To new punters, handicap bets can be quite confusing, and many new sportsbook bettors won’t place them simply because they don’t know how they work.

If you want to learn about darts handicap betting and take advantage of the great value odds these bets can offer, then continue reading for our comprehensive look at handicap bets.

A handicap bet is a bet that adds a points/sets/legs advantage, usually to the underdog in the match, or subtracts points/sets/legs from a favourite’s score. 

You’ll see the handicap written as a + or – number next to the player’s name, and more often than not this will be a half number.

Here’s an example of a darts handicap bet: 

Luke Humphries –1.5 = Evens

Gerwyn Price +1.5 = 8/11

With the above bet, you’d be either backing Luke Humphries to win by a margin of at least 2 legs, or you’d be backing Gerwyn Price to win the match, or only lose by 1 leg.

Handicap bets are a way for sportsbook providers to level the playing field in a match when there’s a clear favourite.

In darts, there can be quite a discrepancy in skill and ranking between two players in some early tournament matches, so handicap betting offers more value to betting on these matches.

In darts, handicap bets are usually reserved for the Match Winner bet, with the handicap being applied as a positive or negative to legs or sets total of the player’s final score.

The easiest way to think of a darts handicap bet is that the score isn’t starting at 0 – 0, but rather with one player being 1.5 legs ahead.

Placing a handicap bet on a darts match is a simple process:

Remember, for your handicap darts bet to win, the player you backed must win the match after the scores have been adjusted according to the handicap you backed. 

For example, if you backed Michael van Gerwen at –1.5, he’d have to beat Rob Cross by 2 legs or more for your bet to pay out.

What makes handicap betting so confusing for new players is the number of different types of handicap bets there are. We’ve explained the types of handicap bets you’re most likely to make when placing a darts handicap bet.

2-Way Handicap Bets

As the name suggests, this darts handicap bet is covering 2 outcomes (or 2 ways a bet can fall). The most common 2-Way darts handicap bet is Match Winner, where the favourite is given a negative sets or legs handicap, and the underdog is given a positive sets or legs handicap. 

Alternative Handicap Bets

Some bookies will offer alternative darts handicap bets, which lets you choose from a wider range of handicapped scores with differing odds. Alternative handicap bets give you more control of how you think the darts match will pan out. You can find decent value in the odds for alternative handicap darts bets.