Ever wanted to bet on a rugby match but found the odds too one-sided? Who wants to back a 1/100 favorite with almost no return? That’s where handicap betting comes in! This market turns even the most lopsided games into competitive betting opportunities by giving both teams an equal chance—adjusting the score before the game even begins.
Handicap betting adds points to the underdog’s total or deducts points from the favorite’s score, leveling the playing field.
How Handicap Betting Works (With Half-Point Example)
Handicap betting ensures that the stronger team must win by a specific number of points, while the weaker team can either win outright or lose within a certain margin. This adds value to your wager by making the outcome more competitive.
Breaking it Down
- The stronger team starts the game with a negative points handicap. They must win by more than this number for a bet on them to succeed.
- The weaker team begins with a positive points advantage. They can win outright or lose within the margin and still win on the handicap.
- The use of a half-point (e.g., –18.5 or +18.5) ensures there’s no tie—your bet has only two possible outcomes.
Putting It into Practice
Let’s apply this to the British & Irish Lions’ opening tour match against Argentina—a tough test on paper, but one where the Lions are still strong favorites.
A bookmaker might set the handicap like this:
📌 British & Irish Lions (–18.5) 5/6 vs Argentina (+18.5) 5/6
Since the Lions are the stronger team, they start the game 18.5 points behind on the handicap.
If You Bet On:
✅ British & Irish Lions (–18.5) – They must win by at least 19 points for your bet to win.
✅ Argentina (+18.5) – They can either win outright or lose by 18 points or fewer for your bet to win.
Example Result
Final Score: Lions 30 – 10 Argentina
- If you backed Lions (–18.5):
Adjusted score → Lions 11.5 – 10 Argentina
✅ Winning Bet! - If you backed Argentina (+18.5):
Adjusted score → Lions 30 – 28.5 Argentina
❌ Losing Bet
Final Thoughts
Handicap betting is a fantastic way to get more value out of a one-sided rugby fixture. It keeps things thrilling until the final whistle and gives you a reason to care about every point scored—even in a blowout.
The Lions vs Argentina match on Friday night is the perfect place to test it out. 🏉💰
Ready to make every point count?
