What is handicap 1 in betting?

Handicap 1 – a type of sports bet that gives one side an advantage of exactly one unit in a certain statistical parameter. If, with this handicap applied, the result is a draw, the bet amount is refunded to the player. Let’s take a detailed look at what handicap 1 means in betting and in which situations it makes sense to use it.

How is a Handicap 1 bet designated and calculated?

In a bookmaker’s line, this type of bet is indicated either by the full word or simply by the letter H. Overall, the notation includes three elements – H1 (+1), where:

• H – handicap;
• 1 – the home team (H2 – accordingly, the away side);
• (+1) – a predetermined advantage of one unit (it’s also possible to bet on the negative option).

For example, for the continental champions match between Italy and Argentina in football, bookmakers offered the following options:

Let’s place a conditional bet H1 (+1) for 1000 ₽. The following settlement options are possible:

1. Italy wins or draws. With the one-goal advantage, they win the bet, so the wager goes through. The payout will be 1210 ₽, meaning a net profit of 210 ₽.
2. Argentina wins by one goal. Taking into account H1 (+1), we get a draw result, so the bet is settled as a refund.
3. Italy loses by two or more goals. In this case, the bettor loses the entire stake.

Thus, a whole-number handicap implies three possible outcomes – win, refund, or loss.

Asian format

H (1) belongs to the European notation format. However, it is also part of the Asian handicaps 0.75 and 1.25. The H (0.75) bet implies splitting the stake into two halves – H (0.5) and H (1). Accordingly, H (1.25) is divided into H (1) and H (1.5).

For example, let’s take in the same match H1 (+0.75) and place 1000 ₽ at odds of 1.38. Essentially, this creates two bets: H1 (0.5) for 500 ₽ and H1 (1) for 500 ₽. The possible outcomes are as follows:

1. Italy (“Squadra Azzurra”) wins or draws. The bet wins fully, and the payout is 1000×1.38 = 1380 ₽.
2. Italy loses by one goal. H1 (0.5) loses, while H1 (1) is refunded, meaning the player gets back 500 ₽.
3. Argentina wins by two or more goals – the full stake is lost.

Conclusion: When choosing the Asian handicap format, you must understand how European ones are calculated.

H (1) in different sports

Handicaps (+1) and (-1) are popular betting options across various sports. They apply not only to the main result but also to additional statistical parameters. In football, such handicaps are used for corners, offsides, yellow cards, and other measurable aspects of the game.

In hockey, H (1) can apply to goals, faceoffs won, hits, and other stats. In tennis, this type of handicap is most often used for the game difference, but can also apply to aces or double faults. In basketball – to points or three-pointers.

H (1) bets can be placed not only on the full event but also on separate time segments: halves, periods, or quarters. Often, such a market is available in live betting mode.

How to bet on handicaps correctly?

If you thoroughly understand what handicap 1 means in betting, you can use this market effectively to generate regular profit. The key advantages are as follows:

• it provides a degree of insurance when the player is not fully confident in one side’s victory;
• alongside the two possible outcomes (win/loss), there’s also a chance of a refund;
• when betting H (-1) on the favorite, it’s often possible to catch value odds;
• this type of market is almost always available in football match lines at nearly all online bookmakers.

For beginners, a significant advantage is that it’s very easy to understand how this type of bet works. Moreover, in many matches, it’s much safer to bet on it than on the main 1X2 outcome.

When to bet on +1 and -1 handicaps?

Here are a few recommendations for choosing between positive and negative one-goal handicaps:

• General advice for both cases – do not bet on odds lower than 1.50. In the long run, this will inevitably lead to losses.
• Choose H1 (+1) in football when the home team is the underdog but loses by two or more goals at home in no more than 20% of matches. Another criterion – low scoring efficiency of the away favorite in road games.
• H (-1) is reasonable when betting on the stronger side to improve the odds. If the player is confident that the favorite will win, it’s worth taking the risk for higher odds. For example, if the favorite’s win is priced at 1.50, with H (-1) it will rise to at least 2.50.