Last update at 10 November, 2024. A European handicap +/-2 is a bet that starts off the favourite team on a deficit of 2 goal and the underdog on a surplus of the same number of goals. In the usual fashion, the bookie sets a score line or margin, which both teams have to cover for a bet on either side to win.

For example: Say a golfer with a minus-2 course handicap (-2.0) shot 72. In a stroke-play competition involving handicaps, his gross socre would be 72, but his net score would be 74 (72 plus the two extra strokes for having a course handicap better than 0).