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In the original game of handicap, one contestant put up an item of personal property against something belonging to the other contestant, offering to exchange the one for the other. An umpire adjudicated on the difference in value between the two articles. The contestants then placed their hands in a hat, along with some forfeit money, and the way in which they withdrew their hands - full or empty - signified whether they accepted the adjudication. If they both either accepted or rejected it, the umpire got the forfeit money; if they disagreed, the one who accepted it got the money. The application to horseracing arose in the 18th century from the notion of an umpire adjudicating on the weight disadvantage to be given to a specific horse.
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