What Is an Asian Handicap? Value Tips for Ghanaian Players

By Jarin Ahmeti

Published on May 31, 2023 Last updated on May 31, 2023 

Handicaps are sure to make the betting experience even more exciting, and today we’re going to be talking specifically about the Asian handicap betting. We’ll also try to include information about a bet calculator, a value bet, and an accumulator bet in terms of handicaps.

Asian Handicap Explained

As the name suggests, this handicap and type of betting originated in Asia. It basically eliminates the possibility of a draw in a match. So, that means the only potential outcomes are win and loss.

This type of betting can usually be seen in football markets. Once punters get tired of the 1×2 market, they add a handicap to spice up their bets. Essentially the Asian handicap levels the playing field and gives both parties an equal opportunity to win or lose.

When deciding the handicap, a minus (-) is given to the team that is the favourite as a disadvantage and a plus (+) is given to the underdog as a handicap advantage.

There are subtypes within the Asian Handicap betting, called lines, and we’re going to be explaining those below:

0.0 Handicap

This is also called a Draw No Bet market. The handicap is added when both teams are perceived to be equally strong with no noticeable weakness in abilities. Both teams start off with 0 goals.

This is basically a bet to see which team will win. If the team you predicted wins, you win. If it loses, you lose. And if the game ends in a draw, all bettors are refunded their stake.

To explain this further, we’ll give you an example. In terms of form, Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona have always been on par, more or less. So, there wouldn’t be a favourite to win in this case and the bet would be given a 0.0 handicap.

If you bet on Real Madrid, and Madrid wins the match, you win. If it loses you also lose. And in case of a draw, your stake will be refunded.

0.25 Handicap

0.25 means there is a plus sign on the handicap, which indicates that the bet is placed on the underdog rather than the favourite. The game starts off with a 1/4^th goal handicap advantage for the underdog and if you win, you win the entire bet.

In case of a draw, you win back half your stake and the rest is given back to you with a multiplier.

Let’s take Chelsea and Manchester City as an example. The bet is set with the odds Chelsea 1.90 and Manchester City 2.00. You’ve bet $100 on Chelsea to win in the 0.25 Asian Handicap market.

If Chelsea wins, you win your entire stake multiplied by 1.90. If it loses, you lose your stake. And in the case of a draw, you win $50 and the other $50 is multiplied by the stake and returned to you. So, ultimately, although you didn’t win, you still profited from the bet.

0.5

Similar to the previous line, in this handicap, we’ve used the plus symbol. The game starts off with a 0.5 goal advantage given to the outsider at kickoff.

Whether your team wins, or the game ends in a draw, you win the bet. And if your team loses, naturally you also lose.

Let’s take a look at a Leeds United vs Arsenal example. With odds of 1.75 for Leeds United and 2.0 for Arsenal, the 0.5 goal handicap advantage is given to Arsenal.

Suppose you bet $ 100 on Arsenal to win. If Arsenal wins the match or the game ends in a draw, you win the bet. And if Arsenal loses, you also lose the bet.

0.75

This one is very similar to the 0.25 handicap with slight differences. Here, the underdog is given a 3/4^th goal advantage at the start of the game.

If you bet on the underdog to win and it wins or draws, you win the bet. If the favourite wins by a 1 goal difference, you win back only half of your stake. And if the favourite wins by 2 or more goals, you lose your entire stake.

Let’s say Manchester United is playing Crystal Palace with odds of 2.00 for both clubs. If you bet $ 100 on Crystal Palace to win as the underdog, that’s the club that will receive the .75 goal handicap advantage.

So, if Crystal Palace wins or ties the bet, you win. If Crystal Palace loses by a 1 goal difference, you win half of your stake back. And if Crystal Palace loses by 2 or more goals, you lose the bet.

-1 Handicap

This one is super simple. The match starts off with a 1 goal advantage or disadvantage to one team. Since it’s a minus (-) symbol, we’ll explain with the disadvantage. The favourite to win is given a 1 goal disadvantage so that automatically gives the underdog a 1 goal advantage to start with.

If you bet on the favourite and it wins by 2 or more goals, you win the bet. If it wins by 1 goal, you win just your stake back. And if either the underdog wins or the match ends in a draw, you lose.

We’ll take Mallorca and Sevilla as an example. In this case, Sevilla has odds of 1.80 and Mallorca was given odds of 2.0. If you bet on Sevilla to win the -1 handicap market, the club would have to win by 2 or more goals.

If it wins by 1 goal, you get your stake back. And if Sevilla loses, you also lose the bet.

-1.5 Handicap

Again, this type of bet starts the underdog off with a 1.5 goal advantage. But the cincher is that there is no stake back.

If you bet on the favourite to win, the club must win by at least 2 goals. Any less, and you lose the bet.

Assume that Espanyol is playing with odds of 2.0 against Real Betis with odds of 1.9. In this example, you’re betting $ 100 on Real Betis to win. If the club does win by a 2 goal difference, you win the bet. For any other outcome, you lose.

Where to Bet on Asian Handicap?

Asian Handicap Betting Tips

There aren’t any guaranteed tips that you can use to win at an Asian handicap bet. It all depends on your bet and the players out on the field. This bet type is a little bit tricky to get a grasp of since there are so many combinations involved.

It’s important to remember that betting is a recreational activity. And there aren’t guaranteed tips for you to win any bets.

Having said that, there are definitely ways to enhance the chances of your prediction being true. And we’ll mention some of those tips below:

Betting charts

Asian handicaps are a bit complicated. It takes a lot of time and placing many bets to get the hang of it. But most people wouldn’t want to lose money just trying to understand the Asian handicap.

In these cases, you can use charts. There are tons of charts available online that list all of the potential outcomes, results, and returns from an Asian handicap market. These charts come in even handier when you’re dealing with split handicaps.

Research Player Form

These handicaps are mostly used in the football market. And this is a sport where player form can fluctuate drastically between competitions and seasons depending on the circumstance.

So, do your research beforehand. Watch some of the matches to get a feel for how the players of a certain club are performing and what the overall goal rates are.

Pick the Best Prices

Compare the odds at multiple different sportsbooks before you place your bet at one. This is so that you can get the best value for your bet. Since different sportsbooks offer different handicap lines, a minor difference in the handicap could give you a greater chance to win.

Asian Handicap FAQs

Below are some FAQs to answer any further queries you might have about the Asian Handicap market: