Instead of placing a match bet at short odds, you can place a bet at longer odds - with, for instance, one- or two-goal starts.
A handicap is a head start given to a selection expressed in goals/points/sets/frames, etc. depending upon the type of the competition.
The handicap is offered by the bookmaker and it can be “positive” (1), “negative” (-1) and “zero”. For example, if you made a bet on “Handicap 1(2)” on a football match,
this means you allowed Team 1 a 2 - goal ‘head start’.
If the match ends 1-1, then adding the handicap will produce a score of 3-1 and the bet will win.
If the match ends 0-3, then adding the handicap will produce a score of 2-3 and the bet will lose.
If the match ends 0-2, then adding the handicap will produce a score of 2-2 and the bet will result in a push (stakes returned).
If the handicap is “negative”, you need to subtract rather than add.
Here are a few other examples of a handicap:
Bet W1 Handicap (-1) can win only when the home team wins the match by two goals.
Bet W2 Handicap (1) can win only when the away team does not lose the match (draw or victory of the away team).
Bet X Handicap (1) can win only when the home team wins the match by one goal (or when the away team loses by one goal).
Bet X Handicap (-1) can win only when the home team loses the match by one goal (if the away team wins by one goal).
Bet W1 Handicap (-2) can win only when the home team wins the match by three goals.
Bet W2 Handicap (2) can win only in the following result of the match:
A draw The victory of the home team by one goal Any victory by the away team.
Bet X Handicap (2) can win only when the home team wins by two goals.
Bet X Handicap (-2) can win only when the home team loses by two goals (or the away team wins by two goals).