We sometimes use affiliate links in our content, when clicking on those we might receive a commission - at no extra cost to you. By using this website you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.
While more traditional forms of betting are preferred by the majority of punters, others will use handicap betting markets. If you have not tried handicap betting before, you are likely to have heard of it, with this page outlining exactly what it is. Whether it be Asian handicap or others, we will also deliver the best handicap betting sites, which are all nothing but safe and reliable.
Many often become unnecessarily confused by the notion of handicap betting. It is generally used by those looking to bet on the favourite but still wanting good value, however on this page, we will provide a definitive answer to the question: What is handicap betting? However, let’s start by listing our top 10 recommended handicap betting sites.
Plus Best Odds On All Premier League Matches (fixed odds Match Odds, pre-match v top 5 bookies on Oddschecker). Join and place a £10 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. 18+ begambleaware.org. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit.
Once the bet is settled, get a £10 free fixed odds bet plus a £5 free Total Goals football spread bet and a £5 racing Winning Favourites spread bet. The second £10 free fixed odds bet, £5 free Total Goals football spread bet, and £5 racing Winning Favourites spread bet will be credited 24 hours later. Free bet stakes not included in any winnings from the free fixed odds bets. The free fixed odds bet can be placed by ticking the 'Claim as Free Bet' button on your bet slip when placing your chosen fixed odds bet. The free bet can be placed in-play but cannot be cashed out in-play and must run to the conclusion of the bet.
You need to open a full sports spread betting account to use the 2 x £5 free Total Goals football spread bets and 2 x £5 racing Winning Favourites spread bet. Whilst these are free bets, please remember that when Spread betting it is possible to incur losses that exceed your initial stake. Free bets expire in 28 days if unused. Promotions available to 18+ aged individuals who are registered customers of Spreadex.
Spreadex
Privately Held
1999
St Albans, UK
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
23/03/21
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
Generous promotions for new and existing customers
Place a bet of £5 within 14 days of signing up at Coral and claim £20 worth of free bets (4x £5 tokens). Minimum odds of 1/2, free bets are valid for 7 days, with stakes not being returned. PayPal and some other payment methods are excluded.
Sign up today and place a £5 on any sport and Coral will give you an instant £20 in free bets. Open a new online, mobile or telephone account with Coral. Deposit and bet £5 on any sport. Coral will give you an instant four x £5 free bets. Your account will be topped up automatically as soon as you place your bet. All Coral ask is that you choose a sport market at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or bigger.
Bet must be placed using real money in combination with the Odds Boost Token. Offer applies to Sport bets only. Maximum total stake is £10. Each way bets are a maximum of £5 each way (£10 total stake) If you stake less than £10 you will forfeit the remaining amount of the odds boost token. 'Double the odds' refers to fractional odds only. For the avoidance of doubt, it is the profit from the eligible bet that is doubled. Extra winnings are paid in cash upon bet settlement. Customers have 60 days after registration to use the Odds Boost token.
New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any Football market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply.
Open a new account using promo code YSKWDX Deposit a minimum of £10 using cards Place a Sportsbook bet on Football. For the purposes of this promotion, your first ever settled bet will be counted as the qualifying bet. Qualifying requirements must be completed within 90 days of account opening. If your qualifying bet is settled as a loser we will refund you stake in CASH Maximum refund is £20.
Available to new customers, Get a £20 free bet when you bet £10. Free bets are valid for 14 days after being credited, with payments made using PayPal, Neteller, Paysafe, Skrill or Skril 1-Tap are ineligible. Free bets to be used on coupons with odds of 4/5 or greater.
This offer is for new sport customers only and is available once per household. Max. Free Bet amount £20. Minimum wagering on sport to activate the Free Bet is £10. Offer valid only to customers making a first deposit of €10 or more and make a qualifying bet in accordance with the Free Bet Specific Terms and Conditions. Void/cancelled or cashed out bets do not count towards wagering to activate the Free Bet. Offer only applies to players who are residents of United Kingdom and Ireland.
Receive £20 worth of free bets (4x £5 tokens) when you sign up and stake £5+ on sports markets at Ladbrokes. Free bets are valid for 7 days, with stakes not being returned, while deposits made using prepaid cards, Moneybookers, Paypal, Paysafe, Neteller or Skrill will not qualify.
To claim this Sports Promotion, you must register a NEW account, making a deposit of £/€5 or more and the first bet on your account must be a Qualifying Bet/s. If you don’t follow these steps the free bets will not be applied to your account. 7. The Qualifying bet/s will be made of a real money sports bet of at least £/€5 win or cumulative stakes of up to £/€5 , at fractional odds totalling 1/2 or greater. For a single line accumulator bet, each individual selection of the bet must at fractional odds of 1/2 or greater to be deemed a Qualifying Bet. Please note that only the win parts of win/each-way bets will qualify.
DEPOSIT AND BET £10 MINIMUM ODDS 1/2 (1.50) / £10 FREEBET / VALID 7 DAYS / T&CS APPLY / 18+ / BEGAMBLEAWARE.ORG
Bank Transfer
PayPal
VISA
Neteller
Skrill
MasterCard
UKGC
Minimum odds 1/2 (1.50). Customers will be awarded a £10 Free Bet. Customers will qualify for the Free Bet once their first £10 qualifying bets on Sports have been placed and then settled on the account. Qualifying bet can be on any sport of your choice and can be either a single or a single line multiple bet with two selections or more. Cashed out qualifying bets will not qualify for the offer. Customers must place a qualifying bet within 30 days of registration and for the bet to settle within this period to receive the Free Bet automatically. Free Bet will be credited to the account within 24 hours of the qualifying bet settling. Free Bet can be used on singles or combo on any sport. Free Bet is valid for 7 days.
Money Back As a Bonus Up To £40, if your 1st bet loses + £10 Casino Bonus
11/11/21
Money Back As a Bonus Up To £40, if your 1st bet loses + £10 Casino Bonus
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply.
Place a sports bet of minimum £1 with odds 2/5 (1.40) or greater. Each leg of a multiple bet must be over 2/5 (1.40) for the bet to qualify. Bets placed on horse racing, greyhound racing, trotting and/or virtual sports will not qualify for the money back as bonus offer. If your first sports bet wins, you have completed the bonus, you will receive your winnings and your stake. If your first sports bet loses, you will receive your stake back up to a maximum of £40 in bonus money. If you received £40 bonus money you need to bet £120 to complete the bonus conditions.
How We Rank the Best Handicap Betting Sites
We do not take selecting our favourite handicap betting sites lightly, with a number of factors being taken into consideration. So, let’s take a closer look at what separates the best handicap betting sites from the rest:
Safety – As with any form of betting site recommended at safebettingsites.com, security and reliability is the most important thing. As such, punters can rest assured that the bookies listed above are all licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission, while also having a number of safety measures in place.
Markets – Handicap markets, including Asian handicap, should be available surrounding a host of sports, including football, tennis, basketball and American Football, among others. The best handicap betting sites will also offer a variety of handicap types, catering for the needs of all customers.
Odds – Punters often turn to handicap markets in an attempt to drive the odds up. As a result, handicap betting sites must ensure that they offer some attractive prices in this area, otherwise customers will stick to simpler markets.
Live – Handicap markets should still be available after kick-off, the opening serve or the tip off. Live betting is now hugely popular, with the leading handicap betting sites recognising this.
Mobile – Betting customers should also be able to locate the handicap markets using their mobile device too. Whether it be through dedicated betting apps or their mobile site, this is a must for any respected bookie today.
Bonuses – While this does not concern handicap betting specifically, it is always nice to be in a position to claim bonuses and free bets. All of our recommended handicap betting sites offer a welcome offer, while ongoing promotions are also available.
Usability – There is no point in offering handicap markets if they are near impossible to access. The top handicap betting sites ensure that their interface is easy to use, while also being quick.
What is Handicap Betting?
Handicap betting is a form of wagering that involves one team or player being given a deficit, a handicap in which they must overcome during the match. Handicaps are used by bookies in order to effectively level the playing field when two mismatched opponents go head to head. In the event of two unevenly matched teams going up against each other, punters may find that the odds on offer are not too appealing, which is where handicap betting markets can be so useful.
For example, in the event of Premier League champions Liverpool having been drawn at home against Hull City in the FA Cup, a handicap of a certain amount of goals will be given, based on the fact that the Reds would be the overwhelming favourites for victory. Handicap betting markets are now available surrounding almost every sporting encounter however, not just in cases where there is a clear favourite and underdog.
How to Succeed at Handicap Betting
Handicap betting is used in order to gain increased value when betting on favourites generally speaking. In theory, the greater the handicap given, the greater the potential earnings will be. However, while this strategy is used by many punters today, there are a number of factors to consider before getting involved for yourself. Punters must anticipate how sporting encounters may play out in order to be successful. For example, a football team may take the foot of the pedal after going two goals clear, making a low Asian handicap bet an appealing option.
Meanwhile, it is also advised to expect the underdog to perform better than expected. Staking on them with a plus handicap allows for a profit even if they go on to lose or draw the encounter. Meanwhile, it is also now possible to use handicap betting when it comes to ante-post outright markets, such as betting on the Premier League or Six Nations. An example of this is betting on Liverpool to finish top of the standings with a -10 handicap.
Betting Tips
Below are some of our top tips when it comes to handicap betting, designed to give punters the best possible chance of beating the bookies:
Do Your Homework – Be sure to check out recent results between the two teams or players in question. Head to head records are a good indicator as to what may happen this time around too. In the event of one team dominating, handicap betting could well be a good option.
Form – Has the football team in which you are looking to place a handicap bet on been in good form of late? This is another question which should be asked before staking on a handicap market.
Player Availability – With handicap betting markets generally surrounding team sports, be sure to check out any potential injuries or suspensions that may effect the starting line-up. Betting on a team who are missing their star striker with a large handicap is obviously not advised.
Asian Handicap – Check out the variety of Asian handicap betting markets offered by your selected bookie. Take advantage of them where appropriate in order to mitigate potential losses and claim half-wins.
Bet Type – If you are convinced that the underdog will actually do better than expected, take advantage of plus handicap markets, rather than draw no bet or double chance options.
Odds Comparison – Prices online can vary greatly, especially when it comes to handicap betting. So, take advantage of odds comparison platforms to ensure that you are utilising the best odds around. Also remember that you can sign up on more than one betting site.
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
23/03/21
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
Generous promotions for new and existing customers
Place a bet of £5 within 14 days of signing up at Coral and claim £20 worth of free bets (4x £5 tokens). Minimum odds of 1/2, free bets are valid for 7 days, with stakes not being returned. PayPal and some other payment methods are excluded.
Sign up today and place a £5 on any sport and Coral will give you an instant £20 in free bets. Open a new online, mobile or telephone account with Coral. Deposit and bet £5 on any sport. Coral will give you an instant four x £5 free bets. Your account will be topped up automatically as soon as you place your bet. All Coral ask is that you choose a sport market at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or bigger.
Types of Handicap Betting
Today, there are a variety of different options available to punters when it comes to handicap betting, with the following being among the most popular markets:
Asian Handicap
What is Asian handicap? As the most popular form of handicap betting, Asian can appear a little complicated at first. While general handicap betting generally concerns whole numbers, +1 or -2 for example, Asian handicap can involve other decimals, such as -0.5 or +1.5. In sports where a draw is possible, including football, hockey and rugby, Asian handicap markets can be especially useful.
Split/European Handicap
Split handicap betting effectively means sharing your stake between two outcomes. For example, should Chelsea be +2.5, +3.0 for their upcoming Premier League match against Arsenal, half the stake will go towards +2.5 and the other half to +3.0. So, if Chelsea lose by three goals, the bet will be considered as a push, while the +2.5 bet will lose.
Handicap League
Here, punters are betting on a team’s performance throughout the entire season. Bets must be made before the opening fixture takes place, with successful bets not being paid out until the season is over. Betting customers are staking on which team will earn the highest number of points, with options such as Manchester United +16 and Aston Villa +50 being available.
Below are some of the top betting sites for Asian handicap betting, including what they offer in terms of a welcome offer:
While football is the first sport in which most punters think of when it comes to handicap betting, there are a number of other disciplines which now cater for this form of wagering. Below are some of the most popular handicap betting sports markets:
Tennis – A host of tennis handicap bets are now available. On top of betting on the outright match winner, both game and set handicaps are available. For example, betting on Novak Djokovic to win his upcoming match at Wimbledon by +1.5 sets.
Golf – Both match and round handicap markets are on offer surrounding golf. Golfers are individually given a handicap based on their likelihood of winning the event, with punters then betting where they see fit.
Basketball – Similarly to football, punters can bet on basketball games with a handicap too. Revolving around the margin of victory, punters could potentially bet on the Boston Celtics to beat the Toronto Raptors at +6.5 points.
Rugby – Whether it be Union or League, handicap markets are also available when it comes to rugby. Here, teams are again given a handicap based on their likelihood of victory in an upcoming match. For example, Leinster could be available to back at -8 to beat rivals Munster.
Bottom Line
Handicap betting is now a hugely popular form of wagering on sporting events. This page has delivered some of the best betting sites for punters looking to stake on such markets, while also explaining the ins and outs of handicap betting in general. So, if you are searching for greater value when there is a clear favourite and underdog, be sure to consider handicap markets, as well as the bookies listed on this page.
FAQ’s
What is handicap betting?
Handicap betting is a method used by betting sites in order to even the playing field between opponents ahead of an upcoming event. Bookies give one team or player a handicap, which they must then overcome in order for the bet to be successful.
What is Asian handicap betting?
Asian handicap markets effectively make draws null and void, with only a win and loss being possible as a result. Asian handicap markets offer options such as +0.5, -2.5 and +3.0.
Which is the best betting site for handicap betting?
All of the betting sites listed on this page perform well when it comes to handicap betting. Therefore all are likely to appeal to punters, with the best for you being one which best suits your strategy and demands. As with all betting sites at safebettingsites.com, all of our recommended bookies are 100% safe, legal and trustworthy.
Is handicap betting available on all sports?
Handicap betting markets are appearing surrounding an increasing number of sports. Football, American football, rugby, basketball and even Esports are now available, however this will differ from bookie to bookie.
Can I use bonus funds on handicap betting markets?
This will depend on the terms and conditions set by the bookie itself. However, in most cases, punters receiving a bonus or free bet will be able to use such funds on handicap markets. Be sure to look into this further before staking, as you may lose funds if you are not careful.
Can I back a draw with European handicap markets?
Yes. Unlike Asian handicap markets, punters here can bet on three possible outcomes, win, lose or draw.
James Fuller
Betting Expert
James Fuller is a sports journalist based in Bath, England. Specializing in sports and iGaming, he has worked for a variety of leading online publications in the past, including MailOnline and Coral. James also has a degree in Sport & Leisure Management from Sheffield Hallam University.
He also has a certificate in Football Communication & Digital Media from the Sports Business Institute in Barcelona, which James has used to help brands enhace their following and reputation on online platforms. With almost a decade of experience in sports writing to his name, James has received outstanding feedback from existing and former clients.