In order to fully understand the meaning of the term handicap that concerns us now, it is necessary to discover, first of all, its etymological origin. In this case, we have to emphasize that it is a word that derives from English, specifically from “handicap”. This, in turn, emanates from the expression “hand in cap”, which can be literally translated as “hand to the cap”.
An expression that, apparently, was used in horse races in which those who wanted to bet put money in the cap.
Handicap is a term that, when written in Spanish, must have an accent in the first A : handicap . This is because it is a esdrújula word, stressed on the penultimate syllable.
The idea of handicap can refer to an event or a factor that is unfavorable . A handicap, in this sense, is a detriment or disadvantage . For example: “He is a great player, but his age is a handicap when it comes to competing in a tournament that demands great physical exertion” , “The high tax burden is a handicap for this activity” , “My height can be a handicap” . handicap in certain situations, but it also allows me to be faster than many of my rivals.”
The concept of handicap is also used in equestrian and other sports disciplines to refer to the system that is based on the application of disadvantages to certain competitors so that the chances of achieving victory are similar for all participants.
In polo , the handicap consists of estimating how many goals a player contributes to his team . The handicap of 10 is the highest, with the polo association of each country being responsible for determining the handicap of the players. The sum of the handicap of each polo player reveals the team's handicap, a data that is used to define the structuring of the tournaments. In some competitions, the difference in handicap between the teams is equalized by granting, before the start of the match, goals in favor to the disadvantaged team.
In equestrian , the handicap is applied to the horse that, due to its history, has the greatest probability of winning. In this case, the equalization of the handicap is done by adding extra weight to the horse. Something similar happens in motor sports , when the car that wins in a race must carry a burden (the handicap) in the next competition.
In golf , finally, there are several types of handicaps. One of the most common is the number of strokes awarded to a golfer before the start of a game .
In the field of golf, you should know that, for example, in Spain there is a handicap control and administration service for federated athletes. The Royal Spanish Golf Federation is the one that offers the aforementioned service and precisely for this reason, among other things, it will find it necessary to publish the exact playing handicaps as well as the relevant results and classifications of the different sporting events.
These actions, as well as managing and controlling the gaming activity sheets of the federations, are measures in favor of the transparency of the competitions.
When talking about betting on basketball, for example, you have to know that there are what are known as handicap bets. They are based on the fact that the betting house, based on a specific match of that sport, carries out an even money event by adding or subtracting points from one of the players, for example.