Asian Handicap Betting Tips

Asian handicap betting is a very popular form of betting in the UK. Despite its popularity, many people still find it to be a confusing system and are unsure of how to bet on an Asian handicap effectively.

That's why we've put together this guide.

Our "Asian Handicap Betting Explained" section below will help you understand exactly how this type of betting works. We'll also give you some useful tips to bear in mind when placing your bets - and take a look at the pros and cons of Asian handicap betting.

Asian Handicap Betting Explained

The Asian handicap betting system is actually quite simple, but it can seem confusing for beginners.

The basic idea is to even out the odds of the two players or teams involved in a bet. It's used primarily in football betting, but can be applied to other sports too.

Asian handicap betting gives the favourite team or player a points disadvantage. So, if you placed your bet on the favourite, they would need to win by a greater number of points for your bet to be successful. This means you're less likely to win your bet. However, it also means that if you do win, you'll receive better returns than you would from a normal bet.

This is because Asian handicap odds are usually better in terms of returns than regular betting odds.

On the other hand, the underdog player or team in a bet is given a points disadvantage. For that reason, you're more likely to win a bet on the underdog, but the returns would be less.

Asian handicaps reduce the possible outcomes of a bet to two: win or lose.

When placing Asian handicap bets, you can choose from a full line, half line, or quarter line. This may seem complicated, so here are some examples of how this works:

Half-line betting

An example of a football handicap bet would be: Manchester City are playing against Everton. You bet on Everton with a +0.5 Asian handicap. The game ends 1-1 but you win your bet.

Quarter-line betting

For the same game you bet on Everton with a +0.25 advantage. If they win, you win. If they lose, you lose. If there's a draw, you lose half the stake but get half back.

Top Tips For Asian Handicap Betting

Now that you know how this type of betting works, we're going to give you some top Asian handicap tips.

Compare odds

The vast majority of online bookmakers offer Asian handicaps. However, the odds can vary widely between different bookmakers. Decide which specific bet you want to make, then look at the odds for this bet according to several different bookies.

This will allow you to find the best odds that will get you the best returns.

Exercise caution

Remember, there's a reason that one player or team is the favourite. They're probably going to win - no surprises there. So, when you place your bet, try to play it relatively safe. Reduce the favourite's chances of winning, but not by too much.

Reducing them slightly will still give you better returns than you would get from a regular bet on them to win.

Use your bonuses

You can usually use any betting bonuses you have for Asian handicap bets. This often includes matched deposit bonuses and losing bet refunds. If you have them, you might as well use them.

Do your research

Research is important in any type of sports betting and Asian handicap betting is no different. You must be aware of which is the stronger team or player so you know who the favourite will be.

Live Asian Handicap Betting

As well as pre-match Asian handicap betting, you can also place an Asian handicap bet once the match has started. In live betting, the handicap comes into effect at the point at which you make the bet during the match.

For example, let's say Chelsea are beating Southampton 3-1 after 60 minutes of play. You put a -1.25 handicap bet on Chelsea at odds of 1/1. Your bet wins if Chelsea win by 4 or more goals. You'll get half your stake back if Chelsea win by 3 goals.

Pros And Cons Of Asian Handicap Betting

The biggest advantage of Asian handicap betting is that it changes the odds to give you the chance of getting better returns on a winning bet. Usually, betting on the favourite player or team means your returns will be fairly low. With an Asian handicap, the returns are more favourable.

The main downsides of this type of betting are that it's harder to win a bet on the favourite and the returns are lower if you win a bet on the underdog. Other than these, there aren't really any other downsides to using an Asian handicap. As long as you fully understand how this type of bet works, you should have a good time using them.

FAQs

How is a European handicap different to an Asian handicap?

The biggest differences between these two types of handicap betting are the possible match outcomes and the number variants that are used.

With Asian handicaps, there are only two possible match outcomes - a win or a loss. European handicaps allow you to bet on three outcomes - a win, a loss, or a draw.

In terms of number variants, an Asian handicap bet allows you to use full lines, half lines, and quarter lines. On the other hand, European handicap bets only use full lines.

Why is it called an 'Asian' handicap?

This type of betting supposedly originated in Indonesia, hence the name 'Asian' handicap. The term was supposedly coined by a journalist called Joe Saumarez Smith in 1998. It's been very popular in Asian betting markets for a long time.

Which team is the underdog in Asian handicap betting?

The underdog is simply the team or player that the bookmaker decides is the least likely to win. This is determined by things such as current form and other factors that may affect performance.