A handicap is a system of betting which basically tries to level the playing field in games that appear to be a bit one-sided. It's a popular type of betting across a variety of sports, from football, rugby and NFL. A popular term in sports betting is 'unit' and below I will explain what bettors mean they refer to a unit, and examples of it being used. A 'unit' in sports betting is a measurement of the size of someone's bet. Because everyone has different sized bankrolls for sports betting, using the term unit is a way for us to show your profit.
This is where understanding sports handicapping comes in. There are two ways to perceive sports handicapping:
- Vegas handicapping games
- You handicapping the pick
The act of placing a bet or having an active wager on a sporting event. 'I have action on. In horseracing, handicapping exists to promote betting, and races where handicapping is applied for competitive purposes are often called handicaps. This is true of many other contests, races and tournaments as well. In betting, the term also refers to predicting outcomes. For instance, in spread betting a team that wins by less the spread loses. Handicapping sports is the process in which you break down games or contests to determine who you think will win. There are numerous theories on how to go about doing this, ranging from the simple to the complex. For those new to handicapping, start with the basics and work your way out.
The most basic understanding of sports handicapping is where the oddsmakers provide bettors with a spread or line to wager with. What to get someone who likes to gamble.
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Here is the exact definition of handicapping:
A race or contest in which contestants are given advantages or compensations to equalize the chances of winning.
Sports betting is technically neither a race nor contest, but sportsbooks do give everyone a chance at an advantage by issuing point spreads for any given matchup.
It's not always as simple as saying 'this team will win' or 'this team will lose.' Vegas enhances the bet, and in some ways simplifies it by giving bettors the opportunity to pick an underdog without really picking them.
A great example is trying to pick a tough NFL game between the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans.
The Patriots are yearly title contenders, while the Titans usually aren't. Vegas knows New England will be the obvious favorite, and because of that, few will bet on them straight-up. Bettors won't have that much interest in betting on the Titans, either, seeing as they're unlikely to win.
Vegas handicaps this contest by awarding a point spread, like this:
- Patriots -10
- Titans +10
This handicap allows you to bet on the Patriots and obtain value in the same breath. A game like this would carry something like a -425 Money Line or greater in favor of New England. If you're betting on this game, you would need to throw down $425 just to get $100 back on top of your bet.
There isn't much upside in that, so bettors are instead drawn to the point spread. In this case, bettors need to decide if the Patriots are such a safe bet that they can cover the spread. If so, they can bet what they wish that the Patriots will win by 11 points, effectively covering the 10-point spread at hand.
On the flip side, those that believe the Titans might either win or at least play a close game can bet on the Titans to beat the spread. In this case, the Titans would simply have to lose by 10 points or fewer, and you would then convert a win on your wager.
That's the beauty of the handicap the oddsmakers give you. It doesn't always work out, but it puts underdogs in play and at least in theory helps make every single contest a bettable option.
The second way to perceive sports handicapping is where the bettor does all they can to take advantage of any potential edge Vegas hands them. The sportsbooks think that they're calling the games right and that they have the edge, but if you put in the research and make the right pick, you can profit.
That doesn't always mean you're going to come out on top, and Vegas doesn't need to be wrong for bettors to win, either. It also doesn't mean that when people do win, they'll always win big.
Many bettors refer to 'the grind' of sports betting, because it's not about one big win or beating Vegas. It's about handicapping each individual game you plan on wagering on and coming out with as many wins as possible on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
A race or contest in which contestants are given advantages or compensations to equalize the chances of winning.
Sports betting is technically neither a race nor contest, but sportsbooks do give everyone a chance at an advantage by issuing point spreads for any given matchup.
It's not always as simple as saying 'this team will win' or 'this team will lose.' Vegas enhances the bet, and in some ways simplifies it by giving bettors the opportunity to pick an underdog without really picking them.
A great example is trying to pick a tough NFL game between the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans.
The Patriots are yearly title contenders, while the Titans usually aren't. Vegas knows New England will be the obvious favorite, and because of that, few will bet on them straight-up. Bettors won't have that much interest in betting on the Titans, either, seeing as they're unlikely to win.
Vegas handicaps this contest by awarding a point spread, like this:
- Patriots -10
- Titans +10
This handicap allows you to bet on the Patriots and obtain value in the same breath. A game like this would carry something like a -425 Money Line or greater in favor of New England. If you're betting on this game, you would need to throw down $425 just to get $100 back on top of your bet.
There isn't much upside in that, so bettors are instead drawn to the point spread. In this case, bettors need to decide if the Patriots are such a safe bet that they can cover the spread. If so, they can bet what they wish that the Patriots will win by 11 points, effectively covering the 10-point spread at hand.
On the flip side, those that believe the Titans might either win or at least play a close game can bet on the Titans to beat the spread. In this case, the Titans would simply have to lose by 10 points or fewer, and you would then convert a win on your wager.
That's the beauty of the handicap the oddsmakers give you. It doesn't always work out, but it puts underdogs in play and at least in theory helps make every single contest a bettable option.
The second way to perceive sports handicapping is where the bettor does all they can to take advantage of any potential edge Vegas hands them. The sportsbooks think that they're calling the games right and that they have the edge, but if you put in the research and make the right pick, you can profit.
That doesn't always mean you're going to come out on top, and Vegas doesn't need to be wrong for bettors to win, either. It also doesn't mean that when people do win, they'll always win big.
Many bettors refer to 'the grind' of sports betting, because it's not about one big win or beating Vegas. It's about handicapping each individual game you plan on wagering on and coming out with as many wins as possible on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
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The point here is that Vegas handicapping games can be something to look at, but the idea of sports handicapping is an idea all by itself. It's the act of researching, detailing, explaining, and proving that a pick can/will be correct.
