Handicap +3 and -3

Kate Marshal

Upd 6 days ago

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A +3 or -3 handicap changes how a football bet is settled by adding or subtracting three goals from the selected team’s final score.

With a +3 handicap, the team gets a three-goal cushion, so it can still lose the match and the bet can still win. With a -3 handicap, the team must win by at least four goals; a three-goal victory returns your stake, while a smaller win, draw or defeat means the bet loses.

Large handicap lines such as +3 and -3 are most common in one-sided fixtures, where the favourite’s straight-win odds are too short. The +3 line gives underdog backers extra protection, while -3 gives favourite backers a chance to get higher odds.

🎯 Handicap 3 — Interactive Trainer

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👆 Pick a handicap and use ± buttons to see how the bet plays out.

Want to see how it works in practice? Here’s what you’ll find at bet365:

Handicap +3: The Safety Net

When you back a team at +3, they do not have to win or draw. They simply need to avoid losing by four goals or more.

Example: you back Luton Town +3 against Manchester City.

Actual Result	Handicap Score	Outcome
Luton 1-0 City	4-0	Win
Luton 1-1 City	4-1	Win
Luton 1-2 City	4-2	Win
Luton 0-3 City	3-3	Refund*
Luton 0-4 City	3-4	Loss

* Refund means you get your original stake back. There is no profit, but the bet does not lose. For example, a $100 bet on Luton Town +3 returns $100 if they lose 0-3 to Manchester City, because the +3 adjustment makes it a 3-3 draw.

A one- or two-goal defeat still wins the bet. A loss by exactly three goals returns your stake. The bet only loses if City win by four goals or more.

This is a key feature of Asian handicap betting: a whole-number line like +3 can end in a push if the adjusted score is level.

Handicap -3: Backing the Favourite

Betting on a team at -3 means three goals are subtracted from their final score. They need to win by at least four goals for your bet to win.

Example: you back France -3 against Gibraltar.

For settlement purposes, France -3 can also be viewed as giving Gibraltar a three-goal head start. The table below uses this equivalent method to show the handicap score:

Actual Result	Handicap Score	Outcome
France 5-0 Gibraltar	5-3	Win
France 4-0 Gibraltar	4-3	Win
France 3-0 Gibraltar	3-3	Refund
France 2-0 Gibraltar	2-3	Loss
France 1-0 Gibraltar	1-3	Loss

A win by four or more goals wins the bet. A win by exactly three goals returns your stake. The bet loses if France win by two goals or fewer, draw the match, or lose.

+3 vs -3: Quick Comparison

Criteria	+3 Handicap	-3 Handicap
What it does	Adds 3 goals to the team’s score	Subtracts 3 goals from the team’s score
You win if	The team wins, draws, or loses by 1-2 goals	The team wins by 4 goals or more
Push if	The team loses by exactly 3 goals	The team wins by exactly 3 goals
You lose if	The team loses by 4 goals or more	The team wins by 2 or fewer, or fails to win (draw or loss)

Asian vs European Handicap

In Asian handicap betting, a whole-number line like +3 or -3 can result in a push. If the adjusted score is level, the bet is void and your stake is returned.

In European or 3-way handicap betting, the draw is a separate betting outcome. So if you back a team at -3 in a European handicap market and they win by exactly three goals, your bet loses because the handicap draw is the winning selection.

Always check which handicap market you are betting on before confirming your slip.

When to Use Each

Use +3 when the underdog is organised, defensive, and unlikely to collapse. It is also useful when the favourite tends to win by narrow margins.
Use -3 when the favourite is clearly stronger, capable of winning by a large margin, and the straight-win odds are too short to be worthwhile.

Compared with an outright win bet, +3 gives the underdog more protection but usually comes at shorter odds. A -3 handicap offers a bigger potential return than backing the favourite to win outright, but requires a much wider victory.