The handle is the total amount of money wagered on a sporting event or across a sportsbook in a given period. A Super Bowl handle of $2 billion means $2 billion was bet on the game. The handle is different from the sportsbook's profit — most of that money is paid back to winning bettors.
Understanding the Handle in More Detail
The handle is the total amount of money wagered on a sporting event or across a sportsbook in a given period. A Super Bowl handle of $2 billion means $2 billion was bet on the game. The handle is different from the sportsbook's profit — most of that money is paid back to winning bettors. This concept comes up constantly in sports betting and understanding it saves you from making costly mistakes.
Why It Matters for Your Bets
Every piece of sports betting terminology exists because it describes a real dynamic in how markets work. The handle is no different.
When you understand what you are actually paying for — and what the sportsbook is doing on their end — you can make smarter decisions about where and how to bet.
Is a handle better or worse for bettors? It depends on context. Generally, knowing this concept helps you:
- Compare sportsbooks more intelligently
- Understand why certain bets behave the way they do
- Ask better questions when evaluating betting opportunities
How This Fits Into Your Betting Strategy
Understanding terminology is step one. The more important step is tracking whether the bets you place using this knowledge are actually profitable over time.
Most bettors never know their real win rate by market type because they do not track their bets systematically.
The Gap Most Bettors Face
The challenge most sports bettors face is that without tracking data, they cannot tell which markets they actually understand versus which ones they just think they understand.
Oddible automatically syncs your bets from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and 30+ other books so you can see your true win rate by sport and bet type — including the specific markets where terms like this apply.
Track your bets and learn from real data with Oddible — free, syncs automatically, and shows you where you are winning and losing.
Not gambling advice. Only bet what you can afford to lose.
