Handicap in Betting on Tennis

The handicap – quite an interesting tool in tennis bets, which is mainly popular due to high odds. But first of all you need to understand what it means and what it is in general, because it’s in tennis that the handicap isn’t too closely related to the fact who specifically won the match that imposes a certain imprint on the choice of the event and the object for the bet.

In tennis, the odds – the difference in the number of won games between the winner and loser. Or it can be said otherwise – the difference between individual totals of the players. For example – the match between Djokovic and Federer ended with the score of 6-4 7-6. As a result the first won 6 + 7 = 13 games, and the second 4 + 6 = 10 games. As a result, the difference in quantitative games was 13 – 10 = 3. About this difference we’re talking about, when the bet with a handicap is being made.

When the bookmaker offers a handicap with a “+” sign, then to the number of games, which the tennis player won, you need to add this number, if “-” – it will be necessary to take it away. Handicap may be an integer (it’s possible to return if the players “hit” this difference) or fractional (then one winner will be determined). The size of the handicap “0” means that nothing will be added and subtracted from the actual number of games.

So, if in the example above there was the bet on Djokovic with a “-3” handicap, it would turn out that he won 13-3 = 10 games, that is, exactly the same as Federer, so there would be a return of the bet. If the handicap was “-2.5”, Djokovic’s asset would be 13-2.5 = 10.5 games, which is more than Federer’s, so the bet would win. With the bet on Federer “+2.5” handicap wouldn’t help, because 10 + 2.5 = 12.5, which is less than 13, and “+3” handicap would result in a return bet.

An interesting feature of the bets with the handicaps in tennis is the fact that it’s not so important who will win the match, it’s important only that the necessary difference in the games is formed. It happens that with a negative handicap on the favorite, the bet wins, although the tennis player loses the match. For example, when the score is 6-0 6-7 4-6, negative odds will go down to “-3”. Similarly, the “plus” handicap on the outsider may not pass, although he won the match.

In general, this bet assumes that you need to guess not the winner of the match, but the one who as a result will win more games taking into account the proposed odds. Therefore, you need to focus not on the potential winner, but on the one who is better able to keep his pitch and accept the pitch of an opponent.

If the chances of opponents are regarded as equal, then in addition to equal odds on the victories of tennis players (1.85 against 1.85), the bookmaker suggests as an option a bet on handicaps with a value of “0” with odds about the same as for winning. This means that to win a bet on the winning of your tennis player with a handicap, he or she must leave the match with a difference of at least one game in his or her favor, or with as many games as possible, but then the office will simply return your money.

The advantage of betting on a zero handicap is the opportunity to win, even if your favorite loses the match as a whole. For example, with the score of 6:2, 4:6, 6:7, where your player has 16 games (6 + 4 + 6), and his or her opponent has only 15 (2 + 6 + 7).

The calculation consists in knowing the specifics of your favorite character in terms of his or her fighting qualities, and the ability to defend a pitch. If you’re sure that tennis player isn’t inclined to give more than one game in a set or fights for every point on the pitch of an opponent, even in the case of a disastrous start, then the odds are waiting for you. It’s paradoxical, but it’s so – you made a mistake in the favorite, but it was a win-win approach to the bet.