Guide to Asian Handicap Betting

What is Asian Handicap Betting?

Asian Handicap balances the odds between the favourites and the underdog with a goal advantage to the underdog or a deficit to the favourite. For instance, a -0.5 handicap means that a team starts the match at a 0.5-goal disadvantage. They must win by 1 or more goals for your bet to win. 

On the other hand, a +1.5 handicap means that a team starts the match with a 1.5-goal advantage. Therefore, they must either win or lose by fewer than 2 goals for your bet to win.

Additionally, the Asian Handicap eliminates the possibility of a draw, which distinguishes it from the European Handicap. For example, a +1.0 handicap means a team has a 1-goal advantage and can only lose by fewer than 2 goals for your bet to win. If the team loses by 1 goal, you’ll get a refund of your bet, which is also known as a push.

How Does Asian Handicap Betting Work?

To have a full grasp of how Asian Handicap works, you need to understand whole handicaps, half handicaps, and quarter handicaps.

• Whole Handicaps: Examples of whole handicaps include -2, +2, +1, and -1. So, if a team has a -1 handicap, they need to win by two or more goals for your bet to payout. If the team wins by only one goal, the bet will be a push and the stakes will be refunded.

• Half Handicaps: The half handicap option eliminates the possibility of a push or refund. You will find options like +0.5, +1.5, -0.5, -1.5, and +2.5 for half handicaps. So, if you’re betting on -1.5 handicap, the team must win by at least two goals for you to get a payout. On the other hand, a +2.5 handicap means the team must win or lose by fewer than 3 goals.

• Quarter Handicaps: The quarter handicap splits your stake 50/50 between the two closest handicap lines, allowing for either half wins or half losses. Say a team has a -0.25 handicap (with 0.0 and -0.5 closest handicap lines), you will payout the total amount they win. If the team draws, you will receive a half push (on 0.0), which is your half refund on your stake, and a half loss (on -0.5).

Key Advantages of Asian Handicap Betting

Using Asian Handicap betting for your predictions has several benefits. Below are the advantages of this betting market.

• Better odds: You will receive better value on Asian Handicap odds compared to traditional 1x2 bets. 

• Reduced risk with quarter handicaps: With quarter handicaps, you can split your stake across the two closest handicap lines. This enables outcomes like a half-win or a half-loss, rather than fully losing your bet. You can get half your stake as a refund.

• Ability to balance uneven matches: It levels the playing field between the favourites and underdogs, making it more interesting than 1x2 markets.

Common Types of Asian Handicap Bets

You’ll come across a range of Asian Handicap types at UK bookmakers. We’ve explained below how each works using real-match examples. 

Full Goal

Let’s say you have the following full goal handicaps.

• Chelsea: -2.0 Handicap at odds of 13/5 

• Fulham: +2.0 Handicap at odds of 7/25

If you bet £50 on Chelsea, they must win by three or more goals for your bet to win. So, your payout will be £180. If Chelsea wins by exactly two goals, the result will be a push, and you’ll get a refund.

On the other hand, if you bet on Fulham, they must either win or lose by fewer than two goals to receive a payout. If they lose by two goals, you’ll get a stake refund. 

Half Goal

A half-goal handicap eliminates the possibility of a push. Let’s say you have the following odds.

• Liverpool: -1.5 at odds of 27/10

• Arsenal: +1.5 at odds of 1/4

If you wager £100 on Liverpool, they must beat Arsenal by at least two goals for your wager to receive a payout of £370. Your bet will lose if Liverpool wins, loses, or draws, or wins by only one goal. For your bet on Arsenal to win, they must win, draw, or lose by only one goal.

Quarter Goal Handicaps

Quarter goal handicaps allow you to get a refund of half your bet if the match ends in a draw. Here is an example.

• Brentford: -0.75 at odds of 9/10

• Burnley: +0.75 at odds of 3/2

The bookie will split your £100 stake with £50 on -0.5 and £50 on -1.0. So, if Brentford wins by at least two goals, you receive a full win with a payout of £190. However, if they win with 1 goal, you’ll receive half wins (£45 profit) and the other half of the stake will be refunded. So, your total payout will be £145. A draw or a loss for Brentford will render your bet lost.

On the other hand, if you back Burnley, you’ll win your bet in full if they win or draw the match. Losing by one goal refunds half of your stake, while losing by two or more goals results in a full bet loss.

Asian Handicap vs Traditional Betting

While most UK punters are familiar with the traditional 1x2 market, more players are beginning to fancy Asian Handicap. Which is better? The table below compares them.

You may want to consider using the Asian Handicap over the traditional 1x2 market for the following reasons. 

• It gives you better odds when backing favourites

• It helps you avoid the risk of a draw

Asian Handicap offers protection with refunds in the case of draws

Strategies for Asian Handicap Betting

Maximising your Asian Handicap bets requires adopting certain strategies. Here are some helpful tips to help you make smarter predictions.

• Researching team form: Asian Handicap betting requires thorough research. Review the latest matches of the teams you plan to bet on and analyse their goal margins during this period.

• Home/away records: Home and away records are vital considerations, as some teams perform better at their home stadiums, while others excel when playing away. It will be helpful to identify teams that are reliable on the handicap lines.

• Injury news: Check your chosen team’s injury list to see if they are missing a key player who can influence the match’s outcome. 

• Market movements: Always keep an eye on odds shifts to help you decide when to back a team or if it’s not worth staking.

• Bankroll management: Treat your betting bankroll like your other finances. Know when to put in money and when to stop. You also need to have a long-term mindset, rather than thinking of hitting a quick jackpot win. Most importantly, keep records of your bets to help you spot the lines you're best at.

Asian Handicap Betting in the UK

Due to the possibility of getting better odds value, the Asian Handicap betting market has continued to grow among UK punters. Many bookmakers, including bet365, Unibet, and William Hill, now offer it in various forms, including for full-time, first half, corner, and cards. Not only are they available for pre-match betting, but also for in-play betting. 

The UK Gambling Commission fully supports betting on Asian Handicap. However, we recommend betting only with a UKGC-regulated platform for your safety. 

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