home advantage

Meaning

'Home advantage' (or home-court/home-field advantage) refers to the benefit a sports team or competitor has when playing in their own stadium or country. This is due to familiar surroundings, lack of travel fatigue, and support from local fans.

Examples

• Playing in front of eighty thousand screaming fans gave the team a massive home advantage.

  Playing in front of eighty thousand screaming fans gave the team a massive home advantage.

• Even though they are the weaker team, they might win because of the home advantage.

  Even though they are the weaker team, they might win because of the home advantage.

• The referee seemed influenced by the crowd, which is part of the home advantage.

  The referee seemed influenced by the crowd, which is part of the home advantage.

• Our team has a strong home advantage, having won ten consecutive games in this stadium.

  Our team has a strong home advantage, having won ten consecutive games in this stadium.

• Travel fatigue can ruin a team's performance, giving the hosts a natural home advantage.

  Travel fatigue can ruin a team's performance, giving the hosts a natural home advantage.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ They won because they had the house advantage.

  ✓ They won because they had the home advantage.

  'House advantage' (or house edge) is used in gambling/casinos. For sports and general competitions, the correct term is 'home advantage'.

• ✗ The team played in their home advantage.

  ✓ The team utilized their home advantage.

  You don't play 'in' an advantage; you 'have', 'gain', 'use', or 'enjoy' a home advantage.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The local team always performs better because they have the ___.

  💡 The benefit of playing in one's own stadium.

  Show answer

  home advantage

• Without travel stress and with all their fans cheering, they enjoy a clear ___.

  💡 Benefit of being the host.

  Show answer

  home advantage