If you don’t know how to wager on the handicap market, this guide will help you. Find out the handicap predictions today, including what the handicap meaning is. You will also get the list of best betting sites in Nigeria that bettors can explore to place their handicap bets.
Handicap Predictions – CAF Champions League
The CAF Champions League is the most prestigious competition in African football and one of the most renowned club competitions in the world. Al Ahly is the most successful team in the competition’s history, having won it ten times. However, Wydad Casablanca defeated them 2-0 to become the reigning champions in the final of 2022. As a result, the Morocco side won their 3rd title in the competition.
Meanwhile, the competition’s winner earns a spot in the Club World Cup. Also, the CAF Champions League winner will play a match against the winner of the CAF Confederations Cup in the CAF Super Cup the following season.
Handicap Predictions – Nigeria National League
The Nigeria National League, popularly known by its acronym NNL, is the second division of club football in Nigeria after the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The NNL consists of 47 teams vying for promotion to the top tier, split into four groups: A1 (11 teams), A2 (11 teams), B1 (12 teams), and B2 (13 teams). Bendel Insurance is one of the in-form teams currently in the NNL. This side has been one of the mainstays in the top division at the turn of the century and even made it to the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2005. But, unfortunately, they suffered relegation for the first time from the top division in the 2007-2008 season.
Handicap Predictions – CAF Confederations Cup
The CAF Confederations Cup is the second most prestigious African club football competition, following the CAF Champions League. Clubs qualify for the tournament based on their results in their respective leagues and cup competitions. RS Berkane is the defending champions, having defeated Orlando Pirates 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time on 22 May 2022.
CS Sfaxien of Tunisia is the most successful team in the tournament’s history, having lifted the trophy thrice in 2007, 2008, and 2013. Over 50 teams participate in the competition every season, with two elimination phases used to reduce the participating teams to the 16 teams eligible for the group stage.
Tennis Handicap Predictions
Handicap betting is prevalent in all sports, including tennis. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal are currently the biggest names in the sport. However, Rafael Nadal, is slightly ahead of the fabled big trio after winning the 2022 Australian Open and French Open.
Anybody facing these three juggernauts in a tennis match will be fancied as massive underdogs. This will be reflected in the odds, as bookies will most likely offer small odds for an outright win. Hence, you can bet on handicaps, for example, Novak Djokovic (-5.5) against Ruud Casper.
NBA Handicap Predictions
Basketball handicap predictions, like any other sport, are not hard to make if you consider a lot of factors. For instance, in the NBA, the conference (East or West), team roster, head-to-head record, player availability, player form, etc., matter when making predictions. Any team with LeBron James in its ranks will always have an advantage. He is arguably the best player in basketball history.
Furthermore, storied franchises like the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers will always cover a sizable handicap in most games. For instance, placing a handicap bet on the Boston Celtics (10.5) against the Orlando Magic is a good way to wager.
What Is a Handicap Prediction?
Bookmakers use the handicap betting option to make a sporting event more equitable regarding betting odds. As the name implies, a handicap is a condition that makes it difficult to achieve something. Bookmakers provide this condition to one of the participants, which they must overcome in order to win.
This handicap option is very common when one team is significantly better than the other, and bookies adjust their odds accordingly to reflect this discrepancy. Bookies use this handicap option to make bets more interesting, offering odds on them that put some teams at a probable disadvantage. However, these predictions are not 100% accurate as even the best teams lose occasionally.
Handicap Betting Tips
These steps will guide you in making handicap predictions and potentially win.
Statistics
Efficient use of statistics is the be-all and end-all of handicap betting and all forms of sports prediction. Proper research and pre-game analysis help you get better outcomes off your bets by a considerable margin. In addition, research reveals many essential factors you would most likely ignore before placing bets, which might influence the game or the event you wish to place a bet on.
Avoid Low Scoring Teams
Bettors should always stay away from low-scoring teams. For instance, some football teams have mastered the art of winning games 1-0. Handicap soccer predictions are not made solely on form.
A team could be on a ten-game winning streak, and 8 out of these games were won by a one-goal margin. Hence, it would be unlikely for the team to cover a 2 goal handicap in their next outing.
Teams like Atletico Madrid have made a career out of grinding out wins consistently without scoring much. The lack of goals might be down to the manager’s tactics or the players. So, you should watch out for these pointers and stay clear of low-scoring teams.
Avoid Big Handicaps
It is tempting to increase your next handicap pick from your previous selection by a goal or two to boost the odds and increase your potential winnings by a long shot. However, if you bet on large handicaps such as (-5.5), it would be challenging to win because even the best teams in the world rarely win by a six-goal margin.
Additionally, most of these handicaps are covered when the underdogs fail to score. If the underdog scores twice, it gives your pick a big mountain to climb to cover the handicap.
It is safe to stay with smaller handicaps like (-1.5) and (-2.5). The goal is to try to make a winning bet and not accumulate losses in the hopes of one big payday, which may never arrive.
In-Form Players
It is best to back a team with in-form players if you’re going to place a handicap bet. For instance, Steph Curry averages over 28 points per game for the Golden State Warriors in the ongoing 2022 NBA Playoffs Final. This kind of form is nothing to sniff at, as it makes it hard for any team to beat the Warriors with Curry in such lethal form.
Therefore, if you are to place a handicap bet on any team, it will be on the Golden State Warriors. It is almost a guarantee that Curry will stuff the stat sheet with a lot of points, putting the Warriors in a good position to cover most Asian handicap predictions.
Check the Matchday Squad/Team News/Fixture List
Many bettors prefer to place bets on or closer to the matchday as opposed to a week or two before, as a lot can change within a matter of days. Priority list, line-up changes, and other not-so-predictable factors must be factored in before placing handicap bets.
Let’s assume Real Madrid is facing Sevilla away in the La Liga today. Naturally, you would anticipate a Madrid victory, no matter how narrow. However, let’s say you checked Madrid’s next fixture and found out they have a midweek UCL quarter-final game against Chelsea.
One hour before kick-off, you checked the team news and saw that top-scorer Karim Benzema and strike partner Vinicius Junior had been left out of the squad altogether. These key absences will significantly lower the odds of a Real Madrid win, let alone a handicap win.
Look for the Most Competitive Odds
Betting on the most competitive odds will increase your potential returns. Hence, it is wise to compare odds between different bookmakers to find the best value for money. On the other hand, if you place a handicap bet on the first odds you come across, you might be losing a lot of money in the long run.
Where to Bet on Handicap in Nigeria?
A lot of sportsbooks offer the handicap betting option in Nigeria. However, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best betting sites in Nigeria for you to check out.
| Bookmaker | Welcome Bonus | Bonus Code |
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