For seasoned bettors, reading football betting odds and calculating the stakes is nothing new. However, for newcomers, these terms may still seem unfamiliar. But overall, the goal of every bettor when investing in this risky game is to make a hefty profit. To achieve that, in this article, Wintips will provide a super detailed and easy-to-understand guide on how to read football betting odds for those who are just starting out.
How to Read Asian Handicap Betting Odds
The field of sports betting has many types of odds that players need to understand, and the three most important types of odds that everyone should know are Asian Handicap (AH), European Handicap (EH), and Over/Under (O/U).
Firstly, you need to understand what Asian Handicap (AH) is and how to read it. In this type of odds, bookmakers will base their handicaps on the relative strengths, forces, and form of the two teams to provide a specific handicap.
Players have two betting options: the upper hand (over) and the lower hand (under). Here are some common handicap odds and how to read them:
Level Handicap (0)
Level Handicap is commonly used when both teams have roughly equal strength. In this case, neither team is considered superior or inferior by the bookmaker.
You can place your bet on the team you believe will win. If your chosen team wins, you win your bet, and if they lose, you lose your stake to the bookmaker.
Quarter Ball Handicap (0.25)
Reading this type of handicap is a bit more complex. Specifically, this is a handicap where the upper-hand team is given a 0.25 handicap. If you bet on the upper-hand team, there are three possible outcomes:
If the upper-hand team wins by a margin of 2 goals or more (e.g., 2-0, 3-0, 3-1), you win the full bet.
If the upper-hand team wins by exactly 1 goal (e.g., 1-0, 2-1, 3-2), you win half of the bet.
If the match ends in a draw or the upper-hand team loses, you lose half of the bet.
Half Ball Handicap (0.5)
With a half ball handicap, if the team with the handicap wins and you bet on that team, you will receive your winnings based on the odds you placed (including both the principal and the profit).
Conversely, if you bet on the team with the handicap and they lose, you lose your entire stake.
In the event of a draw, those who bet on the team with the handicap will receive their entire stake back; there is no refund in the half ball handicap.
Three-Quarter Ball Handicap (0.75)
This is also a common type of handicap in Asian betting markets, and reading it can be confusing for bettors. With a 0.75 handicap, if you bet on the upper-hand team:
If the upper-hand team wins by a margin of 2 goals or more (e.g., 2-0, 3-0, 3-1), you win the full bet.
If the upper-hand team wins by exactly 1 goal (e.g., 1-0, 2-1, 3-2), you win half of the bet.
If the match ends in a draw or the upper-hand team loses, you lose the full bet.
Guide to Reading European Handicap Betting Odds
When participating in European handicap betting, reading odds is not as complicated as in Asian handicap betting. You only need to focus on the 1X2 betting options without considering the goal difference between the two teams. In this format:
1 represents betting on the home team to win: If you place a bet on the home team and they indeed win the match, you win your bet. However, if the home team fails to win, you lose your stake.
X represents betting on a draw: If you bet on a draw and the match ends in a draw, you win based on the odds. But if the match has any other result, you lose your bet.
2 represents betting on the away team to win: If the away team wins, your bet is successful. However, if the away team does not win, you lose your stake.
This makes reading odds in the European handicap format quite straightforward, doesn't it?
How to Read Over/Under Betting Odds
When you enter the Over/Under betting market, you're predicting the total number of goals scored in the match, without considering which team wins or loses. Here's how to read Over/Under odds:
Over 2 Goals
If you place a bet on Over and the total number of goals in the match is 3 or more, you win the full bet.
Under 2 Goals
If you bet on Under and the total number of goals in the match is less than 2, you win the full bet.
Over 2.25 Goals
If the total number of goals from both teams exceeds 2.25, and you bet on Over, you win the full bet.
If the total number of goals is exactly 2, you win half of your bet, and the other half is returned to you.
If the total number of goals is less than 2, you lose the full bet.
Over 2.5 Goals
If the total number of goals from both teams exceeds 2.5, and you bet on Over, you win the full bet.
If the total number of goals is 2 or less, you lose the full bet.
Over 2.75 Goals
If the total number of goals from both teams exceeds 2.75, and you bet on Over, you win the full bet.
If the total number of goals is exactly 2.75, you win half of your bet, and the other half is lost.
If the total number of goals is less than 2.75, you lose the full bet.
With this understanding of how to read football betting odds, you can make more informed decisions when betting. Good luck!
