What is an asian handicap bet? Originating in Asia and now embraced worldwide, an Asian handicap bet is a unique form of sports betting designed to level the playing field between two teams of uneven abilities. Unlike traditional forms of betting that offer three outcomes (win, lose, or draw), Asian handicap betting introduces a handicap or advantage given to each team before the match begins. This adjustment, typically in the form of goals or points, aims to provide more balanced odds and eliminate the possibility of a draw, offering bettors a clearer path to predicting match outcomes with greater precision. In this article, bestsoccertips will help you better understand Asian handicaps.
What is Asian Handicap betting?
Many people wonder what the concept of Asian Handicap betting is. Asian Handicap betting is also known simply as Handicap betting. This type of bet has various forms with different odds depending on different football matches. Asian Handicap bets are considered exciting and offer high winning opportunities for players. They reflect differences in scores and other factors in a football match. Based on changes in the odds, there are many types of bets available.
Specifically, there are handicap bets, handicap over/under bets, handicap corner bets, handicap yellow card bets, handicap red card bets, throw-in bets, etc. These bets are placed within the 90 minutes of a match. Depending on the course of the match, football bookmakers provide odds at specific times. Players can choose Asian Handicap bets according to their preferences and interests. Additionally, when participating in the game, one should adhere to rules regarding odds and betting amounts.
What is handicap in football betting?
A typical moneyline bet in football is the 1×2 type, with odds offered for Team 1’s win, a draw, and Team 2’s win. Also known as three-way betting, this is the standard for football matches, where three different outcomes are available as per regulations. However, it can be challenging to play due to the nature of the sport and may often lack value if one team is heavily favored.
Asian Handicap betting provides a way to address this issue. It not only gives bettors a way to still back the favored team in a one-sided match but also provides bookmakers more opportunities to bet on outcomes where the favorite is excessively favored. It also simplifies betting for those who find three-way outcomes too difficult to play or prefer more balanced 50/50 outcomes.
Additionally, Asian Handicap lines can offer split bets, as discussed earlier. This is often seen in matches where a draw is more likely or is only playable by those wanting to hedge against specific outcomes.
It’s important to note that not all Asian Handicap odds will result in a winner or loser. There are times when two evenly matched teams will have a 0.0 handicap on both sides. This is similar to the ‘draw no bet’ market, where a draw will result in all bets being refunded as a draw.
Detailed information about popular odds in Asian handicaps
Draw no bet Asian Handicap
This type of Asian Handicap bet typically appears in matches where there is no significant difference in strength or form between the two teams. Particularly in major tournaments such as the Champions League, EURO, and World Cup…
With draw no bet, the odds are read as follows:
- If you bet on one of the two teams and that team wins the match, you win the bet. If that team loses, you lose the draw no bet.
- If both teams end the match in a draw, your bet is a draw, and the bookmaker refunds your stake.
Half-ball Asian Handicap (0.25 handicap)
The half-ball Asian Handicap is also very popular. You will typically see odds marked as 0.25 or ¼ ball. In this case:
- If you bet on the favorite team, they must win by at least 1 goal for you to win the bet. If they win by less than 1 goal or the match ends in a draw, you lose half of your stake.
- If you bet on the underdog team, you win if they win or if the match ends in a draw.
Half-ball Asian Handicap (0.5 handicap)
In this scenario, marked as 0.5 or ½ ball, the favorite team must win by at least 1 goal for you to win the bet. Here’s how it’s read:
- If the match ends in a draw, the underdog team wins the bet. Conversely, if you bet on the favorite team, you lose the half-ball Asian Handicap.
- If the favorite team wins by at least 1 goal, you win the bet on the favorite team. If they win by less than 1 goal or the match ends in a draw, you lose the bet on the favorite team.
One-ball Asian Handicap (1 handicap)
This is another relatively common Asian Handicap. Here’s how it works:
- If the favorite team wins by at least 2 goals, you win the bet on the favorite team. Conversely, if you bet on the underdog team, you lose the one-ball Asian Handicap.
- If the favorite team wins by exactly 1 goal, your bet is a draw.
- If the match ends in a draw between the favorite and underdog teams, you win the bet on the underdog team. You lose the one-ball Asian Handicap bet on the favorite team.
Asian Handicap Betting Strategy
Asian handicap lines can increase parlay bets
Most bookmakers allow you to bet on Asian Handicap and Asian Total bets with other wagers for parlay bets. This can be a great way to avoid high moneyline odds, which often don’t offer much value for parlays, and instead bet on Arsenal -0.5 with better odds. It also provides a way to place certain bets that you otherwise couldn’t. For example, most bookmakers don’t allow draw no bet parlays, but they will allow this with Asian Handicap 0.0.
Asian Handicap lines can also allow you to play lines with higher win probabilities than other straight bets, simply nullifying that portion of your parlay instead of losing the entire bet. For example, betting on over 2.0 goals instead of over 2.5 will win if the match ends 1-1.
Pay attention to team line-ups and upcoming matches
Typically, highly rated teams rotate their line-ups against smaller clubs, especially if they have a big upcoming match or multiple matches in a short period. For instance, if a team like Liverpool is facing a newly relegated club and has a midweek Champions League match, their coach may opt to rest players.
This can provide you with a great opportunity to profit from Asian Handicap odds. If Liverpool’s opponent has an Asian Handicap of +2.5 with even odds, you might exploit that handicap because Liverpool may not be at full strength and may only win by one or two goals. Always have a clear understanding of the personnel and situations of the teams involved to find favorable odds.
Don’t overlook Asian Handicap and Asian Total bets in the first half
The halftime betting market for Asian Handicap lines can offer significant value if you have a keen eye for how teams play. I’ve found that in many knockout matches, whether cup games or Champions League first legs, teams may be more cautious and take fewer risks. This can lead to great betting opportunities for Asian Total and Asian Handicap odds. Again, knowing your surroundings about a match can help you profit from these alternative markets.
Look Around for Different Asian Lines
Different books offer various types of Asian bets – and some don’t offer them at all. Unfortunately, FanDuel offers very few Asian handicaps in any form, while DraftKings offers quite a few. In fact, DraftKings provides Asian handicaps during specific periods, allowing you to work with halftime handicaps as mentioned above. One of my favorite Asian handicaps on DraftKings is the Asian handicap up to X minutes, usually around the 30th or 70th minute.
Bet365 is perhaps the most popular alternative betting choice, including Asian corner totals, Asian handicaps, and Asian total corners. This is another way you can use your research and knowledge to find betting lines that give you an advantage and opportunities to exploit mistakes.
Using Asian Handicap Odds in Live Betting
This might be one of my favorite live betting moves, especially when there’s an early goal. Sometimes you’ll have a highly rated team but can’t find any good betting value before the match starts, and then suddenly, they concede a shocking goal just five minutes into the game. Now, the pre-match favorite is suddenly trailing and the odds have changed.
Instead of focusing on the fact that their odds have changed, a better approach might be to consider Asian handicap odds. For example, a team with a -1.0 handicap before the match may now have odds adjusted to a level handicap. This allows you to bet on them to win at 0.0 but still protects you from a draw. It can also be useful with totals, as an early goal often shifts the total higher and lets you play the pre-match handicap with less strength.
Conclusion
Hopefully the above article will help you understand what is an Asian handicap bet. In conclusion, an Asian handicap bet represents a sophisticated approach to sports betting, originating in Asia and now embraced globally for its strategic advantages. By adjusting team strengths through handicaps before the match begins, this form of betting eliminates the draw option and offers clearer outcomes, making it appealing to seasoned bettors and novices alike. Hopefully, the above article has shed light on what an Asian handicap bet entails, equipping you with the knowledge to explore this exciting dimension of sports wagering with confidence.
