What an Asian Handicap in Betting Is: Meaning and Principle

Bettors often explore unusual wagering options to get new impressions and increase their winnings. Handicap betting is a great way to diversify their experience and gain additional benefits. However, Asian handicaps can be confusing to understand, especially for newbies, due to their peculiarities. In this article, the principle, features, and meaning of the Asian handicap will be explained.

What is an Asian handicap?

It is a form of betting that involves giving a head start to one team and a corresponding disadvantage to the other side. The advantage is given to the underdog and the minus points to the favorite. In this sense, the Asian handicap is the same as the handicap betting in general that we have discussed earlier. Asian handicaps are usually expressed as decimals or fractions.

The principle of Asian handicap is explained as follows. There are two soccer teams, but they are not equal:

• Team A is a home team and shows weaker results this season, the bookmaker sets it a +1.75 AH advantage.
• Team B, on the contrary, shows a stable quality game. It receives a handicap of -1.5 AH.

Then the bettor needs to decide which team will be more profitable to bet on. These handicaps always have an ending of 0.75 or 0.25, which is practical for further calculations. When the player bets a certain amount, it is divided in two. For instance, $100 on AH1 (+1.75) becomes $50 on AH1 (+1.5) and $50 on AH1 (+2.0). In other words, the base indicator was increased and decreased by 0.25.

If the home team loses by a minimum or does not concede at all, the bettor receives a payout on both bets. The difference of 2 goals results in a payback of $50 and the rest is a loss. When betting on AH1 (-1.75) the situation differs a bit. A 3-goal victory ensures a net win, a 2-goal victory leads to a payout on AH1 (1.5) and a payback on AH1 (2.0), and other outcomes result in a loss.

Asian handicaps are suitable for those bettors who:

• can calculate more complex bets that contain quarters and halves;
• have extensive betting experience and want to try something new;
• strive to reduce the draw probability, which is especially relevant for sports such as soccer, where such an outcome is common.

Pros and cons of an Asian handicap: tables 

This bet type got its name because it was first used and spread in Asian countries. However, it soon became popular in the USA and Europe due to the following advantages:

Advantages	Description
Possibility to pay back	Some outcomes have a partial payback option that minimizes losses in case of a failure.
Fewer outcomes	Since the handicap is expressed in fractions or decimals, a draw is eliminated.
Variety of strategies	The possibilities for Asian handicaps are wide, and therefore bettors can create unique strategies for specific situations.

However, this bet type seems more complicated to bettors who find it challenging to operate handicaps, odds, and scores at the same time.

Also, an Asian handicap may not be suitable because of such possible minuses:

Disadvantages	Description
Necessity for learning	This bet can be difficult to understand, so to minimize the risks, beginners should learn its features before betting.
Less an advantage for underdogs	Underdogs have a lower chance of winning compared to a European handicap.
Mixed results	Sometimes mixed outcomes can occur when a bet partially wins. This can confuse some bettors.

Generally, most of the disadvantages can be mitigated if bettors have an idea of what an Asian handicap is and how it works. They can also use auxiliary tools, such as an Asian handicap calculator.

Which bookmakers offer Asian handicap betting?

I recommend 20bet. You can find my review and registration link here.

Final thoughts on Asian handicap betting

This form of wagering appeared later than the European handicap. Despite this, it has become one of the most popular offerings from bookmakers. It requires from bettors not only an understanding of the teams’ strengths but also a well-thought-out strategy, which must consider all factors to win. That makes the Asian handicap particularly exciting.