We live in a different world nowadays when it comes to betting on sport – and soccer in particular. Gone are the days where you would just back on the home or away team to win, lose or draw. The betting world has expanded and it is only getting bigger and this includes Asian Handicap Betting.
One of the most popular markets around is the Asian Handicap market. In this article, I will explain how an Asian Handicap works and how you can use them.
Asian Handicap betting is primarily used in soccer and it is based on both teams being handicapped in preference to their form ahead of that game. For example, the stronger team will receive a handicap to win by more than a required number of goals. If you back Man City -1.0, they would need to win the game by two or more goals. You could back Everton +2 and your bet would be a success if the Toffees won, drew or lost by one goal. This is different to the traditional handicap betting market.
Team & Handicap | Outcome Needed | End Result |
---|---|---|
Man City -1.0 | Win by two or more Win by 1 Draw or lose |
Win Void/Push Lose |
Everton +2.0 | Win, draw or lose by 1 Lose by 2 Lose by three or more |
Win Void/Push Lose |
Asian Handicaps remove the chances of a draw. So like the example above, if you have Man City -1.0, they would need to win by two or more goals because effectively they are already a goal down. If City won by one goal, the bet would be void – or more known as a push. This would see your initial stake refunded.
Hopefully the above table will help you with the basic terms of Asian Handicap betting. The Asian Handicap market is very confusing and hard to master at first. Please make sure you fully understand the ins and outs of Asian Handicap before you start betting with real money.
The minus (-) you see on an Asian Handicap betting slip is handed out to who the bookmakers believe are the favourites to win the game. The plus (+) symbol is for the underdog. The best online betting sites will often list dozens of asian handicap outcomes for popular matches.
Below I have created an easy to understand table on what you would need for your Asian Handicap bet to be successful. Hopefully, it makes sense as it can be confusing.
Handicap (-) | Team Result | Bet Outcome |
---|---|---|
0 | Win Draw Lose |
Win Void Lose |
– 0.5 | Win Draw Lose |
Win Lose Lose |
– 1.0 | Win by 2+ goals Win by 1 goal Draw Lose |
Win Void Lose Lose |
– 1.5 | Win by 2+ goals Win by 1 goal Draw Lose |
Win Lose Lose Lose |
– 2.0 | Win by 3+ goals Win by 2 goals Win by 1 Draw Lose |
Win Void Lose Lose Lose |
Handicap (+) | Team Result | Bet Outcome |
---|---|---|
0 | Win Draw Lose |
Win Void Lose |
+ 0.50 | Win Draw Lose |
Win Win Lose |
+ 1.0 | Win Draw Lose by 1 goal Lose by 2 goals |
Win Win Void Lose |
+ 1.5 | Win Draw Lose by 1 goal Lose by 2+ goals |
Win Win Win Lose |
+ 2.0 | Win Draw Lose by 1 goal Lose by 2+ goals Lose by 3+ goals |
Win Win Win Void Lose |
The Asian Handicap market offers a different perspective for bettors. When betting on soccer in the traditional sense, you have three possible outcomes to bet on. With an Asian Handicap, you are effectively making it a two-way market. That is very appealing to some people.
Just because it narrows down the market, do not assume it is easy and it’s the gateway to riches. You still need to do plenty of research to ensure you know what you are doing. Asian Handicap betting is very confusing and you need to master it before taking the plunge.
The main difference between Asian Handicap and regular Handicap betting is that the Asian Handicap effectively makes it a two-way market. This differs to a regular handicap which prominently works in whole numbers and has three possible outcomes.
The flexibility of an Asian Handicap makes it more enticing for punters. With the different levels of handicaps on offer, this allows you to get a feel for the market and get the best value for you bets.
If Manchester City are in sublime form and are playing a team in the relegation places and conceding goals for fun. You can back the overwhelming favourite with a higher handicap line in a bid to get improved odds.
So, overall yes. There is plenty of worth to betting on the Asian Handicap market as long as you fully understand the system. If you’re taking advantage of a bonus from a betting site, be sure to check if this market qualifies. Due to the nature of the push being a possibility, it may be excluded from some promotions or offers.
Here are a couple of pros and cons on Asian Handicap Betting before you lay your first Asian Handicap bet.
Some soccer betting sites have a market specifically for this kind of betting including lots of other markets outside the match result. Find the ‘Asian Lines’ on the game you want to bet on. Here is a brief list of Asian Handicap betting markets available. The logic applies the same across the different options.
Asian Handicap Betting is a unique way of adding excitement to your bet, but you need to fully clued up on the rules. If you go into Asian Handicap betting blindly, then you will get confused or struggle to understand what it is you are betting on. Once you have studied what you need to know, Asian Handicap markets could prove quite lucrative. You need to be disciplined at first, but the rewards will be worth it if you persevere.
Asian Handicap is a form of bet that gives a certain team a virtual advantage in terms of goals over their opponents. The Asian Handicap essentially rules out a draw happening, meaning there are only two real outcomes.
The main difference between Asian Handicap and regular Handicap betting is that the Asian Handicap effectively makes it a two-way market. This differs to a regular handicap which prominently works in whole numbers and has three possible outcomes.
In Asian Handicap Betting, a push is the term used when there is no winner or loser. Your stake will be returned if for example, you bet on Liverpool -1 on the Asian Handicap and they win the actual game 1-0. That means the game is a draw, but as there are no draws on Asian Handicap Betting, your stake will be refunded. That is a push.
The term Asian Handicap was coined because it was originated in Indonesia. Journalist Joe Saumarez Smith is reportedly believed to have been the first to use the term Asian Handicap after Indonesian bookmaker Joe Phan asked him to provide a translation for the term ‘Hang Cheng’ which was being used around Asia.