Professional bettors bet on sports by adhering to a certain strategy. One of them is the Handicap strategy. What is its meaning, advantages and disadvantages, we will try to find out.
In bookmakers’ offices, a handicap is a certain conditional advantage in terms of goals, which is assigned by the bookmaker to one of the teams even before the start of a sporting event. The main point is to at least formally equalize the chances of both teams to win, if their real forces are unequal.
Experienced bettors do not recommend abusing handicaps unless there is an urgent need for it. It is better to use this strategy as a backup or alternative way to win. It is not very suitable for the main option.
Types of handicaps and bets on them
In order to place bets correctly and with minimal risks, you need to know the types of handicaps and options for their application.
- A positive handicap. For example, F +1.5 gives an underdog advantage of one or more goals. It is good to use it when the forces of the opponents are approximately equal, and the result of their head-to-head meeting is extremely difficult to predict. The most popular handicaps are +1 and +1.5. In the first case, the victory is awarded to the team, even if the real score on the scoreboard is 0:0. In the second case, the victory is awarded even if the team loses, but with a minimum score.
- Negative handicap. For example, F1 will be appropriate for the game of an outsider and a clear favorite. Conventionally, goals will be taken away from the favorite.
- Zero handicap. H0 can be applied if the player is not sure of a clear victory, and the odds for the outcomes X1 and X2 are low.
Each bet needs to be carefully considered, as this strategy does not involve random actions.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Handicap strategy
There are not too many advantages of the Handicap betting tactics, but they are there.
- While the bettor makes bets with a handicap, he hones his skills and gets good practical experience.
- The handicap gives a good insurance in betting on an outsider who was clearly underestimated.
But it was not without its drawbacks.
- It is quite difficult for beginners in the world of betting to use such a strategy. It is not as easy to understand as it may seem at first glance. It will be especially difficult for those players who still have a mediocre understanding of sports.
- Bets with a zero handicap are very often accompanied by low odds. It is extremely rare to find odds of 2.5 or slightly higher.
To work with such a strategy, you need to be patient. Only experience and knowledge gained can yield good results.