Asian Handicap betting is one of the many options available to football bettors. Most markets are extremely easy to understand but Asian Handicaps require a little bit more explanation. Here, OLIVER BRETT tries to simplify them. Asian Handicap betting explained. Asian Handicaps effectively provide a framework in which a team is handicapped. The Asian Handicap Calculator will help you calculate the payout and the profit of a selected bet. It presents you with different options to choose from when it comes to the market type – Asian Handicap for Home or Away team as well as Asian Handicap for Over and Under goals. When you input the odds, your stake, the desired market type.
Find out the meaning of soccer handicap betting, how it works and the different types of soccer handicap betting markets available at Pinnacle. Continue reading to become a handicap betting expert.
In soccer as is an all competitive
Where the perceived difference in abilities is significant the betting odds on the favourite will be so small that it provides minimal returns and therefore little incentive for bettors.
A numerical figure set by the bookmaker to counter the perceived bias in abilities of opponents - this provides more balanced odds.
To counter the perceived bias in abilities, and to provide more balanced and appealing odds, bookmakers offer what is known as handicap betting. In the context of soccer, the Handicap odds level the
The handicap is applied to the actual outcome of the game in order to grade (result) the bet. There are three types of Handicap bets you need to be aware of before betting:
A level Handicap is where there is no perceived difference in abilities between Team X and Team Y, so no Handicap bias is assigned and both teams start with 0 goals.
To win a bet, the bettor must identify the team which they think will score more goals than their opponent. This type of handicap isn't relevant for one-sided encounters but is useful in that it eliminates the draw; if the game ends in a tie all bets are refunded because on a zero handicap neither team has
A single Handicap occurs when there is a perceived difference in abilities between Team X and Team Y.
The alleged superior team will be given an appropriate goal handicap to level the playing field for betting purposes i.e. -0.5 goal, -1 goal, -1.5 goals etc.
For example, if you bet on Team X with a handicap of -1 goal, they must win by more than one goal to cover their handicap and win you your bet.
If they only win by one goal, the result with the handicap applied is a draw for betting purposes, so your bet is refunded. If Team Y draw or win, you will lose your bet on Team X.
A split Handicap occurs when the difference between the two teams’ abilities is small; allowing you to spilt your stake over two handicaps.
A split Handicap occurs when the difference between the two teams’ abilities is small; allowing you to spilt your stake over two handicaps.
For example, Team X might be offered at (0 & -0.5). If you bet on Team X and they lose, you will lose both bets, as they did not cover either handicap.
If the match ends in a draw, half of your stake at (0) will be refunded, and the other half at (-0.5) will lose. If Team X wins
If you’re stuck in the past slavishly following three-way fixed odds betting, the chances are you’re not getting a decent return on your investment, and your betting might benefit from the fresh perspective that soccer handicap betting provides.
Now that you know how handicap betting can be used to increase your profits, don't miss out on our number one most popular article - Staking: One method to improve your betting.
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Asian handicap betting is a form of betting on football in which teams are handicapped according to their form so that a stronger team must win by more goals for a punter betting on them to win. The system originated in Indonesia and has gained popularity in the early 21st century. It is a form of spread betting. Handicaps typically range from one-quarter goal to several goals, in increments of half- or even quarter-goals.[1]
Most importantly, Asian handicap betting reduces the possible number of outcomes from three (in traditional 1X2 wagering) to two by eliminating the draw outcome.[2] This simplification delivers two betting options that each have a near 50% chance of success.
Asian handicaps are both good and bad for bookmakers. On one hand, they help bookmakers minimize risk by facilitating trading with parity or balancing the amount of wagering on each side of the match. This enables bookmakers to take larger positions on major matches. On the other hand, Asian handicap markets are typically low margin offerings that do not contribute as significantly to the gross win as higher vigorish betting options like 1X2.[3][4]
The term 'Asian handicap' was coined by journalist Joe Saumarez Smith in November 1998. He was asked by an Indonesian bookmaker, Joe Phan, to provide a translation of the betting method that was termed 'hang cheng betting' by bookmakers in Asia.[5][6]
Football (soccer) is one of the few sports in the world where a draw is a fairly common outcome. With traditional fixed odds, draws are treated as an additional outcome to the game. In other words, bettors lose when they place a wager on either team to win and the game draws. With Asian handicaps, however, the chance for a draw is eliminated by use of a handicap that forces a winner. This creates a situation where each team has a 50-50 chance of winning; similar to the odds for a basketball or football spread handicap typically offered by Las Vegas sportsbooks.
Asian handicap is a form of betting that creates a more level betting environment between two mismatched competing teams by giving a 'handicap' (expressed in goals or points) to the teams before kick-off. In Asian handicap, a goal deficit is given to the team more likely to win (i.e. the Favourite) and a head start is given to the team less favoured to win (i.e. the Underdog).
This system works in a straightforward manner. The bookmaker's aim is to create a handicap or 'line' that will make the chance of either team winning (considering the handicap) as close to 50% as possible. Since the odds are as close to 50% as possible, bookmakers offer payouts close to even money, or 1.90 to 2.00. Asian handicaps start at a quarter goal and can go as high as 2.5 or 3 goals in matches with a huge disparity in ability. What makes Asian handicaps most interesting is the use of quarter goals to get the 'line' as close as possible. Taken in conjunction with the posted total for the game, the handicap essentially predicts the game's final score.
Subsequently, many matches are handicapped in ½ and ¼ intervals; both of which eliminate the possibility of a push since no one can score a half-goal. Quarter (¼) handicaps split the bet between the two closest ½ intervals. For instance, a $1000 bet with a handicap of 1¾ is the same as betting $500 at 1½ and $500 at 2. With ¼ handicap bets, you can win and draw (win ½ of wager) or lose and draw (lose ½ wager). The ¼-goal handicap may be expressed by some bookmakers as '0 and ½', or as 'pk and ½' (for 'pick-em') - especially for bookmakers whose systems are designed for sports like American football and basketball, where bets have a handicap that is designed to make the odds as close to even as possible.
The bettor's stake is automatically divided equally and placed as 2 separate bets. This means that with a handicap point of 0-0.5 or 0 and ½, half of your stake is on the 0 point handicap and the other half is on the 0.5 handicap.
Match: Everton vs. Newcastle United
Handicap: Newcastle +1.0, +1.5
Explained: This handicap states that half of your bet goes on Newcastle to win, draw, or lose by less than 1 goal; and half on Newcastle to win, draw, or lose by less than 1.5 goals.
If the final score is Everton 1-0 Newcastle, half your bet would be refunded due to draw (Everton 1 - +1 Newcastle, i.e: Newcastle lost by exactly one goal). The second half would win (Everton 1 - +1.5 Newcastle, i.e: Newcastle lost by less than 1.5 goals).
In the event that a whole number is used for the handicap, the handicap adjusted final score could result in a draw. This situation is not a draw, but a push. With a push, all bettors have their original wagers returned as there is no winner. The plus signs in the Team result columns indicate 'or more', eg. '2+' means 'by 2 goals or more'.
Handicap | Team result | Bet result | Handicap | Team result | Bet result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | Win | Win | 0 | Win | Win |
Draw | Stake refund | Draw | Stake refund | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose | Lose | ||
- 0.25 | Win | Win | + 0.25 | Win | Win |
Draw | Half lose | Draw | Half win | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose | Lose | ||
- 0.50 | Win | Win | + 0.50 | Win | Win |
Draw | Lose | Draw | Win | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose | Lose | ||
- 0.75 | Win by 2+ | Win | + 0.75 | Win | Win |
Win by 1 | Half win | Draw | Win | ||
Draw | Lose | Lose by 1 | Half Lose | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose by 2+ | Lose | ||
- 1.00 | Win by 2+ | Win | + 1.00 | Win | Win |
Win by 1 | Stake refund | Draw | Win | ||
Draw | Lose | Lose by 1 | Stake refund | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose by 2+ | Lose | ||
- 1.25 | Win by 2+ | Win | + 1.25 | Win | Win |
Win by 1 | Half lose | Draw | Win | ||
Draw | Lose | Lose by 1 | Half win | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose by 2+ | Lose | ||
- 1.50 | Win by 2+ | Win | + 1.50 | Win | Win |
Win by 1 | Lose | Draw | Win | ||
Draw | Lose | Lose by 1 | Win | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose by 2+ | Lose | ||
- 1.75 | Win by 3+ | Win | + 1.75 | Win | Win |
Win by 2 | Half win | Draw | Win | ||
Win by 1 | Lose | Lose by 1 | Win | ||
Draw | Lose | Lose by 2 | Half lose | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose by 3+ | Lose | ||
- 2.00 | Win by 3+ | Win | + 2.00 | Win | Win |
Win by 2 | Stake refund | Draw | Win | ||
Win by 1 | Lose | Lose by 1 | Win | ||
Draw | Lose | Lose by 2 | Stake refund | ||
Lose | Lose | Lose by 3+ | Lose |