Handicap scoring in bowling: Though the second bowler's scratch score 183 is higher than the first bowler's scratch score 181, the first bowler's higher handicap (58 vs. 53) causes his total 239 to exceed the second bowler's total 236.

Single Handicap. A single Handicap occurs when there is a perceived difference in abilities between Team X and Team Y. The alleged superior team will be given an appropriate goal handicap to level the playing field for betting purposes i.e.0.5 goal, -1 goal, -1.5 goals etc.

Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated. In principle, a more experienced participant is disadvantaged, or a less experienced or capable participant is advantaged, in order to make it possible for the less experienced participant to win whilst maintaining fairness. Handicapping is used in scoring many games and competitive sports, including go, shogi, chess, croquet, golf, bowling, polo, basketball, and track and field events. Handicap races are common in clubs which encourage all levels of participants, such as swimming or in cycling clubs and sailing clubs, or which allow participants with a variety of standards of equipment. Often races, contests or tournaments where this practice is competitively employed are known as Handicaps.

  1. A handicap race in horse racing is a race in which horses carry different weights, allocated by the handicapper. A better horse will carry a heavier weight, to give him or her a disadvantage when racing against slower horses. The handicapper's goal in assigning handicap weights is to enable all the horses to finish together (in a dead heat).
  2. Looking at driving distance by handicap level, you see that hitting it longer off the tee is a scoring advantage. Finally, here is a look at out driving distance changes by age: Arccos Average Driving Distance Report. Similar to Shot Scope, Arccos has had the benefit of tracking millions of real shots amongst golfers at all levels.
  3. FC Goa played out their 10th draw against Hyderabad FC on Sunday to make it to the semi-finals of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL). Credit must be given to the coach of the Goan side, Juan.

Handicapping also refers to the various methods by which spectators can predict and quantify the results of a sporting match. The term is applied to the practice of predicting the result of a competition, such as for purposes of betting against the point spread. A favored team that wins by less than the point spread still wins the game, but bets on that team lose.

Handicap

In either case the handicapper is the person who sets the handicaps for the activity.

Etymology[edit]

The term handicap derives from hand-in-cap, referring to a system wherein players placed bets or money into the cap of a neutral arbiter to reach an agreement as to the relative values of items sought to be traded.[1]

Competition handicapping[edit]

Goal Handicap 1

In a 'result adjustment' style handicap event, the outcome may be adjusted by some factor determined by the handicap. Some forms of car or yacht racing.[2] In this case, the winner, on elapsed time, may differ from the fastest competitor when the times have been adjusted for the different competitors' handicaps.

In a 'pursuit' style handicap race, all participants are clocked in a time trial before the race. When this takes place at the same event as the main race, it is known as the handicap. In the race itself, the participants do not all start at the same 'Go'; the starts are staggered, based on the handicaps. The slowest swimmer, or cyclist, for example, starts first and the fastest starts last, making the end of the race (hopefully) close. An ideal handicap race is one in which all participants finish at the same time.[3] The winner is the person who beats his or her own time.

Similarly, physically staggered starting positions can be used, for example, in greyhound racing a handicap race is where greyhounds (based on their ability) start from different starting traps set at different measurements from the finish line, and in human foot racing, for example, the Stawell Gift.

Some motorsport events, especially in sports car racing, demand teams to stop the vehicle in the pitbox a fixed period of time depending on the drivers' classification, thus giving advantage to less skilled drivers. An example of a championship using this system is the International GT Open. The advantage of this system over ballast weight systems is that vehicles have the normal performance on track, so better drivers will be able to recover time and overtake slower drivers.

Contrarily, horse race handicapping is implemented using extra weight.

Horse racing[edit]

Goal

A handicap race in horse racing is a race in which horses carry different weights, allocated by the handicapper. A better horse will carry a heavier weight, to give him or her a disadvantage when racing against slower horses. The handicapper's goal in assigning handicap weights is to enable all the horses to finish together (in a dead heat).

The skill in betting on a handicap horse race is in determining which horse can overcome its handicap.[4]

In addition to the Daily Racing Form, other data sources include Brisnet, Equibase, The Ragozin Sheets, and Thoro-Graph.[5]

Golf[edit]

Handicapping in the sport of golf enables players and teams of varying abilities to compete against one another. A golf handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer's potential or 'average best'. Better players are those with the lowest handicaps.

Chess[edit]

Types of chess handicaps include:

1 Goal Handicap Explained

  • the stronger player surrenders a certain piece or pieces
  • the weaker player has extra moves at the beginning of the game
  • the weaker player has extra time on the chess clock
  • the odds-giver to deliver checkmate with a specified piece

Go[edit]

Handicapping in go includes the weaker player being given an advantage by placing a number of stones before the stronger player commences, and by final points adjustment.

Shogi[edit]

Handicapping in shogi is achieved by removing one or more pieces from the stronger player's side. Shogi (Japanese chess) and many of its variants have handicaps.

Gliding[edit]

Polo[edit]

The polo handicap is an estimation of the player's worth to his or her team. It is an overall rating of a player's horsemanship, team play, knowledge of the game, strategy and horses. The difference between the total of the polo handicaps for the players on each team is then used to determine the minimum score difference for the better team to score to enable them to win.

In polo, every player is awarded an individual handicap depending on performance. Handicap commissions of the national associations meet several times a year to decide players’ handicaps.[6]
Argentina: 0 to 10
USA: C (-2), B (-1), B+ (-0.5), A (0), A+ (0.5), 1.0, 1.5, 2 to 10
England: -2 to 10

Sailing[edit]

Handicaps for sailing vessels in sailing races have varied throughout history, and they also vary by country, and by sailing organisation. Sailing handicap standards exist internationally, nationally, and within individual sailing clubs.

Sailing race handicaps may be based on vessel capability and-or crew experience, and today typically adjust the time a vessel takes to reach the finish point of the race.

Tennis[edit]

Motorcycle speedway[edit]

The Calculated Match Average is a handicap calculated for every motorcycle speedway rider.

Outcome prediction[edit]

Middle and arbitrage bets[edit]

There are strategies that involve differences in the lines on the same event at different books. One bet is called a 'middle', which when a player finds two books that offer different point spreads for the same event. They will bet the more favorable spread at both books, and if the final score falls between the two, the bettor will win both bets. On the other hand, if the total falls outside the range of the 'middle' the bettor only loses a small percentage of a bet (the 'juice' or 'vig' taken by the house).

For example, Book 1 has Team A as a 3-point favorite, and Book 2 has team B as a 3-point favorite. If a player bets Team B at Book 1, and Team A at Book 2, he will win both bets if either side wins by 2 or less points, and will win one bet and lose the other (known as a 'side') if either team wins by 3 points.

Another strategy, known as arbitrage, or an 'arb' or 'scalp', involves finding different moneylines for the same event. In this case, the bettor will bet the more favorable line at both books, and have a guaranteed profit. For example, if Book 1 considers Team A to be worth +200 (2 to 1 underdog), and Book 2 considers Team B to be worth +200, a bettor can bet Team A at Book 1, and Team B at Book 2, and guarantee a 100% profit. This is a no-risk bet, as the player is guaranteed a profit no matter the result of the game.[citation needed]

Famous handicappers[edit]

The first very well known sports handicapper in American culture was Jimmy 'The Greek' Snyder.[7] During his career he worked for CBS on their Sunday morning show, The NFL Today. Because sports betting had a social taboo at the time, Snyder was not allowed to mention betting on games specifically. Instead, he would predict the score. Over the years the attitude towards sports betting, and handicapping in general, has changed. Billy Walters was profiled by 60 Minutes because of his handicapping abilities.[8] Billy Walters, and other unknown members of the Computer Group, developed a system for handicapping games and beating Las Vegas sportsbooks. The Huffington Post covered Jon Price a reclusive sports bettor that hires Ph.D's and works off of algorithmic information for his predictions.[9]ESPN wrote an article on Haralabos Voulgaris naming him as the one of the premier NBA handicappers in the world.[10] He claims to have developed a system that uses advanced statistical analysis to predict the outcomes of games. In the past, very few people did any mathematical calculations when handicapping sporting events. Predictions were usually made from hunches or information not readily available to the public. However, with the advancement of technology computers powerful enough to run advanced simulation models now frequent homes and offices. Advanced statistics such as DVOA, Win Shares and Points per Possession are talked about in mainstream media. Brian Burke, author of The Fifth Down blog featured in the New York Times, wrote a formula using advanced statistical techniques that has shown consistency correctly predicting NFL winners.[11] Handicapping, as a profession, is very similar to being a stock analyst. Like Wall Street did in the 1970s, the sports handicapping industry is undergoing a quantitative revolution. Many successful handicappers also use money management systems similar to financial investment professionals. The most popular, and mathematically superior, system is the Kelly criterion. It is a formula for maximizing profits and minimizing losses based on payout odds and win probability of the underlying asset.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^'handicap, n.' The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. OED Online. Oxford University Press. 8 Oct. 2008 'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved 2008-10-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link).
  2. ^'History of the PY'(PDF). Royal Yachting Association. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  3. ^[1]Archived 2011-01-31 at the Wayback Machine UK Horse Racing. Accessed 5 February 2011.
  4. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2010-10-31. Retrieved 2011-02-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) British Horseracing Authority. Accessed 5 February 2011.
  5. ^'Horse Racing Wagering'. Equine Info Exchange. 1 January 2020.
  6. ^'The Polo Handicap'. Polo Plus Ten. 17 July 2015.
  7. ^Pace, Eric. 'Jimmy 'The Greek' Snyder; A Sports Oddsmaker'. New York Times. Retrieved 22 April 1996.Check date values in: access-date= (help)
  8. ^Logan, Lara. 'Sports Betting: Billy Walters'. CBSNewsOnline. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  9. ^Jensen, David. 'Seeking PHD's Who Minor in Sports'. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  10. ^Eden, Scott. 'Meet The World's Top NBA Gambler'. ESPN The Magazine. ESPN. Retrieved 21 Feb 2013.
  11. ^Burke, Brian. 'Game Probabilities Are Back'. New York Times. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  • Beyer, Andrew (May 6, 1994). Picking Winners : A Horseplayer's Guide (Reissue ed.). Houghton Mifflin. ISBN0-395-70132-5.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Handicapping&oldid=1006583032'

Find out the meaning of soccer handicap betting, how it works and the different types of soccer handicap betting markets available at Pinnacle. Continue reading to become a handicap betting expert.

In soccer as is an all competitive sports there is normally a difference in perceived quality of the opposing teams; the size of that difference varies depending on a complex range of influences ranging from historical dominance and financial backing to situational factors such as home field advantage or player injuries/availability. Soccer betting interprets these factors and represent them as chances of success for each side in the form of odds.

Handicap betting explained

Where the perceived difference in abilities is significant the betting odds on the favourite will be so small that it provides minimal returns and therefore little incentive for bettors.

Handicap

A numerical figure set by the bookmaker to counter the perceived bias in abilities of opponents - this provides more balanced odds.

To counter the perceived bias in abilities, and to provide more balanced and appealing odds, bookmakers offer what is known as handicap betting. In the context of soccer, the Handicap odds level the playing-field by accounting for difference in perceived strength of the participants by literally applying a goal handicap - positive and negative - to each side. This gives bettors the opportunity to find more value than when backing a heavy Favourite in traditional 1X2 bet - the most common way to bet on soccer.

The handicap is applied to the actual outcome of the game in order to grade (result) the bet. There are three types of Handicap bets you need to be aware of before betting:

Level Handicap

A level Handicap is where there is no perceived difference in abilities between Team X and Team Y, so no Handicap bias is assigned and both teams start with 0 goals.

To win a bet, the bettor must identify the team which they think will score more goals than their opponent. This type of handicap isn't relevant for one-sided encounters but is useful in that it eliminates the draw; if the game ends in a tie all bets are refunded because on a zero handicap neither team has any advantage.

Single Handicap

A single Handicap occurs when there is a perceived difference in abilities between Team X and Team Y.

The alleged superior team will be given an appropriate goal handicap to level the playing field for betting purposes i.e. -0.5 goal, -1 goal, -1.5 goals etc.

10 Goal Handicap Players

For example, if you bet on Team X with a handicap of -1 goal, they must win by more than one goal to cover their handicap and win you your bet.

If they only win by one goal, the result with the handicap applied is a draw for betting purposes, so your bet is refunded. If Team Y draw or win, you will lose your bet on Team X.

Split Handicap

Handicap

A split Handicap occurs when the difference between the two teams’ abilities is small; allowing you to spilt your stake over two handicaps.

A split Handicap occurs when the difference between the two teams’ abilities is small; allowing you to spilt your stake over two handicaps.

For example, Team X might be offered at (0 & -0.5). If you bet on Team X and they lose, you will lose both bets, as they did not cover either handicap.

Goal Handicap 16

If the match ends in a draw, half of your stake at (0) will be refunded, and the other half at (-0.5) will lose. If Team X wins however, both handicaps will be covered, so both bets win.

If you’re stuck in the past slavishly following three-way fixed odds betting, the chances are you’re not getting a decent return on your investment, and your betting might benefit from the fresh perspective that soccer handicap betting provides.

Now that you know how handicap betting can be used to increase your profits, don't miss out on our number one most popular article - Staking: One method to improve your betting.

Handicap betting video explainer

Found this article useful? Why not check out our videos that details how Handicap betting works.

Asian Handicap video explainer

You can also understand how Asian Handicap betting works by watching this helpful video.

Goal Handicap In Football

If you want to watch more educational betting videos, subscribe to the Pinnacle YouTube channel!

Coments are closed
Scroll to top