The Asian Handicap is a format of bet originated in Asia and is widely used in bets soccer to level the playing field when two teams are unmatched in terms of strength and skill.
It offers a different perspective from traditional betting, eliminating the draw option and providing a handicap to compensate for the difference between the teams' abilities. The handicap is expressed in goals or fractions of goals.
The basic idea behind Asian handicap betting is to eliminate the possibility of a draw, which is a common outcome in soccer. The weaker team (underdog) will have an advantage with a positive handicap, while the stronger team (favorite) will have a negative handicap.
For example, if a team receives a handicap of -1.5 goals, they need to win by 2 goals or more for the bet on them to be a winner.
On the other hand, if a team receives a handicap of +1.5 goals, it could lose the game by 1 goal and still result in a winning bet.
What is a handicap: in simplest terms
Imagine you're running with a friend who runs faster than you. For the race to be fair, you get a head start.
That's what Asian Handicap betting is in soccer. It's a way of making the game fair when one team is much better than the other. The team that isn't as good gets an "advantage" in goals.
So, if a team receives a -1.5 goal deficit, that means they start the game as if they were 1.5 goals down.
They therefore need to score 2 goals more than the other team to win the bet. If a team receives a +1.5 goal handicap, they start the game as if they were 1.5 goals up.
So they can still lose the game by 1 goal and the bet on them will still be a winner. It's a fun way to bet because it can make the game exciting, even if one team is much better than the other.
Is Asian handicapping a popular betting method?
Asian Handicapping is indeed a popular betting method, especially for soccer matches. There are several reasons why punters are attracted to this betting method:
- Reduced results: Traditional 1X2 bets have three possible outcomes: victoryor a draw. However, Asian Handicap betting eliminates the draw, reducing the outcomes to two: win or lose. This increases the chances of winning a bet from 33% to 50%, assuming a random choice.
- Best chances: Asian Handicapping generally offers more competitive odds than traditional betting. This is because the bookmaker's margin is built into the handicap, rather than offering less attractive odds for a clear favorite.
- More exciting matches: The Asian Handicap can make even the most one-sided matches interesting. By giving the underdog an advantage, it levels the playing field and creates a more exciting betting scenario.
- More betting options: With different levels of handicaps available, bettors can choose the level of risk they feel comfortable with. For example, a bettor can back a strong favorite with a -2 handicap if they believe the team will win by a large margin.
- The Asian Handicap can protect punters who bet on the underdog. Even if the underdog loses by a significant margin, bettors can still win if the team covers the spread.
In essence, Asian Handicap betting is popular because it offers a unique and risk-modified way of betting on soccer matches, adding excitement to even the most predictable games.
How do you lose in an Asian handicap bet?
The loss of an Asian Handicap bet depends on the specific handicap you have chosen and the final result of the match. Let's take a look at some examples:
- Total goal handicap: If you bet on a team with a -1 handicap, your team must win by more than one goal for you to win the bet. If they only win by one goal, the match will be considered a draw from the betting point of view and your stake will be refunded. If they draw or lose the match, you will lose your bet.
- Handicap of half a goal: if you bet on a team with a -1.5 handicap, your team must win by two or more goals for you to win the bet. If you win by just one goal, draw or lose the match, you lose the bet.
- Handicap of a quarter of a goal: this is a little more complex. If you bet on a team with a -1.25 handicap, your bet will be split in two: one half at -1 and the other half at -1.5. If your team wins by two goals, you win both bets. If the team wins by one goal, you lose half your bet at -1.5 and half your bet at -1 is refunded. If the team draws or loses, you lose both halves of your bet.
The main thing to remember is that the handicap you choose determines how many goals your team must score for you to win. If they fail to cover the handicap (i.e. score enough goals to exceed the handicap), you will lose your bet.
How do you win in an Asian handicap bet?
Winning an Asian Handicap bet depends on the specific handicap you have chosen and the final result of the match. Here are some examples:
- Total goal handicap: If you bet on a team with a -1 handicap, your team must win by more than one goal for you to win the bet. If they only win by one goal, the match will be considered a draw from the betting point of view and your stake will be refunded.
- Handicap of half a goal: if you bet on a team with a -0.5 handicap, your team must win the match (by any score) for you to win the bet. There's no chance of a draw here because the half-goal handicap effectively eliminates you.
- Handicap of a quarter of a goal: if you bet on a team with a -0.75 handicap, your bet will be split in two: one half at -0.5 and the other half at -1. If your team wins by two or more goals, you win both bets. If your team wins by one goal, you win half of your -0.5 bet and half of your -1 bet is refunded. If the match is a draw or your team loses, you lose both halves of your bet.
Once again, the most important thing to remember is that the handicap you choose determines the goal advantage or disadvantage with which your chosen team starts the match. If the final result, with the handicap taken into account, is in your favor, you win the bet.
