- A type of sports betting called handicap betting is utilized to level the playing field when two opponents are thought to have different strengths.
- By aiming to level the playing field and provide better odds, handicap betting attempts to offset the perceived current skill gaps between the teams.
An example of a handicap bet is:
- Consider an NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns. The Bengals are 4 point favourites (-4 points), while the Browns start the game with + 4 points. This means the Bengals have to win by 5 points or more to cover the spread.