Esports Betting / Betting Strategies / A quick guide to League of Legends Handicap Betting
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A quick guide to League of Legends Handicap Betting

Publish Date:12/03/2021
Fact checked by: James Leeland

LOL Betting Tips & Guides

League of Legends is unmatched in the esports scene for its sheer popularity. It is often the game of choice for anyone trying to understand the nuances of esports betting, especially handicap betting. So follow our LOL betting guide here today!

We here at Strafe have worked hard to help you understand everything you might need to know about placing a handicap bet on League of Legends. This is a way of making a match with an obvious favourite to win a little more interesting for bettors by evening out the odds.

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What is handicap betting?

When you come to place a League of Legends betting handicap bet on a League of Legends match, you should know the basics of handicap betting. Handicap or spread betting is a virtual advantage or disadvantage that is applied to a team by a bookmaker before the start of a game. The aim of this sort of bet is to provide bettors with a market that makes the perceived chances of a team winning more equal.

The easiest way to spot a handicap bet on a betting operators’ website is by seeing a (+) or (-) sign next to each team. By clicking on the corresponding odd, you can give or take an advantage to one team and boost your odd value.

League of Legends handicap betting 

If you are an experienced bettor and want to try your hand at someLeague of Legends betting handicap, many sportsbooks will offer handicaps on various League of Legends events. This helps to level the playing field in matches with a clear favorite. This means that you can safely bet on either team with relatively even odds.

To do this, the bookmaker or online betting site will give points to the underdog and take them from the favorite. This prevents a one-sided betting scenario and prevents the match from becoming stale.

League of Legends matches are typically held in a best of three format. The spread is set at +/-1.5. This means that the team that is favored at the beginning of the match will have 1.5 points subtracted from their score at the end of the match, while the underdog will have 1.5 point added to theirs.

You could also take advantage of some other League of Legends handicap bets.

What to consider before you place your bet

Don’t go in blind and trust the basic betting odds.

Make sure you stay up to date on the League of Legends competitive scene. It’s as simple as checking out the game on Twitch and reading a few websites on the subject. You should be able to check up on the latest results, roster changes, match history, upcoming tournaments and, even more important in 2024, delays. These stats and game information will help you make more informed decisions about your betting.

Find the bookmaker that is the best for you.

When you are looking for the best bookmaker to suit your tastes, you should pay attention to the features that they offer. Which website you choose could depend on the odds that they offer. Every site will offer bets on match winners but if you feel confident enough and want to expand your betting possibilities you might have to search a bit harder.

Watch and play the game before you bet.

It’s as simple as checking out the game on Twitch. At any given moment there will be thousands of gamers streaming League of Legends. Make sure you check out the tournament schedules and watch some pro level games. Nothing will help you understand the nuances of the esport better than just sitting down with the game and giving it a go for a few hours. It’s fun and you will have a better understanding about the choices that pro players make and how it may affect your betting choices.

Why you can trust the handicap betting tips at strafe.com

If you are looking for the best odds comparison service out there, check out our website and our app. Strafe has an esports database with live coverage of 58,000 matches, 12,000 professional players, 2,600 teams, eight different esports titles and users across 150 countries. This includes League of Legends live betting.

Our experts aggregate and curate esports news and data to your customizations. Strafe has also developed its own ranking system which enables odds setting for every esports match covered. Using this odds-system, Strafe has developed a unique entertaining social betting game where users vote on the outcome of games, gain points, climb the leaderboards and compete with other fans.

LOL Tips in Over 150 Countries

By bringing an aggregated overview of what is going on in major esports titles, like League of Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, DOTA 2, Fortnite, and more, Strafe connects and engages users in over 150 countries.

Our experts are not only interested in the wins and losses of teams. They take a wider approach to look at statistics for individual players, champions, teams and maps. They even look at the lane coverage for MOBAs like League of Legends and DOTA 2.

This deeper focus on statistics gives our users the leg up that they need to enter the esports betting scene primed and ready to go.

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Tips for League of Legends Handicap betting

If you are happy that you understand the ins and outs of League of Legends handicap betting we recommend checking out these quick LOL tips and tricks to strengthen your strategies and play-style.

Understand the Odds:

Odds are a simple way of showing the numerical probability of an outcome occurring. Odds are calculated by bookmakers in order to make sure that they maintain a profit margin. League of Legends has had a historically stable and well organised competitive scene. It was one of the first esports that offered real money betting opportunities. Understand the difference between Decimal, Fractional and American odds systems.

Find the best betting site for handicap betting:

There are plenty of betting operators that offer odds and not all of them are created equal. Like it or not, some of them operate in the black or grey markets or simply take advantage of the consumer.

You should understand the LoL Esports Betting Sites that you are using when you want to bet on LoL. There are plenty of traditional sports books that also offer odds on esports events. If you want a more focused approach to esports betting you should look at betting operators that are esports only or began with an esports focus.

Understand the teams playing and how they match up:

Like many other esports, different competitive teams will have different tactics and approaches to the game. What different teams focus on and how they work against or with one another is an important facet to understand when preparing to bet on a League of Legends game.

Teams can either focus on the early or the late game.

If a team focuses on the early game, they will draft aggressive champions. These teams want to make plays early in the game, act aggressively and push forward as much as they can as soon as they can. The aim for teams that focus on the early game is to create such a big lead early in the game that it will be impossible to catch up and the other team will be left in the dust.

Teams that focus on the late game will draft defensive champions to survive the early game and not exhaust their resources quickly. If they are successful, they can mount a counterattack in the late stages of the game and overwhelm a resource poor team.

Teams that focus on the late game but still maintain an aggressive edge are almost always the most dangerous and tough opponent.

How to find the best bookmaker for League of Legends handicap betting

Before you even begin to look at the League of Legends betting handicap functionality of a betting operator, you should consider a few important things. There are plenty of betting operators that offer odds and not all of them are created equal. Like it or not, some of them operate in the black or grey markets or simply take advantage of the consumer.

You should understand the LoL Esports Betting Sites that you are using when you want to bet on LoL. There are plenty of traditional sports books that also offer odds on esports events. If you want a more focused approach to esports betting you should look at betting operators that are esports only or began with an esports focus.

Picking the right LOL Sportsbook

Whether or not you choose an esports only bookmaker, there are a few simple rules that you should follow when you decide to pick out your bookmaker:

  •     Ease of use: If you are new to betting or just esports betting, it is worth taking you time and finding the bookmaker with the best onboarding process for new users.
  •     Welcome bonus: Most betting sites offer you a welcome or sign in bonus for creating an account on their website. We have provided info on the best welcome bonuses for new players,  alongside the best League of Legends promo codes, so check that out.
  •   Fast pay-out options: if you took your time and understood the odds, chances are that you will eventually win something. When you do, you want to get your money as quickly as possible.
  •     Market variety: While League of legends is one of the most popular esports titles for bookies to offer, it is a good idea to choose a sportsbook that offers more than the basics. Eventually you will want to branch out and if a site offers odds on lesser-known titles, all the better.
  •     System compatibility: If you want more flexibility you should choose a site that has a mobile version of their website or, even better, a standalone app if this is your first time trying to gamble on LoL.

Once you have picked out the top betting sites for you, you should consider whether they have the proper functionality to provide the handicap betting style that you need. Some bookmakers only offer specialised handicap bets that propose a set difference and cannot be altered; however others will let you adjust the handicap yourself and their proposed odds also adjust accordingly.

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Asian handicaps in League of Legends esports betting

Asian handicap is a type of handicap betting that prevents the issues of a tie. With a standard bet, your chances of each outcome are 33%. Removing the tie means there are two rather than three betting options left, so you will have a 50% chance of winning. Asian handicap bets will typically give the underdog in the matchup a benefit.

The underdog will start the game with a portion of a round in their favour already. For example, if Team One is expected to lose against Team Two, Team One could start with a +1.5 map count in a thirty round match. This would mean that Team One would have to win 10 maps to win the +1.5 bet. League of Legends betting handicap tends to follow the same strategy.

Asian Handicap 0

The Asian handicap 0 is used when teams are deemed even and you would like to remove a flat draw from the equation. With a handicap of 0, you would simply bet on your favorite team to win and wait until the end of the match. Nothing fancy.

Asian Handicap -0.5

This means that the favorite team to win will start the game with a deficit of -0.5 round wins while the underdog team starts with a sufficit of +0.5 round wins. If you bet on favorites, they will need to win by 1 in order for you to win your bet.

Asian Handicap -1

Following the same principle, if you bet on your team with a -1 handicap, they need to win by at least two rounds for you to win your bet. That’s right, two rounds, because you gave them a -1 round before the beginning. This works similar to the “difference” between spreads.

Conclusion

Make sure that you understand the ins and outs of handicap betting before you dip your toe in the betting pool. It is a great way to make one side events a little more interesting to watch.

If you choose the esports betting operator that is right for you, it should provide you with a wide array of betting options that includes handicap betting.

If you already understand the basics of Asian handicap betting, you will have an easier time understanding the League of Legends handicap betting system.

What is League of Legends handicap betting?

When you come to place a League of Legends betting handicap bet on a League of Legends match, you should know the basics of handicap betting. Handicap or spread betting is a virtual advantage or disadvantage that is applied to a team by a bookmaker before the start of a game. The aim of this sort of bet is to provide bettors with a market that makes the perceived chances of a team winning more equal.

The easiest way to spot a handicap bet on a betting operators’ website is by seeing a (+) or (-) sign next to each team. By clicking on the corresponding odd, you can give or take an advantage to one team and boost your odd value.

How to find the best League of Legends handicap betting site?

Before you even begin to look at the League of Legends betting handicap functionality of a betting operator, you should consider a few important things. There are plenty of betting operators that offer League of Legends odds and not all of them are created equal. Like it or not, some of them operate in the black or grey markets or simply take advantage of the consumer.

You should understand the LoL Esports Betting Sites that you are using when you want to bet on LoL. There are plenty of traditional sports books that also offer odds on esports events. If you want a more focused approach to esports betting you should look at betting operators that are esports only or began with an esports focus.

What is League of Legends Asian handicap betting?

Asian handicap is a type of handicap betting that prevents the issues of a tie. With a standard bet, your chances of each outcome are 33%. Removing the tie means there are two rather than three betting options left, so you will have a 50% chance of winning. Asian handicap bets will typically give the underdog in the matchup a benefit.

The underdog will start the game with a portion of a round in their favour already. For example, if Team One is expected to lose against Team Two, Team One could start with a +1.5 map count in a thirty round match. This would mean that Team One would have to win 10 maps to win the +1.5 bet. League of Legends betting handicap tends to follow the same strategy.

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