Betting Guides

Football handicap betting guide: Complete UK guide for December 2025

By Peter Fryers | Last updated: 11 September 2025

This football handicap betting guide is here to introduce you to the concept of this type of wager. Handicap betting is basically all about evening the odds. In any sport, handicap betting can be a helpful way to level the playing field.

When it comes to football, handicapping can allow bettors to make the most of different football competitions, including cup competitions and international tournaments in December 2025. When a bookie gives one team a theoretical advantage, punters can pick up great value on even the most mismatched of contests.

In this ultimate guide to football handicap betting, I will walk you through what football handicap betting is and how it compares to other sports handicap betting markets.

What is Handicap betting in football?

Handicap betting can be employed in almost any sports event but really kicks in when an upcoming match is considered to be an uneven affair. Football handicap betting is actually very similar to rugby handicap betting or handicap betting in cricket. It is essentially giving one team a head start in theory.

What it means is that the team that is considered to be the stronger side will start the match at least a couple of goals down and the weaker side will kick off in the lead even though in real life this isn’t the case.

The idea is to balance out the fact that the stronger team is expected to win and score the most goals in the process. When favourites come up against underdogs which is extremely common in cup competitions like the FA Cup, League Cup, European Championship and the World Cup, the handicap betting system plays its part to even the odds and give one side a head start.

For example, in a Premier League match between Burnley and Liverpool, the home side have been priced up as 17/2 and the away side 2/7. Obviously, we expect Liverpool to win but 2/7 does not offer much in the way of a return.

So, we turn our attention to the handicap market and we give Burnley a two goal head start, the odds change to 5/6 for Burnley and Liverpool are now 3/1 to overcome those odds and win the match, representing much better value.

---

Why use handicap betting in December 2025?

You should consider giving handicap betting a try when you have a strong feeling that one side will win a football match but their odds are too low to make a punt worthwhile. How many goals they “come back from” will determine how much higher the football odds climb.

Using the above Burnley example, a -3 handicap for Liverpool raises their odds to 9/2, and a -4 handicap means that you can back Liverpool to overcome that marker at 15/2. This is what makes handicap betting in football so exciting and worth trying some time.

How do football handicap bets work?

Football handicap betting might look confusing at first, but it really isn’t. If you wager on a team to start the match -1, you are betting on that team’s score still beating their opponent’s score after the handicap of minus one goal has been applied.

Therefore, if your team were to win 3-1, your bet would also win. If they won 2-1, the score with the handicap applied would be 1-1, so your bet would lose. If you were to back the other team at +1, you would be betting on that team’s score being greater than team A’s after the handicap has been added, so if the match ends in a draw, you will win.

If you place a wager on a handicapped draw, you are betting on the winning margin being equal to the handicap. Football handicap betting can make a market more exciting as well as providing better value on an overwhelming favourite.

Placing a handicap bet is easy, as the markets and prices are made available in a dedicated sub-section of the event on an online betting site. Remember that the handicap only applies to your selection, not both sides. Also, the handicap must be overcome in order for the bet to be successful.

---

How to read handicap odds and lines

It is essential that you fully understand how a handicap bet works before placing a wager. As I have already said, it is a lot simpler than it looks at first. If you are still struggling to understand the odds and lines, then a handicap calculator can help you, especially if you are looking to place a bet builder that includes a handicap.

When you have familiarised yourself with reading the handicaps and you have a full understanding of how they affect the odds in a betting market, this type of betting could help you to win and lock in some nice odds. This is, of course, so long as you overcome the margin that the bookmaker’s odds are suggesting one team will win by.

Handicap betting isn’t only for football, most sports have handicap markets. You can wager on set, game or point handicaps in tennis, legs in long format darts games, a frame handicap in snooker and the handicap markets for the major American sports, where this is a popular form of gambling

Normally, you will see the following numbers when it comes to handicap odds: +2, +1, 0, -1, -2 and +3 and -3. The underdog will be given the positive numbers and the favourite will get the negative to give the underdog a virtual head start.

Types of football handicap bets

In addition to standard handicap betting, there are two other handicap betting types that you might come across and these are the Asian handicap and the European handicap. I will go into more detail below, but essentially European handicaps require a team not only to win the match but also to do so by a specific goal margin.

Asian handicaps are no draw handicap bets since draws are not possible, but they also allow for split handicaps. Also, Asian handicaps use decimal numbers and allow punters to get their stakes back, European handicaps are presented in whole numbers.

European handicap betting guide

When opponents line up with an uneven chance of success, the regular betting odds will reflect this. One way bookies get round this and continue to provide attractive betting odds is via the European handicap.

European handicaps work by assigning a numerical advantage to one team before the match starts. The numerical hurdle is applied to the final result before determining the settlement of the wager, making it a much more even contest.

Rather than just winning the match outright, the winning team needs to win by the margin set by the bookie in order for the European handicap bet to be successful.

There are three alternative types of European handicaps that you can place in sports betting. These are the positive handicap, the draw handicap and the negative handicap. A positive handicap places a numerical advantage on the team deemed to be the underdog in a match.

On the other hand, a negative European handicap sees a minus amount applied to the result of a team deemed to be the favourite. With a European draw handicap, an advantage is placed on the likelihood of a theoretical draw.

---

Asian handicap betting guide

Asian handicap betting is a no draw handicap system. If you back a team to win on an Asian handicap at -1.0, for instance, and that team goes on to win by two or more goals, your bet wins. However, if they win by a single goal to make your bet a draw, your stake will be refunded.

Also, with Asian handicapping, bettors can select split handicaps and split their stakes on a selection at -2 and -2.5. In this scenario, if your selection wins by two, you will lose half of your stake on the -2.5 line, while you get the second part of your stake back on the -2 line.

If your team wins by three goals or more, both lines will be settled as winners. Asian handicap betting is another bet type that seems more complicated than it actually is at first, but it really doesn’t take very long at all to get used to.

---

Handicap league betting guide

With handicap league betting, your bet is on which team will accumulate the most points throughout the season after the specified handicaps have been applied to all teams. It covers the entire duration of a competition and its eventual outcome. The team considered the favourite to win the league at the start of the season will kick off with a handicap of zero (0) or Scratch (scr).

All other teams will receive virtual head starts against them with corresponding handicap points such as +4, +7, +10, +14 and so on based on their chances of success or failure. The weaker a team is considered to be, the higher the handicap they will be assigned.

At the end of the season, each team’s handicap points are added to their actual points total, not just the points of the team you backed. The team that has the highest combined points is declared the winner of the handicap league betting market.

Teams finishing 2nd, 3rd, and so forth determine the each way places. If multiple teams tie for a position, dead heat rules will be applied. Goal difference will not be considered.

Best football betting sites for handicap betting

There are plenty of excellent betting sites for placing handicap wagers on football in December 2025. For instance, bet365 is a leading website for handicap betting, providing both traditional and Asian handicap options with a wide variety of alternative lines for football.

Elsewhere, Unibet offers one of the best handicap betting experiences online, featuring an extensive selection of traditional and Asian handicap lines for football.

Then there’s Betfred which is an excellent site for handicap betting on football, offering punters choices for both handicap and Asian handicap bets, including many alternative lines. I also saw matches where you could place -/+5.

Betano is among the best new bookmakers in the UK market, and through BV Gaming, it has access to an impressive range of markets and odds for handicap and Asian handicap betting.

At William Hill, bettors can access Handicap Betting, Match Handicap, First Half Handicap and Second Half Handicap markets. Finally, both Sky Bet and Betfair offer alternative handicap options.

---

Football handicap betting examples and scenarios

Imagine a Premier League match between Manchester City and Sunderland, where Manchester City are naturally the firm favourites. In this scenario, you head to the Handicap -1.5 market.

You bet on Manchester City to win the match with a handicap of -1.5. This means Manchester City must win the match by at least two or more goals for the bet to be successful. If they achieve that, you win. If they win by no more than one goal, your bet will lose.

Alternatively, in the second scenario, you look at the +1 handicap. You place a wager on Sunderland to win with a handicap of +1. This means if Sunderland lose by precisely one goal, the result on the handicap market is settled as a draw and your stake will be refunded. If Sunderland draw or win, your bet is paid out as a winner.

Football handicap betting strategy and expert tips

There are no guaranteed results in the Premier League. Anyone can beat anyone. It’s what makes England’s top tier football league the most exciting competition in the world. This is not always true in Europe’s other major competitions such as Spain, Germany and Italy.

Consider a team in the first place of the Premier League that is about to play a team in one of the relegation places. 99% of the time, the better team should win. However, handicap wagers give the weaker team a few goals head start to make things more exciting.

Here are some effective strategies for handicap betting.

Types of handicap

There are several main handicap betting markets. These include mixed handicap wagers, Asian handicap wagers and regular handicap wagers. Punters need to recognise when to use each type and, in the case of mixed handicap betting, be familiar with multiple markets across at least two sports.

---

Use Asian handicaps to remove draws

Asian handicap wagers do not include draws which reduces the outcomes to just a possible two. Bettors can use Asian handicap bets when there is a distinct possibility of the game ending in a draw and stopping the different outcome.

---

Use a European handicap for a bigger profit

Alternatively, if you are sure of a predicted outcome, you can make a wager on one out of three possibilities and to win a higher potential profit. Making a wager on one out of three results, which includes win, draw or loss, means a punter has less of a probability of winning a higher pay out than with a similar Asian handicap wager.

---

Value handicaps

Value handicap bets are underpriced in relation to their actual worth. For example, a punter has the option of making a handicap wager on a game in La Liga with two alternative bookmakers.

The first bookie gives a punter better odds, while the second site provides a punter with worse odds, which means a lower profit. Punters should place a bet with a higher potential for success and lower risk.

---

Other common football bet types

If you are unsure about trying out handicap betting on games of football, then you should know that there are plenty of other ways to wager on football outcomes. From player markets like goal scorers, cards, assists, corners and bet builders, to score lines, final results and half time/full time, UK bettors have a lot of options.

---

Over/under goals vs handicap betting

When you place a bet on the Over/Under market for a football match, you will normally be betting on how many goals there will be in total. This will either be over or under a certain amount. This bet can also sometimes be used on corners or cards in a football match.

---

Both teams to score and handicap combinations

Both teams to score (BTTS) markets are simple two outcomes type of bets. Answer either a yes or a no, if you think both teams will score, one team will score or neither team will score which is also a no.

---

Correct score vs handicap betting

Predicting the final result correctly isn’t easy as anything can happen in a game of football. However, this type of bet typically offers higher returns because of its difficulty.

---

Responsible gambling reminder

Gambling is all about having fun but it’s also about staying in control and managing your bankroll. Remember that it’s not a guaranteed source of income and wins can be hard to come by. Two top tips for staying safe when gambling online are to never bet more than you can afford to lose and not to chase losses.

UK gambling laws and regulations

Great Britain has strict gambling regulations, which is why platforms licenced by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) are regarded as some of the most reliable in the industry.

Gambling is a highly popular leisure activity in the UK, offering a variety of options from online betting to casinos. Gambling is safeguarded by strong measures that criminalise illegal gambling and encourage responsible gambling practices.

The legal structure guarantees that gambling activities are undertaken fairly and openly, with a focus on responsible gambling. Online operators are legally required to conduct Know Your Customer (KYC) checks to verify player identity.

Platforms must also provide tools for self-exclusion and spending limits. As of 2020, the use of credit cards for gambling transactions is banned on all platforms.

---

Setting limits on handicap betting

It is a good idea to set limits on how much you can afford to spend on a betting site. Bookies will all provide spending cap tools so that you don’t overspend and get yourself into any financial difficulties further down the line. This is true not only for handicap betting, but all gambling in general.

Problem gambling support and resources

If you feel like you need to take a break from gambling, you can apply for a time-out or self-exclusion to be put on your account. During this time, you will not be able to login to or access your account.

There are also support channels you can reach out to, including, but not limited to, the following:

• GamCare: www.gamcare.org.uk or 0808 8020 133
• Gambling Therapy: www.gamblingtherapy.org
• Gamblers Anonymous: www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk

Football handicap betting FAQs