For example, in soccer, say you think Tottenham have a good chance against Manchester City, but you don’t want to risk everything on them winning. With the +1 handicap betting option, you are giving them a goal headstart. Select +2 to give them a two-goal headstart, select 3+ for a three-goal headstart, and so on.

Conversely, if you think the Citizens will comfortably beat Tottenham but you want to get bigger odds on a comfortable victory, you can select -1 on Manchester City. Essentially, you are backing the Citizens to win the match despite starting a goal behind. Select -2 for bigger odds, -3 for even bigger odds, and so on.

Much like the handicap in betting with goals in football, the points handicap involves a virtual points advantage or disadvantage to the favoured or underdog team respectively, which is assigned by the bookmaker. .

The team or player with a “-” sign in relation to the number of points or goals in the handicap market is always the favourite, while the underdog gets the “+” sign and the requisite number of goals or points as a headstart for the bettor.

Let's take an example of a basketball game between Team A and Team B. Team A is considered the stronger team, so they are given a handicap of -7 points, while Team B is given a handicap of +7 points. This means that if you bet on Team A, their final score must be at least 8 points higher than Team B's for you to win the bet. On the other hand, if you bet on Team B, their final score must either be higher than Team A's or lose by less than 7 points.

The whole point of the handicap market is to provide balance from a betting perspective.

The advantage of bonuses and other offers when placing a handicap bet is that it can give you greater bang for your buck. Make sure you check for eligible promotions before you deposit or withdraw using a credit card to get the most out of your balance.

As we allude to above, the handicap in basketball betting is a very popular market, in the main because it gives players the option to level the playing field.

The NBA has been known to expose teams that are not as good as others - opening the door to heavier defeats and losses for some teams.

After fully understanding the match handicap meaning, fans can back the underdog at fairer sports betting odds without necessarily fearing a convincing defeat.

Bettors must also take into consideration factors such as team injuries, recent performance, and matchups when placing a points handicap bet. These factors can greatly impact the outcome of the game and should be carefully researched before making a wager.