Asian Handicap
What is Asian Handicap? Asian Handicap is a type of bet in which advantages or disadvantages are given to one of the opponents in order to eliminate the draw as a third result that causes the bet to win or lose. As the name suggests, it originated in Asia, although it is widely known and used worldwide.
Understanding what they consist of is extremely useful for bettors, as it opens up a huge universe of options when it comes to betting on both results and scores in various sports such as football, basketball or tennis, allowing Philippines to fine-tune the bet we want to make.
Table of contents
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1 📌 Types of Asian handicap
- 1.1 ✅ Whole Asian Handicap (+1, -1, +2, -2, +3, -3, etc.)
- 1.2 ✅ Medium Asian Handicap (+0.5, -0.5, +1.5, -1.5, +2.5, -2.5, etc.)
- 1.3 ✅ Half Goal Asian Handicap
- 1.4 ✅ Asian Quarter Handicap (+0.25, -0.25, +0.75, -0.75, +1.25, -1.25, etc.)
- 1.5 ✅ Asian Handicap 0.0
- 1.6 ✅ Asian handicap according to the sign
- 2 Best bookmakers with Asian lines
- 3 Asian Handicaps for Beginners
- 4 Asian Handicap FAQ
When a football team is given an Asian handicap of +0.5, it means that the number of goals scored by that team must be increased by 0.5. This ensures that the game cannot end in a draw, as scores such as 1-1 or 2-2 become 1.5-1 or 2.5-2, respectively.
If we bet on another team and place an Asian handicap -1, it means we have to subtract 1 goal from the total number of goals they score. If they win 3-1, for the purposes of the bet the result would be 2-1 and we would still win. If they had won 2-1, applying the handicap for the rest of the match would result in a final score of 1-1 and the bet would be canceled, with the money returned.
📌 Types of Asian handicap
To properly understand what the Asian handicap market consists of, we will divide it into the different possible options that exist and whether they are positive or negative. They are all based on the definition given above, but produce different effects in the resolution of the bet.
✅ Whole Asian Handicap (+1, -1, +2, -2, +3, -3, etc.)
It is assumed to add or subtract the number of goals indicated by the Asian handicap to the team's score.
If the handicap is positive, its effects are that if the team affected by the handicap wins or ties, the bet is won. If they lose by the same difference indicated by the handicap, the game ends in a draw, the bet is canceled, and the amount played is returned. If they lose by a score greater than the handicap, the bet is lost.
If it is negative, its effects are that if the team wins by a greater margin than the handicap, the bet wins. If the team wins by the exact margin indicated by the handicap, the game is a draw, the bet is canceled, and the amount wagered is returned. If the team ties or loses, the bet is lost.
✅ Medium Asian handicap (+0.5, -0.5, +1.5, -1.5, +2.5, -2.5, etc.)
You can add or subtract points to the competitor's score using the "half point" indicated by the Asian handicap. With this handicap, there is no way for the bet to end in a tie and be cancelled.
If the handicap is positive, its effects on the resolution of the bet are that in the case of victory or a tie the bet is won. If the team loses by a greater difference than the handicap indicates, the bet is lost.
If it is negative, its effects are that in case of victory by a margin higher than the one indicated by the handicap, the bet is won. If the victory is by a margin lower than the handicap expresses, the bet is tied or lost, and the bet is lost.
✅ Half Goal Asian Handicap
We only have two options: to add half a goal to a team or to subtract it. In case we bet on the Asian handicap of half a positive goal (+0.5), we are turning the bet into a double chance; while an Asian handicap of half a negative goal (-0.5) is identical to a bet on the winning team to which we add this handicap.
✅ Asian Quarter Handicap (+0.25, -0.25, +0.75, -0.75, +1.25, -1.25, etc.)
With this type of Asian handicaps, we would be placing a double bet, as if the money wagered were divided into two bets, corresponding to the immediate handicap before and after the handicap being bet on.
We bet 10 dollars on Deportivo de La Coruña with an Asian handicap of +0.75 (Deportivo +0.75). If Depor wins, since it is a positive handicap that adds up, we would always win the bet. If Depor draws, we would also win the bet as it implies a 0.75 handicap, with half the bet on handicap +0.5 and half on +1. Both handicaps win in case of a draw.
But if Depor loses, the following happens: if they lose by one goal, the average bet corresponding to the +0.5 handicap would be a loser as it wouldn't compensate the difference, whereas the average bet corresponding to the +1 handicap would be equivalent to a draw and would be cancelled, returning half of the total wagered. If Depor loses by two or more goals, the handicap can't compensate the difference and the entire bet would be a loser.
🔹 Mixed Asian Handicap
The mixed Asian handicap is a combination of the whole Asian handicap and the half Asian handicap. In other words, a mixed Asian handicap is a quarter Asian handicap where the user splits the money wagered equally between two bets, one for the whole Asian handicap and one for the half handicap, and it is expressed as a quarter, for example +0.25, -1.75, etc.
If Atlético de Madrid wins by 2 or more goals, we win both bets and collect the full winnings. However, if Atleti wins by 1 goal, we collect the proportional part of the bet at -0.5 and the corresponding bet at -1 is cancelled, and we recover the amount played at that Asian handicap. In the case of a tie or a defeat for Atletico, we lose both bets.
🔹 Two-Handed Asian Handicap
Another way to refer to the Asian handicap of quarters is to call it the Asian handicap with two parts. The only difference with the mixed Asian handicap we just saw is the way it is expressed, as every betting house is different and uses different nomenclature. In the case of the Asian handicap with two parts, it is called this way because the two bets made by the player are clearly identified: 0,0, +0.5; -1.5, -2.0, etc.
If Sevilla wins by 2 or more goals, we win both bets and collect the full winnings. However, if Sevilla wins by 1 goal, we collect the proportional part of the bet at -0.5 and the bet corresponding to -1 is cancelled, while we recover the amount played with that Asian handicap. In case of a tie or an Atlético Madrid defeat, we lose both bets.
✅ Asian Handicap 0.0
The Asian handicap 0 does not add or subtract any goals to the score, as is obvious. Its function is the same as that of the 'invalid draw' or 'draw no bet' bets, that is, in case of a tie, the bet is canceled and the amount played is returned to our account balance.
✅ Asian handicap according to the sign
As we mentioned earlier and have seen in the various examples, the Asian handicap can be positive or negative. Depending on the type of Asian handicap applied, goals must be added or subtracted to the final score to determine if the bet is a win, loss, or push; and each one is usually used in different ways.
🔹 Positive Asian Handicap
The positive Asian handicap involves adding goals to the team you are betting on. It is often used to cover variables for the underdog, even allowing for them to lose the game. In the case of the positive half goal (+0.5) Asian handicap, we have seen that it works as a double chance in favor of the team we bet on. Another option is to add a positive Asian handicap to the favorite to cover the bet, although logically the odds will be lower.
In this same match, you can bet on Levante HA +1. In that case, the bet would be void if Valencia wins by only one goal. Betting on Levante HA +1, +1.5 (+1.25), you would win half the bet if Levante loses by only one goal - the part corresponding to +1.5 - and the other half - the +1 - would be void.
🔹 Negative Asian Handicap
If we add goals to the positive Asian handicap, when we apply a negative Asian handicap we subtract goals. Obviously, subtracting goals from the underdog doesn't make any sense, so we apply the negative Asian handicap to the favorite to improve the odds. We play with a disadvantage from the start, and if after applying the negative Asian handicap the team you have bet on is still winning, the bet will be a winner. If there is a tie, the bet is void.
If instead of -1.5, we enter the Real Madrid AH -2, the bet will be a winner if Real Madrid wins by 3 or more goals, void if they win by 2, and a loser if they win by 1, draw, or lose. In the case of applying an Asian Handicap of Real Madrid -1.5, -2 (-1.75), if the Whites win exactly by 2 goals we collect the first part of the bet and the second one is void.
Best bookmakers with Asian lines
The sports betting site with the most Asian markets you can currently find is Bet365.
Asian Handicaps for Beginners
One way to learn how to play well with Asian handicaps is to focus at the start on a single type of handicap, preferably the whole numbers (+1, -1, +2, -2...), as they are the most similar to the actual score of the matches. It is advisable to make several test bets, betting a very small amount of money, in order to check if we are understanding their mechanics and if they produce the desired effect.
Once the entire Asian handicap is understood, mastering the rest becomes easier. We would then move on to the medium handicaps (-0.5, +0.5, -1.5, +1.5...), placing some test bets to clarify how they work.
Mastering these two types of handicaps, quarter handicaps, which are initially the most complicated, become much more accessible, as they are a mixture of the previous ones, as explained.
Differences between Asian handicap and European handicap
As you know, there are two types of handicap: Asian handicap and european handicap. The main difference between them is that Asian handicap allows for void bets, where the player gets a portion of the bet back, or half void bets, where the player gets half of their money back and the other half of the bet can either win or lose. On the other hand, Asian handicap does not allow for draws, and bets will either be winners or losers, but never void. It is also important to note that European handicap does not allow for quarter bets.
Since a tie is not allowed, the European handicap odds will always be higher than Asian handicap odds due to lower likelihood of it happening. For example, in a certain match, the Asian handicap of -1 have odds of 1.75, while the European handicap of -1 for the same match have odds of 2.15.
Bets on the Real Madrid - Barcelona Classic on the Barcelona +1 AH and Barcelona -1 EH. The game ends Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona, let's see how each handicap works:
- Asian Handicap Barcelona +1: the result after applying the handicap would be 1-1, and the bet is void.
- European Handicap Barcelona +1: the result after applying the handicap would be 1-1, and the bet is a loser because even with the handicap applied Barcelona would not win.
How to play with Asian handicap
Playing with Asian handicap is very simple. You just need to take into account the advantage or disadvantage that the handicap offers for one team or another, analyze the bet, the condition of both teams, the absentees they have, and the latest results, etc. to assess whether the Asian handicap has value or not. Everything depends on the type of odds you are looking for, but as we have seen, a negative Asian handicap can help Philippines to improve the odds for the favorite when the simple victory is paid low, and a positive Asian handicap allows Philippines to cover several options in the same match.
Asian Handicap FAQ
Excellent explanation, thanks to this post I understood the handicap, I have bet on +1 and 0.5, and so far I've got all the bets right.
The best explanation about Asian handicap on the internet. Very complete!
Thanks Alberto
what does handicap asiatio 2.5/3 mean?
doubt give example table tennis bet winner of set A beats B by 12 to 10 if B has a
stinks handicap of +1.5 added would be 11.5 as A has to win by two points
ask who wins bet A or B
Player B would lose by 0.5 points
for example today it's real madrid vs manchester city. Real Madrid's handicap is 1:0 with $1.60 and Manchester City's handicap is 1:0 with $4.00. What does it mean? It means that Real Madrid already starts winning 1 to 0.
If I have a bet that is canceled in a parlay and win the rest, do I lose the parlay?
No, when they put that comma in the numbers, it becomes stupid.
Good morning from Colombia, I would like to kindly ask you for an example of Asian handicap -0.5 and an example of Asian handicap Three-Way First Half.
That your bet is divided between the Asian handicap -1.5 and the Asian handicap -2, that is, if you bet 10 dollars on the Asian handicap -1.75, it is as if you were betting 5 dollars on the -1.5 handicap and 5 dollars on the -2 handicap.
Hello, thanks for the explanation, can you help me with these questions?
I bet a parlay
Match 1., A -.5, the score was A 2, B 0 and as a result he told me "not won"
Match 2. A -.5, the score was A 2, B 1, in the same way the result told me "not won"
Finally
Match 3. B -.5, the score was A 0, B 4, the result told me, "null"
Could you explain why? Thank you very much in advance
I bet on Bayern Munich (0-3) vs. FC Milan and lost. The score was Bayern (1) and Milan (0). Why did I lose?
What does Asian handicap -1.75 mean?
A very clear and objective explanation, this has been the only person who has helped me understand the meaning of the handicap, thank you very much.