With our suggested betting sites, there are two very popular options for Handicap bets, and they are Asian or European, with some distinct differences between them.
Check out the below and decide whether you think the European Handicap or Asian Handicap is better for your betting style.
European Handicap
For the European Handicap market, you are able to bet on whole numbers, which can be -1, -2, or +1, +2, and so on for either side of the offering.
If, with European Handicap, your bet results in a draw, it will still be a losing selection and the stake will not be returned. For example, a -1 handicap will mean a 1-0 win for your chosen team, say Bayern Munich, will be a losing bet.
We have provided examples below of what would be a winning bet, a draw with the handicap and still a losing bet, and losses.
| Handicap |
Win Examples |
Loss Examples |
| Arsenal -1 vs Chelsea |
2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 3-1, 4-1, 4-2 |
0-0, 1-1, 2-2, 0-1, 1-2 |
| Arsenal -2 vs Chelsea |
3-0, 4-0, 4-1, 5-1, 5-2 |
2-0, 3-1, 1-0, 2-1, 0-0 |
| Draw – Arsenal vs Chelsea (+1) |
1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-3 |
0-0, 1-1, 2-0, 3-1, 3-0, 4-0, 4-1 |
| Arsenal vs Chelsea +1 |
0-0, 1-1, 2-2, 0-1, 0-2, 1-2 |
2-0, 3-1, 3-0, 4-0, 4-1, 4-2 |
| Arsenal vs Chelsea +2 |
1-0, 2-1, |
3-0, 4-1, 5-2, 4-0, 5-0 |
Asian Handicap
For Asian Handicap, you bet exactly the same on teams to start with either a deficit or a head start, but with this option you can receive some money back on draw selections.
This can be a full refund, or it can be a portion of your stake being returned by bookmakers through the Asian Handicap market.
Along with receiving money back from your selections ending as a draw, the Asian Handicap market also allows you to bet on more than just whole numbers, with options like +0.5, -1.25, and plenty of other options available.
This can be unclear, so it’s important to understand this market in greater depth so you aren’t left confused when you don’t receive a full return on your stake, or you bet doesn’t win when you think it has.
Starting off with a simple 0.0 Asian Handicap bet, if your selected team wins, then your bet will be a winner, and if they lose you get your money back, like Draw No Bet. If you bet on -0.5, then your selected team needs to win for your bet to win, whilst if they draw you receive half of your stake back, and nothing if they lose the game.
With a +0.5 handicap, it means that if your team draws the match, your bet is a winner. Meanwhile, if they lose 1-0 then you receive half of your stake back, and if they lose 2-0 then you receive nothing back.
There are some clear pros and cons to Asian Handicap and European Handicap betting, which we have demonstrated below:
| Bet Type |
Pros ✅ |
Cons ❌ |
| Asian Handicap |
- Reduced risk
- Money back on losing selections
- Better value available
|
- Confusing for some
- Two-way betting only
- Complex for beginners
|
| European Handicap |
- Clear on winning/losing selections
- Draw option included
|
- Harder to predict
- No money back on losing selections
|
How to Read Handicap Odds
With the standout line proposed by the bookmaker for the Handicap market, you will typically find the odds are either neutral, or thereabouts. This would mean that any stake would likely be doubled in your winning returns.
So, let’s look at how to read these lines using decimal odds. Imagine a Premier League game between Tottenham and Liverpool. The odds might look like this:
| Team |
Handicap |
Decimal Odds |
| Liverpool |
-1.5 |
2.00 |
| Tottenham |
+1.5 |
1.90 |
With a bet on Liverpool to win, they must win the match by 2 or more goals. If you bet 10 on Liverpool at 2.00 odds and they win 3-1, your bet is successful. Your payout would be 10 x 2.00 = 20. Conversely, a bet on Tottenham wins if they win the match, draw, or lose by only 1 goal.
Things get interesting with whole number or quarter handicaps, which introduce outcomes like refunds or partial wins/losses.
- Win: Your team covers the handicap. A bet on Team A -1.5 wins if they win by 2 or more.
- Half-Win: This occurs with quarter handicaps (like -0.75). If you bet on Team A -0.75 and they win by exactly 1 goal, half your stake wins at the given odds, and the other half is refunded.
- Refund (Push): If you bet on a whole number handicap (like -1.0) and your team wins by exactly that margin (e.g., a 1-0 win), your entire stake is returned. There’s no win or loss.
- Half-Loss: The opposite of a half-win. On that same Team A -0.75 bet, if the game is a draw, you lose half your stake and the other half is refunded.
- Loss: Your team fails to cover the handicap. A bet on Team A -1.5 loses if they win by 1 goal, draw, or lose the match.
Handicap Betting Strategies
Like with any betting strategy, it’s vital that you conduct research to go with your decision making. In some cases you may win with emotional betting, but for a long-term and successful strategy, it’s highly advised you analyse information like form, injury, motivational factors in the league table, and much more.
Some helpful practices when it comes to handicap betting strategies include:
- Focusing on matches with clear favourites
- Look for teams with strong attacking trends
- Avoid emotional bias
- Analyse H2H matchups
- Look for value
