What this guide covers
A handicap evens out a match on paper. One side starts with a deficit, the other with a head start, and you bet on the result after that adjustment. This guide explains the two styles you'll see in football, European and Asian, including the quarter lines that confuse most people, and shows how point spreads in US sports use the same idea. Sport guides mention handicaps briefly. This is the full explanation.
18+ only, or the higher legal age where you live. Check the availability page before you sign up.
Why handicaps exist
When a strong team plays a weak one, the favorite's price can be so short that the bet barely pays. A handicap moves the line so both sides are closer to even money. You're no longer asking "who wins?" but "who wins after the head start?" The bookmaker's margin is still built in.
European handicap
Three outcomes, including a handicap draw. Simple to read.
A European handicap adds whole goals to one side's score. Say Team A is minus 1. If A wins 2 to 0, the handicap result is 1 to 0, so "A minus 1" wins. If A wins 1 to 0, the handicap result is 0 to 0, a handicap draw, and that's its own outcome. "A minus 1" loses, the handicap draw wins. Because the draw is a separate option, nothing is ever refunded. It's simple to read once you add the goals in your head.
Asian handicap
Asian lines
| Line | What happens |
|---|
Asian handicaps remove the draw. There are three kinds of line.
Half lines, such as minus 0.5 or plus 1.5, can't push. Minus 0.5 is the same as backing the team to win. Plus 0.5 is the same as backing the team to win or draw.
Whole lines, such as minus 1.0 or 0.0, can push. With minus 1.0, a two-goal win wins the bet, a one-goal win returns your stake, and anything else loses. A 0.0 line, also called level ball, works like draw no bet.
Quarter lines, such as minus 0.25 or minus 1.25, split your stake in two. Half goes on the line just above and half on the line just below. So minus 1.25 is half your stake on minus 1.0 and half on minus 1.5. If the team wins by exactly one goal, the minus 1.0 half is refunded and the minus 1.5 half loses. You get back half your stake. If they win by two, both halves win.
Minus 0.75, by result
| Team result | Half on -0.5 | Half on -1.0 | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wins by 2+ | Wins | Wins | Full win |
| Wins by 1 | Wins | Refund | Half win |
| Draw | Loses | Loses | Loses |
Spreads
In basketball and the NFL, the spread is a points handicap.
A spread is the same idea with bigger numbers. Minus 6.5 means the team must win by seven or more. Plus 6.5 means the team can lose by up to six and still win the bet. Whole-number spreads can push. Ice hockey has the puck line, usually 1.5 goals, and baseball has the run line, usually 1.5 runs. Tennis and esports use game and map handicaps. See ice hockey and baseball for how those work in practice.
What's included
In football, handicap markets usually settle on regular time, so extra time and penalties don't count. In US sports, full-game spreads usually include overtime. This is the most common surprise with handicaps, so read the market name and Stake's sports rules.
A worked example
Made-up match: Team A plays Team B. The Asian handicap is A minus 1.25 at 2.05. You stake 10. A wins 2 to 1. The minus 1.0 half, 5 units, is refunded, because A won by exactly one. The minus 1.5 half, 5 units, loses. You get 5 back. If A had won 3 to 1, both halves would win, returning 20.50 in total. If it had been a draw, both halves would lose.
Choosing a line
A bigger head start for the underdog means a shorter price on it. A bigger deficit for the favorite means a longer price. Alternative handicaps let you pick the line that matches your view, but the margin is usually a bit bigger on lines away from the main one. Our odds guide shows how to check that.
Related
See over and under for totals, and football betting. Handicaps on multiple matches can go into an accumulator, where the margin multiplies.
Handicaps in live betting
Handicap lines also move in play. In live football, the Asian handicap is usually set on the goals still to come, which means the current score may be ignored and only goals from that point count. Other books include the current score. Those two methods settle the same bet differently, so check the market rules before betting a live handicap.
Keeping it in proportion
Handicaps make a mismatch look like a fair contest, but the bet is still a bet. Treat every bet as money you can lose. If you're chasing losses, stop and read our responsible gambling page.
FAQ
Which handicap is simpler?
European.
What is a quarter line?
A split bet across two nearby lines.
Does a handicap include extra time?
Usually not in football. Check the market rules.
Is 0.0 the same as draw no bet?
In effect, yes. A draw returns your stake.