A handicap creates a virtual advantage or disadvantage to the teams playing. Weaker teams will get a positive handicap to level out their chances of winnings whereas favoured teams will receive a negative handicap.
(Adding a ‘+’ means it is extra and ‘-’ means we have set it lower as a disadvantage)
For example, a Premier League team is playing a League Two team. The Premier League team starts with a -1 handicap as they are the favourites, therefore, they would have to win by two to cover their handicap.