Handicap

Handicap is a balancing the strength of teams. Bookmaker before the match virtually reduces the score of the favorite or increases the account of the outsider, so that the final result was not as predictable as usual.

There are European and Asian handicap. For bets, Asian handicap is more attractive, since European handicap does not imply a return of the bet in case of a draw (a draw is considered a loss).

There is a version that the term handicap comes from the popular hand-in-cap lottery in the past.