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European Handicap Statistics
The table above features the European Handicap statistics for 374 teams across 21 leagues around the globe and shows the total number of matches played for the current season.
There are a number of ways you can use the table:
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Use the ‘Search‘ bar to find a specific team, league or country.
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‘Sort‘ the information (using the arrows) by either ‘Team‘, ‘Matches Played‘ (Pd) or ‘Percentage‘ (%).
The data is updated every day to ensure we have the most up-to-date stats available.
Football Betting Stats
European Handicap Betting
European Handicap betting allows bettors to bet on a live sporting event’s underdog thanks to a handicap advantage. Bettors can also back the favourites with a handicap disadvantage or a draw.
The handicap has long been employed in sports betting and is designed to level the playing field between two opponents of differing abilities. For weaker players or teams, a points advantage, determined by the bookmaker, is applied, while better challengers are given a negative points score, again set by the bookies.
The idea being that these numbers are added or subtracted from the event’s final result to determine the result of the handicap bet. Handicap betting can be employed in many sports, although some are perhaps better suited than others and, typically, it is very popular in football.
What Is European Handicap Betting
The European handicap can sometimes be referred to as the three-way handicap due to the fact that it offers three outcomes, unlike the other prominent handicap betting system, Asian, which we have outlined below. With three possible outcomes, there are three possible bets. These are betting on the weaker team, the stronger team or you can back a draw. As we explained above, the stronger team will be given a handicap disadvantage and the weaker team will be assigned a handicap advantage. The size of the handicap will depend on the gulf in quality between the two teams. When the match is over and the result is known, bookmakers will settle the bet according to the match result, which is then calculated against the handicap to determine whether it’s a winner or a loser.
How does the European Handicap work?
The European handicap works as a way of levelling out a sporting event, for our purposes a game of football, in which there is a significant difference in strength between the two teams. It achieves this by placing a positive handicap on the underdog and a negative handicap on the favourite, in order to make it harder for the favourite to win the bet. These points are applied before the match and the final result of said match is adjusted for the handicap. Unlike the Asian handicap(see below) where draws are eliminated from the bet, the European handicap rules allow for all the three outcomes from a game so you can back a win, draw or a loss. Also, in European handicap betting, whole numbers are used whereas Asian handicapping employs decimals.
Asian Handicap Betting, The Difference
The key difference between the European Handicap and the Asian Handicap systems is that the European version offers a third option, a match draw. Asian Handicaps offer only the two outcomes, a win for either team. With an Asian Handicap, should the match’s result end in a draw, then the bet is deemed a no-bet and the bettor’s stake is returned.
On a wider note, the Asian Handicap can be more complex and includes many different varieties while using decimal points, which means that, understandably, many people find the European Handicap simpler to understand than its Asian equivalent. These different varieties can include a full ball handicap, half ball handicap or even a quarter ball handicap.
Which Sports Work Best with the European Handicap
It is a common belief in the global gambling industry that football is the best sport for European handicap betting, and it certainly is the most popular. That said, it is far from the only sport that offers this handicapping variety.
Tennis
Bettors are able to bet on a range of tennis match handicaps which, as well as the outright winner, includes set handicaps and game handicaps. In set handicap betting, you bet on whether one player will win with the assistance of a set handicap and it works much the same with games handicap betting. If you bet on a player to win the match by +1.5 sets and they do, great, you’re a winner!
Golf
Similarly, in golf you have numerous ways of using handicapping to your advantage. You bet by match handicap or by round handicap. In match handicap betting, golfers are individually assigned a handicap advantage depending on how likely they are to win. With round handicap betting, it’s pretty much the same deal but you are, as the name suggests, betting on the result of a round of golf, rather than a match or tournament.
Basketball
Handicap betting is also massive in basketball mainly because of how the scoring works. As ever, handicap points are assigned according to the likelihood of the outcome in order to even out the betting odds and make wagering on a basketball match more of a level playing field.
European Handicap strategy
The European Handicap really thrives in one-sided matches where you wouldn’t otherwise find much value. Here, the European handicap can offer a route to a far greater return on investment. That said, you still need to win the bet and, as with all betting, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of success. Pay attention to the following when placing your handicap bet.
Gulf In Quality
In some games, teams will be far, far better than their opponents where as in others, teams might be more similar suited. Although bookies are not silly and will almost always get their prices right, there will be games that a clever punter can exploit with a handicap bet in order to gain a nice tidy profit.
Team Form
For most teams, form will fluctuate over the course of a season while the very best sides know how to win even when they are playing poorly. However, while the favourites to win might well take home all three points despite playing within themselves, the margin of win might not be as huge as at other times of the season, making it ripe for a handicap bet.
Team News
Over the course of the football season, the really top teams use their squad to challenge for as many trophies as possible. This, in turn, can mean that managers will rotate their squads each fixture when the games are coming thick and fast. Almost all of the time, managers will prioritise games in the European Champions League (ECL) which takes place mid-week. Because of this, it’s worth looking at the fixtures the weekend prior to the ECL match to see if there are games where you could perhaps back an underdog to get a result, even a draw, which will pay out even if the favourite, as expected, wins the game.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
To summarise, the European Handicap is great for bettors who are looking for an alternative to the traditional outright winner market. This is because there really isn’t very much to it. While it may sound daunting at first, it’s actually pretty simple and easy to follow for those used to fixed odds betting. Of course, it helps to know your sport but this is true for most betting. Handicap betting is especially useful in one-sided games where the outcome has been levelled out and the odds offered far more tempting.
European Handicap FAQ
Handicap betting is quite simply a way to even out the odds when two teams, often mismatched, play against one another.
Yes, you can. You can bet on up to three outcomes, win, lose or a draw.
Yes, this is exactly the same bet, just with a different name.
Asian handicaps eliminate the draw, so they are not three way. Also, the Asian equivalent uses decimal numbers where European handicaps stick to whole numbers.
No, not at all. There are all types of sports that you can bet on using the handicap system, tennis, golf and basketball to name a few.