What is The Corner Handicap Betting Market?
A ‘Corner Handicap’ bet is a wager where one team is given a statistical disadvantage or advantage before the game kicks off. Therefore, one team starts the match with a virtual lead in the corner count, while the other side begins the affair on the back foot in that department.
Your goal is to win money by taking advantage of good odds. The bookie sets the handicaps and the prices, you choose which handicap you want to take. Enter your stake in the box within your betslip, then hope for the best.
The Corner Handicap market is defined at SkyBet as the following:
Sky Bet Definition
You’re betting on: which team will be awarded the most number of corners after the stated handicap has been applied.
Here’s an example of a Corner Handicap bet in a hypothetical scenario:
- Liverpool welcome Chelsea in the Premier League at Anfield.
- The bookmaker is offering Liverpool (-2) in the Corner Handicap market at 2.00 (1/1).
- A £10 bet would return £20.
- Liverpool would need to earn three more corners than Chelsea for your bet to win.
- If Liverpool are awarded fewer than three more corners than Chelsea, your wager loses.
Corner Handicap Betting Terminology
If you’ve ever bet on a handicap market, this one should be easy to get to grips with. The basic principle of wagers on Corner Handicap selections is the same as, for example, goal handicaps, with the sole difference being the statistic in question.
The term ‘Corner’ refers to the act of taking a corner kick. In football, corners are set pieces awarded to the attacking team when the ball last hits a defending player before going out of play. The ball must leave the pitch within the confines of the space between either goal post and the corner flag, or over the crossbar. If the ball leaves the field of play outside of these set areas, then a throw-in may be awarded.
In the case of this betting market, ‘Corner’ tells us that the wager is specifically centred around corner kicks. As such, we can ignore statistics relating to bookings, goals and shots – or any other stat, for that matter.
‘Handicap’ lets us know that the market we’re betting on puts one team at a disadvantage. In corner markets, like the one we’re discussing here, this means that one of the two sides’ corners statistics will begin with a negative mark (i.e. ‘-1’ or ‘-2’). In effect, the odds on the selection should improve as the likelihood of the outcome taking place diminishes.
If you’re still unsure about the exact meaning behind Corner Handicaps and how to use them, check out William Hill’s detailed description of the market below:
William Hill’s description
Predict which team will take the most corners after the handicap spread has been applied.
A handicap of (-/+) one or more corners will be given to one of the teams which will be added to the actual number of corners taken by them during the match.
William Hill then provides an example, similar to the scenario we described earlier:
Betting Strategy For Corner Handicap Markets
As is always the case with betting on markets you may be unfamiliar with, we recommend developing a strategy. This can be a simple, run-of-the-mill general idea you follow – like always betting on the favourite – or something more in-depth.
Look At Recent Matches
The first thing to do, if you’re betting on the handicapped team, is check the recent history of games involving any teams you’re taking a punt on. You should examine corner statistics, like the number of corners earned, as well as how many more corners the team generally gets compared to its opposition.
With this data, you’ll have a good idea of:
- How many corners the team you’re betting on usually gets.
- Whether or not the team earns a greater number of corners than the opposing side in recent matches
- Which team you should be betting on.
You can find ample information on all the corner statistics you need at football-based apps for mobile and online data-focused websites. Notable options include:
- FotMob app
- PremierLeague.com
- SoccerStats.com
- LiveScore app
In addition, bookies often gather statistical data with regard to corners – so feel free to visit your favourite bookmaker to find relevant stats.
Know The Averages
Sometimes, researching the most recent fixtures doesn’t provide a picture clear enough to make a concise decision. You may find that it’s worth your while to glance at corner statistics over the course of an entire campaign to gain a better understanding of what constitutes a good wager and what does not.
For instance, if we look at Manchester City’s average corners earned per game in the 2021/22 Premier League season, we see that Pep Guardiola’s outfit were given around 8 (8.32 to be precise) corners in each outing. If you were only to look at their pre-season matches for 2022, in which they accrued over 8 corners just once, you’d get a false impression of the team’s actual ability to earn corners.
Use averages and recent statistics together to form an informed decision. We implore you to head over to these websites for a wide range of corner statistics from previous seasons:
- FootyStats.org
- WinDrawWin.com
- RedScores.com
Recommended Bookmakers For Corner Handicap Markets
Most UK bookies offer rewarding odds for the Corner Handicap betting market. That said, there are instances where some outshine others – something particularly noticeable during the summer months when certain sportsbooks put more effort into their corner markets selections.
Between Bet365, Paddy Power, SkyBet and William Hill, just one bookie is offering Corner Handicap prices for Champions League Qualifiers (William Hill).
This leaves one bookie with a large player base for one market – effectively obtaining an unintentional monopoly over a select portion of the industry. Although great for William Hill, such a circumstance is poor for the bettor.
Here’s a quick look at how the Corner Handicap market looks at William Hill in a match between Ludogorets and Dinamo Zagreb.
There are various prices and selections to bet on. You should use the tools we discussed in our strategy guide to make the best possible decision for your wager when betting on games like this one.
It’s also worth checking out what Betfair can offer in this market, as you can utilise the Exchange on the platform to bet against other punters and potentially come away with a tasty profit.
