Asian Handicap explained

Asian handicap betting comes from Indonesia and reduces the possible number of match outcomes by eliminating the draw. This elimination aims to bring the odds as close as possible to 50:50 by putting a goal handicap on the favorite team. The use of Asian handicap betting evolved in time and recently things got more complicated. The complications originate mainly from the quarter and half handicaps explained below.

Asian handicap is quite popular when a clear underdog plays against a really strong team. The signs (-) and (+) go for the same result but are taken from a different angle.

• If we use (-), we take the favorites angle by subtracting the goal amount from his initial score
• If we use (+), we take the underdogs angle by adding the goal amount to his initial score

The following table explains the possible Asian handicap combinations of Match results and Bet results.

Asian Handicap Zero line explained

If you place a Asian Handicap 0 bet, you win when the team you bet on wins. In the case of a draw, you get your stake amount back and in the case of a loss, you indeed lost your stake. The zero by Asian Handicap is easy to understand, since the draw is excluded from the results and has not any effect on your money.

Asian Handicap Integer lines explained

Moving away from a zero, in many expert betting tips you might see handicaps such as -4, -3, -2, -1, 1, 2, 3, 4. If you see e.g. Manchester City -2 handicap, then the team starts 2 goals behind their opponent. If [team 9] wins with a difference of 2 goals, you get a stake refund. In other cases you simply win or lose following the simple math.

Asian Handicap quarter lines explained

+0.25, -0.25, +0.75, -0.75, +1.25, -1.25… As you look closer you really have to wrap your brain around this. Being low-focused by the quarter Asian handicap bet, you might mess up. The first challenge is to realize the signs “-” and “+”. If you look at the table, you might face 2 different outcomes since half loss is not the same as half win.

• In the case of half loss you lose half of your bet and get back the other half. Easy as that, no further necessity for betting odds calculator.
• In the case of half win, you lose half of the bet and the other half gets multiplied by the winning odds.

Further complication comes as we look at the difference between 0.25 and 0.75 and combine the plus and minus. Half win, half loss looks like a strange pattern and that means you really have to know what you are doing. Simply take a pen and paper and write down the handicap.

Asian Handicap half lines explained

If you were able to understand the quarter lines, you will have it easy to understand the half lines. The half lines are easier to cope with since there are only 2 possible outcomes. You only can win or lose. No stake refund no half win no half loss.

Spotting a value bet in Asian Handicap betting is not as easy as the listed bookmakers are not displaying their payout next to the betting market. We have to rely on the bookmaker’s margin calculator, but even the use of this tool is limited by the half win and stake refunds. We are really good at Champions League football predictions, with an above average performance.