Each year, betting companies come up with ingenious strategies to keep punters streaming back to their sites. Today we look at one of the betting options popular with UK punters – the Asian handicap.
Inside, we describe what the strategy is all about, the various types of bets available and reasons to incorporate it in your betting. Our experts will also answer a few frequently asked questions that we receive here at Sambafoot.
Asian Handicap Explained
Asian handicap betting is quite simple to grasp. This strategy is meant to even the betting odds in matches with a disparity in the skill level of the opposing teams. At the same time, it offers some cover in case the match outcome is divergent from the prediction.
Asian handicap betting is common in football matches. In this format of betting, one team is given an advantage or disadvantage before the game commences in the form of added or subtracted goals or points. The number of goals will vary depending on the bookmaker and the perceived strength of the teams.
There are multiple bet variations when it comes to Asian handicap betting.
Types of Asian Handicap Betting
As with most betting strategies, there are several ways you can place your handicap bets. The following are the most common ones at UK bookies.
Single Asian Handicap Betting
This betting format is applicable when one team is perceived to be superior to the other. To even out the odds, bookmakers will give the weaker team an advantage by giving them handicap goals. Depending on the bookies, the number of advantage goals will range from 0.5(½ ball), 1(Full ball), 1.5(1 ½ Ball) and 2(2 Ball). Here are some scenarios to help you better understand how it works.
Imagine a match between Arsenal (1.16) vs. Burnley (7.87) in which you bet on Arsenal to win.
A -0.5 AH (½ ball) bet on Arsenal
- You will win the bet if Arsenal wins the game.
- You will lose the bet if Arsenal loses or draws the game.
A +0.5 AH bet on Arsenal
- The bet will be won if Arsenal wins or draws the game.
- The bet will be lost if Burnley wins the game.
A -1 AH bet placed on Arsenal
- The bet will be successful if Arsenal wins the game by a margin of 2 or more goals.
- Your stake will be refunded if Arsenal wins the game a 1-goal margin.
- The bet will be lost if the game ends in a draw or a Burnley win.
A +1 AH bet placed on Arsenal
- You will win your bet if Arsenal wins or draws the game.
- Your stake will be refunded should Arsenal lose the game by a 1-goal margin
- The bet will be lost in the event Burnley wins by a 2-goal margin.
The Single Asian Handicap bet format assumes a similar trend for the other options. For instance, a -2 AH bet will mean your chosen team will have to win by a margin of 3 or more goals for you to win your bet. If your chosen team wins by a margin of 2 goals, your stake will be refunded as the game will have hypothetically ended in a draw. If the game ends in a draw or your chosen team loses, the bet will be lost.
In short, your chosen team will need to overcome the disadvantage placed on it or capitalise on the advantage given to it for your bet to win. Any other outcome will either result in a stake refund or loss of the bet.
Single Asian Handicap is meant to increase returns when wagering against stronger opponents.
Level Asian Handicap
Level Asian Handicap is common in matches where both teams enjoy similar strength. There is no underdog or favourite. It is similar to the traditional 1X2 bet with the only difference being stake refunds on draws. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Put otherwise, it’s a Draw No Bet with a fancy name.
In this form of betting, neither team starts with a goal advantage or disadvantage. Goals are pegged at 0 at the beginning of the game. For your bet to win, your selected team has to win the match. Your stake will be refunded in the case of a draw. You will lose the bet if your selected team loses the match.
Split Asian Handicap
The first thing you need to know about Split Asian Handicap is that you are allowed to split your stake on your selected team winning or drawing. You are more likely to encounter this option in matches where both teams have perceived equal strength. For instance, take Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. Let’s take a look at variants of the Quarter Goal Asian handicap.
AH 0.25 or ¼ Ball
Quarter Goal Asian handicap has both advantage and disadvantage orientations. A bet placed on a -0.25 handicap will result in a win only if your selected team wins the tie. If the game is drawn at full-time, half the amount of your stake will be refunded while the other half will be lost. The bet will be lost if your selected team loses the game.
Similarly, when you place a +0.25 handicap bet, your selected team has to win for your bet to win. A draw will mean half of your stake will be settled as a win while the other half will be refunded back to you. Your bet will be lost if your selected team loses the bet.
AH 0.75 or ¾ Ball
This format takes the same workings as a ¼ Ball handicap. If you place a -0.75 handicap bet, your selected team will need to win by a margin of two or more goals for your bet to be won. If your selected team wins by a single goal margin, half your stake will be refunded while the other half will be settled as a win. Your bet will be lost if your chosen team draws or loses the game.
On the other hand, a +0.75 handicap bet will be settled as a win if your selected team wins or draws at full-time. Half of your stake will be refunded while the other half will be lost should your chosen team lose by a 1-goal margin. Your bet will be lost if your selected team loses the game by a margin of 2 or more goals.
AH 1.25 or 1 ¼ Ball
A -1.25 handicap bet will only be successful if your selected team wins by a margin of 2 goals or more. If your selected team wins by a 1-goal margin, half of your stake will be refunded and the other half will be settled as a loss. Your bet will be lost if your selected team draws or loses the game.
A +1.25 handicap will be settled as a win if your selected team wins or draws the game. Half of your stake will be refunded while the other half will be settled as a win in case your selected team loses by a 1-goal margin. You will lose your entire stake should your selected team lose by a margin of 2 or more goals.
AH 1.75 or 1 ¾ Ball
A -1.75 handicap bet will be settled as a win only if your selected team wins by a margin of 3 goals or more. Half of your stake will be settled as a win while the other half will be refunded should your selected team win by a 2-goal margin. You will lose your entire stake if your chosen team draws, loses or wins the game by a 1-goal margin.
Likewise, a +1.75 bet will be settled as a win if your selected team wins, draws, or loses by a single-goal margin. Half of your stake will be refunded while the other will be lost should your selected team lose by a 2-goal margin. You will lose your entire stake if your chosen team loses by a margin of 3 or more goals.
Note: the greater the disadvantage a team is put in, the greater the returns.
Why Asian Handicap Betting?
At first, understanding AH betting may feel like a calculus class all over again. However, once you understand the logic behind it, everything falls into place. Here are a few reasons you should use the Asian Handicap format:
- Unlike other betting formats in which the chances of winning are pegged at 33%, AH betting narrows that gap to 50%
- AH maximises your returns in scenarios where the strengths of two teams vary by a large proportion
- It minimises the probability of one losing your entire stake by providing options for refunds and half wins
Asian Handicap Tips
The key to increasing your chances of winning a wager lies in proper analysis. Check the teams H2H history, current form, goal-scoring form and motivational factors such as the type of competition.
Maximise your returns by playing -2 AH in games where your chosen team has a very high chance of routing the opponent. Take advantage of live betting to make big returns during live matches.
Conclusion
Most beginners tend to shy away from handicap betting due to its perceived complexity. However, AH betting offers beginners and seasoned punters alike a nearly risk-free way of making extra cash compared to traditional 3-way betting. All you have to do is take a moment and understand how AH works.
Asian Handicap FAQs
In this section, we provide quick answers to a few questions our readers keep asking us. If you still need clarification, be sure to reach out and we will answer your questions too!
Which sports are best for handicap betting?
Football is the best sport for Asian Handicap. AH can also be used for other sports such as basketball and hockey.
Why is it called Asian Handicap?
The betting format originated in Asia.
What’s the difference between Asian Handicap and double chance?
The difference between AH and DC is the goal advantage given beforehand.
What does it mean to win half of the stake?
It means only half of your stake will be settled at the winning odds, while the other half will be refunded. For example: A £100 wager on 2.00 odds would have £50 from the initial stake multiplied by 2.00 and the remaining £50 refunded, so you would receive £150 in your account.
