European Handicap Betting

What does European handicap mean

Most bettors focus on regular bets and avoid using handicaps, thinking they’re too complicated or difficult to understand. But in reality, handicap betting is quite simple and just gives one team or athlete an advantage over the other.

Handicap bets are important because often, two teams are evenly matched, and the odds for one of them to win are too low. The handicap system helps improve the odds for close games and gives better value when one team is much stronger than the other.

There are two main types of handicap betting – the European handicap and the Asian handicap. This article will explain what European handicap betting is and highlight how it differs from the Asian handicap.

While the European handicap is most commonly used for football, it can also be applied to many other sports, such as volleyball, handball, baseball, hockey, American football, and tennis.

How European handicap works

Unlike the Asian handicap, where a draw isn’t possible, the European handicap lets you bet on all three outcomes – win, draw, or loss. It’s similar to a regular 1X2 match bet, which is why it’s also called the “Single handicap” or “3-way handicap.”

In a European handicap, the underdog (the weaker team) gets extra goals or points, while the favorite (the stronger team) has goals or points taken away. These adjustments are made before the game starts, and your bet is decided based on the final score after the handicap is applied.

The European handicap always uses whole numbers like -1, -2, or -3, while the Asian handicap can have fractions like -1.25 or -1.5.

Strategies for European handicap betting

A simple way to use the European handicap to your advantage is by focusing on matches that are likely to end in a draw but still have a clear favorite.

As we mentioned, many football games in Europe are closely matched. The trick is to pick three games where you have a strong favorite, but the match could still be tight. You don’t need to bet on more than three games—just a combination of these three can give you odds around 50, which is a good return.

You don’t need to bet large amounts either. With odds like this, you can make a decent profit even by betting just 5 or less on each match.

The idea is to bet on a draw using the European handicap at -1 for the favorite (usually the home team), meaning you’re betting on the home team to win by exactly one goal. So, for example, you’d bet on the favorite to win by a goal at a handicap of -1. Many tight matches end with just a one-goal difference, but it’s important to pick your games carefully.