bet365 has released its Premier League Season Handicap market for 2026/27, and every one of the 20 teams is priced at 15/1 — the odds are identical because the handicap, not the price, is where all the value judgement sits.
Champions Arsenal start on scratch (+0), with Manchester City on +3 and Liverpool on +7, while newly promoted Hull City are handed the biggest head start at +52. Here’s the full table, how the market works, and how it played out last season.
Full bet365 Premier League Season Handicap odds 2026/27
| Team | Handicap | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | +0 | 15/1 |
| Manchester City | +3 | 15/1 |
| Liverpool | +7 | 15/1 |
| Manchester United | +8 | 15/1 |
| Chelsea | +10 | 15/1 |
| Tottenham | +16 | 15/1 |
| Aston Villa | +18 | 15/1 |
| Newcastle United | +23 | 15/1 |
| Brighton | +23 | 15/1 |
| Bournemouth | +28 | 15/1 |
| Everton | +28 | 15/1 |
| Brentford | +29 | 15/1 |
| Nottingham Forest | +30 | 15/1 |
| Leeds United | +31 | 15/1 |
| Crystal Palace | +31 | 15/1 |
| Fulham | +32 | 15/1 |
| Sunderland | +34 | 15/1 |
| Ipswich Town | +44 | 15/1 |
| Coventry City | +44 | 15/1 |
| Hull City | +52 | 15/1 |
Each-way 1/4 the odds, places 1-2-3-4. Odds subject to change. 18+. GambleAware.org.
What is the bet365 Season Handicap?
The Season Handicap is a long-term ante-post market that gives every Premier League team a fictional points head start based on how well bet365 expects them to do. The stronger the team, the smaller the head start; the weaker the team, the bigger it is. At the end of the season, each team’s handicap is added to the points they actually won, and whoever has the highest combined total wins the market.
It’s popular precisely because it levels the division. As bet365 trader Steve Freeth put it, history shows any of the 20 clubs can win the handicap — which is exactly why all 20 are priced the same.
Why is every team 15/1?
Because the pricing is baked into the handicap, not the odds. In a normal title market, Arsenal might be odds-on and Hull 500/1. Here, bet365 has done that work by assigning the head starts — Arsenal off scratch, Hull +52 — so the actual price on every team is deliberately identical at 15/1. Your job as a bettor isn’t to find the shortest price; it’s to judge which team will most outperform the head start bet365 has given it.
How do the points work?
The mechanics are simple, and a worked example makes it clear:
- The favourites start low. The team expected to finish top starts on scratch (+0) or close to it — Arsenal +0, Manchester City +3, Liverpool +7 this season.
- The underdogs get a head start. Weaker or newly promoted sides get large virtual advantages — Hull City +52, Ipswich and Coventry both +44.
- The final tally. At season’s end, bet365 adds each team’s handicap to their real points total. Worked example: if Manchester City finish on 82 real points, their adjusted total is 85 (82 + 3). If Sunderland finish on 55, their adjusted total is 89 (55 + 34) — and Sunderland would beat City in this market despite finishing well below them in the actual table.
The team you back must finish with the highest adjusted total of all 20. Goal difference is ignored entirely, and if two or more teams tie on adjusted points, standard dead-heat rules apply.
Who has the biggest head start in 2026/27?
Hull City, at +52. Promoted via the play-offs and widely expected to struggle, they’re given the largest cushion in the division. Ipswich Town and Coventry City follow on +44 each, with Sunderland — balancing a second top-flight season with the Europa League — on +34. At the other end, Arsenal carry the target of scratch as defending champions for the first time in over 20 years.
How did the Season Handicap finish in 2025/26?
Sunderland won it. Given a +52 head start as a newly promoted side widely tipped for relegation, they defied expectations, and their 54 real points became an adjusted 106 — the highest in the division. Champions Arsenal, off just +3, finished sixth in the handicap table despite topping the real one.
| Team | Handicap | Points | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | +52 | 54 | 106 |
| Manchester United | +21 | 71 | 92 |
| Brentford | +38 | 53 | 91 |
| Leeds United | +43 | 47 | 90 |
| Bournemouth | +32 | 57 | 89 |
| Arsenal | +3 | 85 | 88 |
| Aston Villa | +22 | 65 | 87 |
| Fulham | +33 | 52 | 85 |
| Everton | +33 | 49 | 82 |
| Manchester City | +3 | 78 | 81 |
| Brighton | +27 | 53 | 80 |
| Crystal Palace | +33 | 45 | 78 |
| Nottingham Forest | +32 | 44 | 76 |
| West Ham United | +35 | 39 | 74 |
| Burnley | +51 | 22 | 73 |
| Chelsea | +12 | 52 | 64 |
| Newcastle United | +15 | 49 | 64 |
| Tottenham | +22 | 41 | 63 |
| Liverpool | +0 | 60 | 60 |
| Wolves | +39 | 20 | 59 |
The pattern is instructive: a total north of 100 has usually been needed to win, and last season’s big handicap failure was Wolves, who finished bottom of the adjusted table despite a +39 start.
Which teams look interesting at the handicap?
This is where the market rewards a view rather than a price. A few angles stand out for 2026/27:
- Coventry City +44 are, on last season’s Championship form, the pick of the promoted sides, and Championship winners have a strong recent record of settling quickly in the top flight.
- Sunderland +34 proved last year how far an over-generous handicap can carry a side, though a Europa League campaign may stretch them this time.
- The scratch-and-low group — Arsenal +0, City +3, Liverpool +7 — need to win the real title comfortably and by a big margin to overhaul the head starts, which is a tall order in this market.
As with any ante-post bet, prices and handicaps can shift with transfer business, so it pays to take a view early. If you’re weighing up where to place a long-term bet like this, our best UK betting sites guide compares the strongest options, and the wider market sits on our football odds hub.
Disclosure: Thatsagoal is an affiliate partner of the bookmakers featured on this page and may earn a commission if you open an account through our links. This does not affect our editorial view. Odds correct at the time of writing. 18+. GambleAware.org.
Frequently asked questions
What is the bet365 Premier League Season Handicap?
A season-long market where every team is given a points head start based on expected performance. The handicap is added to their real final points, and the highest combined total wins.
Why is every team priced at 15/1?
Because the value judgement is built into the handicap, not the odds. bet365 sets the head starts, so all 20 teams carry the same 15/1 price.
Which team has the biggest handicap in 2026/27?
Hull City, on +52, followed by Ipswich Town and Coventry City on +44 each.
What handicap do Arsenal have?
Arsenal start on scratch (+0) as defending champions, the only side without a head start.
Who won the Season Handicap last season?
Sunderland, whose +52 head start and 54 real points gave them an adjusted total of 106.
Does goal difference count in the Season Handicap?
No. Goal difference is ignored — only adjusted points matter, and ties are settled by dead-heat rules.
More football odds and betting: Latest football odds · Best UK betting sites · Best football betting sites · When does the 2026/27 Premier League season start?
Odds and handicaps were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. 18+. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org · GamCare.org.uk.
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