+1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team A wins by 2 or more | Wins | Loses | Loses |
| Team A wins by exactly 1 | Loses | Wins | Loses |
| Draw, or Team B wins | Loses | Loses | Wins |
Swipe sideways to see every column.
Asian handicap on half, whole and quarter lines
Asian handicap removes the draw as a selection. There are only two sides to back, and the line decides what happens when the margin is exact.
Half lines: -0.5, -1.5
A half goal cannot occur, so the bet always wins or loses. Team A (-0.5) simply needs to win. Team A (-1.5) needs to win by two or more. Team B (+1.5) wins the bet unless it loses by two or more.
Whole lines: 0, -1, -2
If the margin lands exactly on the line, the stake is returned. Team A (-1) wins the bet by winning by two or more, gets the stake back on a one-goal win and loses otherwise. 22Bet’s rules settle such a bet at odds of 1. A line of 0 is draw no bet.
Quarter lines: -0.25, -0.75, -1.25
A quarter line splits your stake in two equal parts on the lines either side of it. Team A (-0.75) is half on -0.5 and half on -1. Betfair’s help page shows the same line written as two handicaps, -0.5 & -1.0.
Worked example
₦2,000 on Team A (-0.75) at 1.90
- Stake split
- ₦1,000 on -0.5 and ₦1,000 on -1
- Team A wins by 2 or more
- Both halves win: ₦2,000 × 1.90 = ₦3,800
- Team A wins by exactly 1
- -0.5 wins (₦1,900), -1 is refunded (₦1,000): ₦2,900
- Draw or defeat
- Both halves lose
A one-goal win is a half win: you get the full stake back plus half the profit.
| Line | Wins by 2+ | Wins by 1 | Draw | Loses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -0.5 | Win | Win | Lose | Lose |
| -0.75 | Win | Half win | Lose | Lose |
| -1 | Win | Stake back | Lose | Lose |
| -1.25 | Win | Half loss | Lose | Lose |
| -1.5 | Win | Lose | Lose | Lose |
Swipe sideways to see every column.
Goal lines use the same three kinds of number: an over/under total of 2.0 refunds on exactly two goals, and 2.25 splits the stake.
Handicaps in basketball and tennis
Handicaps in basketball and tennis follow the same idea with bigger numbers. In basketball the handicap, or spread, is in points: a team at -5.5 must win by six or more. In tennis it is in games or sets. The half point does the job it does in football: no tie is possible.
Reading a handicap line before you bet
Read the handicap line on the slip before you confirm, because one step changes the settlement: -1 returns the stake on a one-goal win and -1.5 loses. Check the period too. A football handicap is settled on the 90 minutes and stoppage time, like double chance and the other match markets.
The same line is priced differently from one sportsbook to the next. The best odds list ranks sportsbooks on Bettings.ng’s score for odds and market range, and the table of Nigeria betting sites links to their reviews. Handicap bets are for adults aged 18 or over.
Answers to common handicap questions
What is a handicap bet?
A bet with a head start in goals given to one team before kick-off. It is settled on the final score after the start has been added or taken away.
What does handicap (0:1) mean?
The away team starts the match one goal ahead for the purpose of the bet. The home team has to win by two or more for a home handicap bet to win.
What does -1.5 mean in a handicap?
The team must win by two goals or more. A one-goal win, a draw or a defeat loses the bet.
What happens if the handicap result is a draw?
In European handicap the handicap draw is a selection of its own and the other two lose. In Asian handicap on a whole line, the stake is returned.
What is the difference between Asian and European handicap?
European handicap has three selections, including the handicap draw. Asian handicap has two, uses half and quarter lines, and refunds or splits the stake instead of having a draw.
Next steps
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Paripesa review8.8
22Bet review8.5
Handicap markets are for over-18s
Quarter lines split a stake in ways that are easy to misread. Bet small until the settlement is clear to you, and keep to your limit.
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