Handicap bets are used when one team is significantly stronger than the other. Resulting in odds for a straight win being too low or unbalanced.
Under standard 1xBet betting rules, a handicap gives the underdog a virtual advantage and makes the favorite do more than just win the match. On 1xBet, you can find handicap markets in football, basketball, esports, and other sports.
Common options include:
- Handicap 1(0)
- Handicap 2(1.5)
- European Handicap
- Total Map Handicap
- Baseline Odds
These markets are related, but they do not work the same way. One common beginner mistake is thinking every handicap market follows the same format, so it is always important to check the exact market type first.
What Handicap Means in Betting
A handicap applies a virtual points or goals adjustment to one team before the match begins. This adjustment either advantages the underdog (positive handicap) or burdens the favorite (negative handicap).
The handicap is added to the final score for settlement purposes only. It does not affect the actual match result.
Simple example: Manchester City -1.5 vs Burnley +1.5
- Back City -1.5: City must win by 2 or more goals (a 1-0 win is not enough)
- Back Burnley +1.5: Burnley wins the handicap if they win, draw, or lose by exactly 1 goal
The purpose is to bring both sides of the market closer to even odds – making the market more useful than a lopsided 1X2 where the favorite sits at 1.15.
Handicap 1 and Handicap 2: What the Numbers Mean
On 1xBet, handicap markets use the notation Handicap 1 and Handicap 2 to identify which team the handicap is applied to.
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Handicap 1 | The handicap figure applies to Team 1 (home / first-listed team) |
| Handicap 2 | The handicap figure applies to Team 2 (away / second-listed team) |
The number in brackets – (0), (1.5), (2) – is the adjustment itself.
Reading combined notation:
- Handicap 1(−1.5) – Team 1 starts with a −1.5 goal deficit; they must win by 2+ for your bet to win
- Handicap 2(+1.5) – Team 2 starts with a +1.5 goal advantage; they win the handicap if they win, draw, or lose by 1
- Handicap 1(+1.5) – Team 1 starts with a +1.5 advantage; they win the handicap if they win, draw, or lose by 1
The sign (positive or negative) is the critical piece. A positive handicap is protective – it gives that team a cushion. A negative handicap is demanding – it requires that team to outperform the stated margin.
On 1xBet, the sign may be implied rather than shown. If a market lists Handicap 1(1.5) without a minus sign, check whether the favorite or underdog is Team 1. The favorite typically carries the negative handicap. When in doubt, verify in the market information tab.
Handicap 1(0): The Push Market
Handicap 1(0) – also written as 0 handicap or level ball – is a specific and frequently misunderstood market structure. The handicap value is zero, meaning neither team is given a virtual advantage.
| Match Result | Outcome for Handicap 1(0) backer |
|---|---|
| Team 1 wins | Bet wins |
| Draw | Stake refunded (push) |
| Team 2 wins | Bet loses |
The draw produces a push – your original stake is returned in full, not counted as a win or a loss. This is the defining mechanic of the (0) handicap and what separates it from a standard 1X2 "1" selection.
Why does this matter?
In a standard 1X2 market, backing the home team to win means a draw loses your stake. Handicap 1(0) gives you a safety net: if the match draws, you get your money back. The trade-off is lower odds than the equivalent 1X2 "Home Win" selection – you're paying for the draw protection with reduced return.
Football example: Philippines Azkals vs Timor-Leste. 1X2 Home Win odds: 1.55. Handicap 1(0) odds: 1.35.
- A 2-0 Azkals win: both the 1X2 and the Handicap 1(0) win
- A 0-0 draw: 1X2 "1" loses; Handicap 1(0) refunds your stake
- A 1-2 loss: both lose
The Handicap 1(0) costs you 0.20 in odds but eliminates the draw-loss risk entirely. Whether that trade is worthwhile depends on how likely you think a draw is.
Handicap 1(1.5) and Handicap 2(1.5): No Push Possible
Half-goal handicaps like (1.5) eliminate the push possibility entirely. Because you can't score half a goal, the handicap produces a definitive winner on every possible match result.
Handicap 1(-1.5)
Team 1 starts with a -1.5 virtual deficit. For a Team 1 handicap win, they must win by 2 or more goals (or points, in basketball).
| Match Result | Effective Handicap Score | Handicap 1(-1.5) outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Team 1 wins 3-0 | 3-1.5 = 1.5 vs 0 | Team 1 wins handicap |
| Team 1 wins 1-0 | 1-1.5 = −0.5 vs 0 | Team 2 wins handicap |
| Draw 1-1 | 1-1.5 = −0.5 vs 1 | Team 2 wins handicap |
| Team 2 wins | Team 2 leads outright | Team 2 wins handicap |
Handicap 2(+1.5)
Team 2 starts with a +1.5 virtual advantage. For a Team 2 handicap win, they must not lose by 2 or more – meaning they win, draw, or lose by exactly 1.
| Match Result | Effective Handicap Score | Handicap 2(+1.5) outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Team 1 wins 3-0 | 0 vs 0+1.5 = 1.5 | Team 2 wins handicap – wait, 3 > 1.5 |
| Team 1 wins 1-0 | 1 vs 0+1.5 | Team 2 wins handicap (1 < 1.5) |
| Draw 0-0 | 0 vs 1.5 | Team 2 wins handicap |
| Team 2 wins | Team 2 leads + 1.5 bonus | Team 2 wins handicap |
Simplified rule for +1.5 handicap backer: You win unless the opposing team wins by 2 or more.
Basketball example – Handicap 2(+4.5): San Miguel Beermen -4.5 vs Magnolia +4.5. San Miguel wins 98-95. The 3-point winning margin is less than 4.5, so Magnolia wins the handicap despite losing the actual game.
Half-point (0.5) increments are the standard for eliminating pushes. Whole-number handicaps (1, 2, 3) always carry push risk when the margin exactly matches the line.
European Handicap: Three-Way Structure
European Handicap is a handicap market that retains the three-way 1X2 structure.
Unlike Asian Handicap – which removes the draw by using half-ball lines or splitting stakes – European Handicap applies a whole-number adjustment and keeps the draw as a live outcome.
How it works:
A European Handicap of +1 applied to Team 2 means:
- Team 2's goals (or points) get one added before settlement comparison
- If the adjusted score is level, the result is a draw in the handicap market
| Selection | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| 1 (Team 1 wins) | Team 1's actual score beats Team 2's adjusted score |
| X (Handicap draw) | Scores are equal after applying the handicap adjustment |
| 2 (Team 2 wins) | Team 2's adjusted score beats Team 1's actual score |
Match: Arsenal vs Brighton. Arsenal wins 2–1.
Apply the handicap: Brighton's score becomes 1+1 = 2.
Adjusted score: Arsenal 2 – Brighton 2. The handicap market settles as a draw (X).
| Actual Result | Adjusted Score (Brighton +1) | Handicap Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal 3-0 | 3 vs 0+1=1 | 1 (Arsenal wins) |
| Arsenal 2-1 | 2 vs 1+1=2 | X (Handicap draw) |
| Arsenal 1-1 | 1 vs 1+1=2 | 2 (Brighton wins) |
| Brighton wins 0–1 | 0 vs 1+1=2 | 2 (Brighton wins) |
| Feature | European Handicap | Asian Handicap |
|---|---|---|
| Outcomes | Three (1, X, 2) | Two (Team 1, Team 2) |
| Draw possible | Yes – at the adjusted line | No – eliminated by half-ball lines |
| Push / refund | No refund; draw is a selectable outcome | Refund possible on whole-number lines |
| Odds structure | Three-way split | Two-way split (higher per-selection odds) |
| Complexity | Lower – familiar 1X2 format | Higher – requires understanding push logic |
European Handicap suits bettors who are comfortable with 1X2 markets and want handicap adjustment without learning Asian Handicap mechanics. It is a cleaner structure for beginners – but the existence of the draw outcome means your handicap selection can still lose in a third way.
Map Handicap in Esports
Total Map Handicap – or simply Map Handicap – applies the same spread logic to esports, where "maps" (individual game rounds in titles like CS2, Dota 2, or League of Legends) replace goals or points as the scoring unit.
In best-of-three (Bo3) or best-of-five (Bo5) esports series:
- Team 1 (-1.5) means Team 1 must win the series 2–0; a 2–1 win is not enough
- Team 2 (+1.5) means Team 2 wins the handicap if they win at least one map – a 2–1 series loss still covers the +1.5
| Series Result | Maps Won T1 vs T2 | T1 (−1.5) result | T2 (+1.5) result |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 wins 2-0 | 2 vs 0 | 2-1.5 = 0.5 > 0 → T1 wins | 0+1.5 = 1.5 < 2 → T1 wins |
| T1 wins 2-1 | 2 vs 1 | 2-1.5 = 0.5 < 1 → T2 wins | 1+1.5 = 2.5 > 2 → T2 wins |
| T2 wins 2-1 | 1 vs 2 | T2 ahead outright → T2 wins | T2 ahead outright → T2 wins |
| T2 wins 2-0 | 0 vs 2 | T2 ahead outright → T2 wins | T2 ahead outright → T2 wins |
PH esports context: Filipino esports audiences follow Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) and Dota 2 intensively. 1xBet carries map handicaps for major MLBB series including MPL Philippines. The same settlement logic applies – the map count, not the match winner, determines the handicap outcome.
Total Map Handicap vs Match Winner: Backing a strong favorite at a match winner market might produce odds of 1.25. Backing that same team at −1.5 map handicap (requiring a 2–0 clean sweep) might produce 2.10 or higher. The handicap market allows you to express conviction in how dominant a team's performance will be – not just whether they win.
Baseline Odds
Baseline odds – also referred to as the main line – is the standard handicap line that 1xBet sets as the primary offering for a market. It is the most balanced handicap, designed to produce odds closest to even (approximately 1.90/1.90 on a two-way market after the platform's margin is applied).
Why does baseline exist as a concept?
1xBet offers multiple handicap lines simultaneously for the same event – for example, a football match might offer:
- Team 1 (−0.5) at 1.75 / Team 2 (+0.5) at 2.10
- Team 1 (−1.0) at 2.00 / Team 2 (+1.0) at 1.85
- Team 1 (−1.5) at 2.40 / Team 2 (+1.5) at 1.60
The baseline is the line where odds are most balanced – typically the (−1.0 / +1.0) line if odds sit near 1.90 on each side, or whichever line the platform identifies as the primary market.
| Use Case | Why Baseline Matters |
|---|---|
| Comparing value across platforms | Baseline is the standard reference line for like-for-like odds comparison |
| Reading market movement | If the baseline line shifts (e.g., from −1.0 to −1.5), it signals significant money moving toward one side |
| Accumulator building | Using the baseline avoids accidentally selecting a heavily juiced alternate line with compressed odds |
| Understanding margin | The platform's edge is most transparent at the baseline; alternate lines often carry larger implied margins |
The baseline is not always labeled explicitly on 1xBet's interface – it is identified by its position as the primary handicap market displayed before alternate lines are expanded. On mobile, the main handicap line shown without tapping "more markets" is typically the baseline.
Full Working Examples
Football – Asian vs European Handicap Comparison
Match: Real Madrid vs Villarreal. Real Madrid is the heavy favorite.
Asian Handicap:
- Real Madrid (−1.5): Real must win by 2+ goals. Odds: 1.95
- Villarreal (+1.5): Villarreal wins handicap unless Real wins by 2+. Odds: 1.90
European Handicap (−1):
- Real Madrid wins: Real's score minus 1 beats Villarreal outright. Odds: 2.10
- Handicap Draw: Real wins by exactly 1. Odds: 3.40
- Villarreal wins: Villarreal wins, draws, or the adjusted score favors them. Odds: 2.80
| Result | Asian Handicap | European Handicap |
|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid 2–0 | 2−1.5 = 0.5 > 0 → Real Madrid wins (−1.5 backed) | 2−1 = 1 > 0 → Real Madrid wins (1 selection backed) |
| Real Madrid 1–0 | −1.5 line loses; −1.0 line pushes and stake is refunded | 1−1 = 0 → Handicap Draw (X) |
The same 1-0 result produces three different outcomes depending on the market. This is why reading the exact handicap format before confirming is not optional.