Betting Guide

Asian handicap betting explained

Asian handicap betting is something that often scares people however it really should not. If you bet with Asian handicaps you are giving yourself a different betting opportunity and they are not as complicated as they may first seem. Once you have the hang of Asian handicaps you can use them with ease, and bet in ways to give yourself an advantage, and usually a better price, so they are certainly something that punters can use themselves to give an advantage over the bookmaker.

The first thing to understand about Asian handicaps is that they completely take the draw out of the equation. Depending on what line you are betting on will determine whether or not the draw is on your side, or opposing you, but Asian handicaps nullify the draw and include it on one of the two sides of the handicap. This means if you are covering a bet that includes the draw because of the line you are on, you could find yourselves in a position where two out of the three possible outcomes of a football match are in your favour.

As a football punter, it is important that you continue learning about different ways to bet and the different betting opportunities that are available to you. The more you know, the better choices you can make and when you are making good betting choices you are more likely to make money from your betting. If you can add Asian handicaps to your betting portfolio then this will give you another option you can use against the bookies, and there are many occasions when you will find Asian handicaps good to use.

Not every bookmaker will offer Asian handicap lines so it is important to check if your current bookmaker accepts them. After finding where you can place them, it is always important to shop around and get the best odds when you place your bets. Unlike other bets, Asian handicaps are a lot to do with opinion and the bookmakers will vary a lot more on Asian handicaps than on other bets, so there is value out there to be had if you take a look for it.

Asian handicap explained

There are two different types of Asian handicaps which we will come to shortly, but the basics apply to both types of Asian handicaps, so this is a good place to start. The basic reason for betting on the Asian handicap line is because the line gives the weaker team a better chance of winning, therefore making it a more even betting matchup between the two teams. The underdog is given a fictional head start to help them play against their superior opposition, obviously, this only counts for betting purposes.

If you are looking to back a favourite then you will find that team penalised by having a fictional deficit to begin the game. They not only have to win the game for your bet to win, but they also have to win by enough goals to cover the deficit you backed them with. This means your bet is less likely to win, but you will be given a much bigger price on the team to compensate for that. When looking at the Asian handicap lines, a team that has a deficit will have a minus (-) at the side of their handicap, while the underdogs receiving a head start will have a plus (+) at the side of their handicap.

The lines created by the bookmakers and the odds available will depend on how one-sided the game looks to be. For example, a close game will have the main handicap line around one goal, while a game that puts together two very uneven teams may have the line set around three or four goals. This is all done to make the betting markets as even as possible, so you can back both teams and get a good price about them when you take into consideration the deficit given to the favourite.

Single asian handicap bets

Single Asian handicap bets are both the easiest to understand and the most commonly used ones amongst punters. Here you place one bet on one line and your bet will either win, lose or in some cases depending on the line your stake will be returned. If you are new to Asian handicap betting then this is definitely the way to start, before moving onto the slightly more complicated double Asian handicap bets.

The table below shows how the available Asian handicap betting lines would work in a football game between Manchester City and Chelsea.

Handicap Line	Manchester City Outcome	Chelsea Outcome
Manchester City (0) Chelsea (0)	If Manchester City wins, all bets on them will win. If the game is a draw, stakes are returned and if Chelsea win, the bet is a loser.	If Chelsea wins, all bets on them will win. If the game is a draw, stakes are returned and if Manchester City win, the bet is a loser.
Manchester City (-0.5) Chelsea (+0.5)	If Manchester City win the game then your bet will win. If the game ends in a drawn or Chelsea win then you will lose.	If Chelsea either wins or draws the game then your bet is a winner, while if Manchester City lose it is a loser.
Manchester City (-1) Chelsea (+1)	If Manchester City wins the game by two goals then your bet is a winner. If they win by one goal then stakes are returned, while a draw or a win for Chelsea means that your bet is a loser.	If Chelsea wins or draws this match then your bet is a winner. If they lose by exactly one goal then your stake will be returned and if they lose by two or more your bet is a loser.
Manchester City (-1.5) Chelsea (+1.5)	If Manchester City win the game by two goals or more, your bet is a winner. Any other result and your bet is a loser.	If Chelsea win the game, or the game is a draw or they lose by one goal then your bet will win in all of these circumstances. If Chelsea lose by two goals or more then your bet is a loser.

As you will see from the table above, single Asian handicap betting lines are not too hard to work out and you are able to use them with some knowledge. These lines can completely change how you look at a football game, and if you can put together the right game and the right line, you will give yourself a great betting opportunity.

Double asian handicap betting explained

When you place a double Asian handicap bet you are placing your wager across two lines, with an equal amount of money being placed on each of the two lines. The lines work in exactly the same way as the above lines, with the difference being that your stake is split across the two lines that you bet on, and not just one line. When you place this type of bet, although you are covering two different lines, you are given the same odds for the two lines you are betting on. This makes it easy to work out what your winnings will be because although you are placing a bet across two lines, you are only being given the odds once. You will know what odds you have, and then you can work out whether you have won or half won when you see the final results.

With Asian handicap betting there are four possible outcomes for your bet and these are listed below.

Both Bets Win

If your bet covers both of the Asian handicap betting lines that you place your bet on then both your bets will win. That means you will have two winning bets, and be paid out at the odds of that happening. For this to happen you must cover both the lines you are placing your bet on.

Half Win

When betting on Asian handicap double lines you will hear the phrase half win. This is when you place your bet and one of the lines you play on wins, while the other bet draws so your stake is returned. In this instance, you will be paid out as one winner and given your stake back on the other half, and this is known as half win.

Half Loss

Half loss is another term you will hear and this is the exact opposite of half win. In this instance, one of your lines is a drawn bet, so your stake is returned to you while the other line is a loser. This is known as half loss, and in this instance, you will lose half of your stake and have the other half returned to you.