Category: FAQ

For most beginners or non-betting people, betting is simply a prediction of the outcome of a particular event. People think you can only bet on the win or loss of a specific team. However, the world of betting is much richer and more interesting. There are different types and betting markets. Let’s learn more about handicap betting and strategies for applying this market to various sports.

What is handicap

A handicap is an event that indicates the superiority of one team over another, expressed in a specific number of points. This market looks like this in a line: 2:0 handicap, 0:1 handicap, etc. The bettor’s task is to choose the match’s outcome, considering the proposed handicap.

For example, when betting on a 1:0 handicap, the player bets on the guests’ win. It means that initially, 1 goal for the home team is added to the starting score of 0:0 — supposedly, the game starts with a score of 1:0. Therefore, the guests will not have enough victory in 1 goal — it is necessary to win the match with a more considerable difference for the bet to win.

A win of 2 goals will be enough — if the actual score of the match is, for example, 1:3, then the bet will be calculated as a victory: after all, according to the result, the score, taking into account the handicap, is 2:3, and the bet was made on guests win.

Types of Handicap

Now that you understand this market’s general essence, let’s look at its types.

Asian

It is a fractional score gap between teams — for example, -3.25, +2.75. There are also double Asian handicaps. Its difference is that a partial refund of the bet is possible here. The amount of the bet on such an event is divided in half between adjacent simple odds: that is, if you bet on -1.75, then the first half of the bet goes to -1.5, and the second — to -2. Almost all bookmakers offer this betting option.

European

It is a betting option in which a specific exact score is added to a bet on an outcome. For example, you bet on a draw with a handicap (0:2). The bet can play if the hosts win with a score of 2:0.

Best Sports for Handicap

As we have said, many sports rely on this type of betting. It is available for most sports that award points. Basketball, football, handball, volleyball, golf, and even water polo offer this type of bet. It can be used in boxing and even in sprinting. It is a great way to let the players feel the odds are in their favor.

Football

In football, a characteristic phenomenon is the relatively low effectiveness of the match, which somewhat complicates the task for the bettor when betting on handicap markets. It is necessary to have good skills as a successful forecaster to successfully bet in this direction without losses in the long term. Here you should guess the duel’s winner and almost precisely determine how many goals each team can score.
In football, handicap values are expressed as the team’s goals scored: with a handicap, for example, (-1.5), the club must beat the opponent by at least two goals. The same is true for the reverse side: the advantage (+1.5) gives the team the right to concede by a maximum of one goal for the bet to work.

Hockey

The sport has its own points system and scoring model, which makes the primary performance indicators very important for betting in the handicap market. The highest scores have a touchdown with an additional point for an accurate shot on goal (seven points) and a goal scored from the field (three points). Such actions of athletes can quickly cover the value of the handicap, and with the necessary ability to analyze correctly, a bettor can significantly increase his profit in this market.

Basketball

In basketball, the handicap markets are a bit like hockey games. Here, too, most players prefer this type of bet and ignore the “money line,” where you need to guess the winner of the pair. In this discipline, there are some of the most productive indicators in the world of sports, and the number of points for both teams often exceeds 200 points, which attracts players quite strongly to betting with a handicap.

Tennis

In tennis, unlike the other sports we have described above, there are two options for betting with a handicap. And for the “money line” and for “totals” and “handicaps” here, you can bet on individual sets and even games. This game handicap is determined by calculating the total difference at the end of the game.

Conclusion

Understanding how the handicap betting market works is simple. However, before you decide to make money in this particular direction, you should carefully prepare and follow all the available data on the current form of athletes and their past performances. To profit in the long term, bettors need to have high forecasting skills, the ability to analyze statistics, and the ability to distinguish between different betting options to choose the most suitable one for themselves.

Engaging in a game at a live casino, where every move and decision is the culmination of understanding, practice, and strategy, is an exhilarating experience. The world of horse racing shares this ethos, with one fundamental difference: instead of cards or roulette wheels, the focus is on a living, breathing creature – the horse. Training a horse for racing isn’t a swift process; it requires time, patience, and a deep understanding of the animal. Let’s delve into the extensive preparation required to get a horse race-ready.

 

1. The Starting Line: Early Beginnings

 

Training begins when a horse is just a foal, not in the strict sense of rigorous exercises, but in terms of handling. The young horse is taught to be led by a halter, to be tied up, and to be comfortable with human touch. Just as a novice learns the basics of a live casino game, these are the foundational lessons for a horse.

 

2. Yearling Year: Building Strength and Stamina

 

Around the age of one, horses start their more formalized training. They are introduced to a bridle and a saddle, though riding them at this stage is avoided. Lunging, where the horse moves around the trainer in a controlled circle, helps in building stamina, obedience, and muscle strength.

 

3. Two-Year-Olds: Introduction to the Track

 

At two years, the horse is introduced to the racetrack. They are ridden more frequently, and their workouts become more structured. They start with trotting, then move on to cantering, and finally, short sprints. This gradual introduction ensures that their still-developing muscles and bones don’t face undue stress.

 

4. Recognizing Individual Strengths

 

Much like how different games in a live casino appeal to various players due to individual strengths and preferences, horses, too, have their unique strengths. Some might excel in short sprints, while others could have the stamina for longer races. Recognizing and nurturing these strengths is crucial.

 

5. Mock Races and Gate Training

 

Before participating in official races, the young horse is trained to burst out of the starting gate with speed and precision. This requires them to overcome any initial hesitation and understand the cue for a fast start. Mock races, involving a few horses running together, accustom them to the atmosphere of a real race.

 

6. Consistency is Key

 

Training a racehorse isn’t just about teaching it to run fast. Consistency in performance is crucial. A horse’s daily routine involves workouts, feeding schedules, and rest. This routine ensures they stay in peak physical condition and are mentally prepared for the high-pressure environment of a race.

 

7. Mental Conditioning

 

Horses, by nature, can be skittish. The cacophony of a race day, with large crowds, loud noises, and the intensity of a race, can be daunting. Therefore, part of their training involves mental conditioning, ensuring they remain focused and unfazed by the surroundings.

 

8. Continuous Learning and Adaptation

 

Even after participating in their initial races, a horse’s training never genuinely ends. Just as a live casino player must continually adapt strategies based on the game’s progress, trainers and jockeys analyze every race to understand areas of improvement, adjusting training regimens accordingly.

 

9. Health and Recovery

 

Training isn’t just about pushing the horse to its limits. Recovery plays an integral role. This might involve massages, controlled diets, and even physiotherapy. Any sign of discomfort or injury, and the horse’s welfare takes precedence over racing.

 

10. Transitioning Out of Racing

 

A horse’s racing career is relatively short, often culminating around the age of seven or eight, though some continue beyond that. Once they retire from racing, they might move into breeding or equestrian sports, or simply enjoy a more relaxed life. The transition is as crucial as the initial training phases.

 

Training a horse for racing is an intricate dance of physical conditioning, mental training, and continuous adaptation. The journey from a young foal to a race champion mirrors the trajectory of a novice player in a live casino, progressing from a beginner to a seasoned player, mastering strategies, understanding the nuances, and, most importantly, learning from each experience. Both realms, despite their apparent differences, celebrate the spirit of dedication, passion, and the pursuit of excellence.

 

Nowadays, Timeform is part of the Paddy Power Betfair Group, but the company was founded in 1948, by the late Phil Bull, who also found fame as a professional gambler. While studying mathematics at Leeds University, and after graduation, Bull developed a technique for statistically analysing races times, which eventually formed the basis of mail order tipping service, known as the ‘Temple Time Test’.

In 1943, Bull published a book entitled ‘Best Horses of 1942’ and, following the end of World War II, joined forces with form aficianado Dick Whitford, to create Portway Press Limited, which traded as ‘Timeform’. In 1948, ‘Racehorses of 1947’, which contained an essay and a numerical performance rating for every horse that ran on the Flat during the year, would become the first of 73 volumes to be published, before Timeform closed its mail order operation in 2020. Likewise, the weekly Timeform Black Book, which first was first published in 1948, and the ‘Chasers & Hurdlers’ annual, which was first published in 1975/1976, are now, sadly, consigned to the past. As departing publishing editor Geoff Greetham put it, ‘Nothing lasts forever, but the Timeform annuals have stood the test of time for longer than most and will still remain as a permanent written history of the sport.’