Handicap Betting in Football – Complete Guide to European and Asian Markets

What is handicap betting in football?

It’s where bookmakers “level the playing field” between two teams, usually when there’s a clear favourite and an underdog. The favourite is assigned a virtual goal deficit (shown as a minus) they must overcome, while the underdog is given a virtual goal advantage (shown as a plus) before the match begins. Bettors wager on the result after this handicap is applied, not the straightforward match outcome.

In this football handicap betting guide, we’ll outline everything there is to know and look at the two most important types in detail; European and Asian handicaps. Read on to find out more about this type of bet and learn how you can potentially enhance future football betting experiences, especially when using the free Flashscore resource!

Best Bookmakers for Football Handicap Betting

To maximise any football handicap betting experience, it’s crucial to use the best betting sites in the UK that offer these markets. Some bookmakers will excel over others when it comes to offering competitive odds and diverse markets like these.

Check out our list of recommended options below to ensure you make the right choice.

The European Handicap in Football

The European handicap football betting market is one of the most common that can be found when using trusted UKGC-licensed sportsbooks.

It can often be referred to as a 3-way handicap or a 1X2 handicap. It is a betting market that assigns a whole-number goal advantage or disadvantage to either team before the match starts. This allows for three possible outcomes: a home win, an away win, or a draw. This slightly differs from the Asian handicap football betting market, as there are only two outcomes possible with this type of bet.

Let’s imagine that Man City are the favourite and has a virtual deficit of -1 goal. As the underdogs, Villa have a virtual advantage of +1 goal.

With this scenario, the following can happen:

• Manchester City will win the bet if they win by 2+ goals.
• Aston Villa will win if they draw or win the game.
• A draw will happen if Man City win by just one goal.

The Asian Handicap in Football (The Bettor’s Choice)

The Asian handicap football bet is used more often than the European handicap bet. As noted, this type of bet only has two outcomes. This is because the possibility of a draw is removed, making it more straightforward for bettors.

Whole lines and half lines are used to balance matches virtually. Examples of this type of bet could consist of the following:

• Liverpool -1.0 requires a bet on Liverpool to win by two or more goals to be successful. A win by 1 goal will see the bet be pushed.
• Chelsea -1.5 means they must win by two goals to win the bet. If they win by one, the bet will lose.
• Arsenal +0.5 means Arsenal can win or draw the match to win the bet, as they have a 0.5-goal advantage over their opponent in this example.

How to Analyse Football Matches for Handicap Betting

Basic win/loss form isn’t typically enough when it comes to analysing football matches for handicap betting opportunities. Bettors need to consider a few other factors when it comes to analysing the final results that occur between teams:

• Do scorelines involving the clubs concerned consist of large gaps, or are they narrow?
• How does a team perform when at home or away? How do results differ in terms of the gap?
• Is a team more attack-minded (-1.5 in handicap betting)? Are they defence-minded (+1.5 in betting)?
• Will key players who score goals be involved in the game, or are they missing?

Understanding each of these factors can have a significant impact on a bettor’s handicap bet.

The Flashscore Advantage – Stats for Football Handicap Analysis

Flashscore is the ultimate resource for all handicap football betting wagers. The Flashscore app and online web tool provide users with a comprehensive overview of important statistics and data points that can help make better betting decisions.

Some of the key benefits that can be obtained when using Flashscore include:

• Identify recent margins of victory and see how often a particular result occurs for teams.
• Analyse how well teams do at home and away, using filters to examine form and goal difference.
• Check out the head-to-head records between the two teams and see if there are any indicators or trends of what to expect.
• Flashscore’s extensive coverage of real-time data and match analytics can help with live betting. Metrics like shots attempted, ball possession, and time spent in the attacking third can help make informed decisions.