Handicap betting, whether in basketball, soccer or tennis betting, can be daunting.
Even once you’ve fully understood each way betting on tennis, and checked out all the tennis futures betting tips, the handicap section of 888Sport’s markets can be a confusing place.
Once you’ve got to grips with everything else, though, handicap betting is something all bettors should pay close attention to.
It’s often the home of the best value, or a way to find value in a match that might otherwise have been irrelevant from a betting perspective.
This article looks at how handicap betting works and when it’s relevant…
Handicap Betting: How Does It Work?
Handicap betting gives an advantage or a disadvantage ahead of match. This is applied to the total games won in a match to level the playing field and can potentially mean a winning bet even if the player you backed loses the match.
For example, if player X loses in straight sets, but finishes with 12 games compared to the victor’s 18, the handicap will have been six. If you backed player X at +6, the bet would have won despite them losing the match emphatically.
Handicap bets will often be used the other way around, as a way of finding value on the favoured player. In this example – let’s call them player Y – the winner could have been backed at -5 and the bet would have still been a winner.
Although whole numbers have been used in this example, tennis betting markets will rarely show that. Bookmakers will prefer to set the handicap at 5.5 than 5.
Set Handicap Betting In Tennis
It isn’t just the total games that are on offer when it comes to the handicap markets with 888Sport.
Set handicap betting is popular too. This will offer a player at plus or minus 0.5 or 1.5 sets, giving an alternative to correct score set betting, which we have touched on in other tennis guides.
Just like game handicap betting, set handicaps are a way of finding value in a matchup that might otherwise be considered one-sided.
If Roger Federer is facing a player ranked outside the top 50, but you fancy the underdog to snatch a set, adding a set handicap can be a way of finding a worthwhile bet in a match that would otherwise not be worth placing a wager on.
Things To Consider
The focus might have been on a heavy favourite and a clear underdog so far, but bettors shouldn’t overlook handicap bets in touch and go matchups, too.
Even if you don’t fancy a certain player’s chances in a match, a game handicap of five or six in a three-set match will often be appealing.
Say you’ve got two big servers going head-to-head, and you only envisage one or two breaks in the match. A small handicap can be worthwhile. A +4 would cover you in the event of a 7-6, 7-5 match, for instance.
For the big three, particularly in the early rounds of a Grand Slam, handicaps are your best chance of finding value. Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic frequently blow opponents away.
Having one of that trio on a -8.5 or -9.5 is a route to some good value because even the correct set score markets will be a short price unless you’re expecting a shock five-setter.
Getting used to handicap bets, and understanding when they can be useful, is important for any tennis bettor. As you go to place a wager on the latest Davis Cup rubber or little-known event, keep the handicap markets in mind.
Head over to 888sport.com for a comprehensive list of tennis markets and bets
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Manu Fernandez / AP Photo*
