What is Asian Handicap Betting and How Does it Work?

If you’re looking for more information on Asian handicap betting, you’ve arrived at the perfect page. Whop’s resident sports betting expert, Frank Monkhouse, guides readers through one of the best but most underused markets in gambling.

The Asian handicap has the power to increase your strike rate when wagering on popular sports, including soccer, football, and basketball. Still, there’s a lack of understanding amongst bettors and a lot of misinformation online. We aim to remedy that with our complete guide and professional analysis. 

Keep reading as we dive into the subject, and you can also browse our site for more from our sports betting series.

What is Asian Handicap Betting?

Asian handicap betting may sound complicated, but it’s quite simple. The market is an improvement on traditional handicap betting as it eliminates the draw, removing the danger of losing your stake to a level finish. Instead of having a one-in-three chance of winning your bet (win-draw-lose), you now have a 50/50 shot (win or lose). It’s easier to understand and increases your chances of making a profit in sports like soccer.

When you bet on the standard handicap in soccer, for example, you’ll see Team A -1 goal and the odds offered. If Team A wins the game by two or more goals, your bet is a winner, and the profits are paid to your balance. If Team A fails to win the game, your bet is a loser. But what if Team A wins by one goal? In that situation, your chosen team wins the game, but your bet is settled as a loser, as your pick didn’t cover the handicap. The Asian handicap means there’s no chance of suffering the frustration of a near-miss.

The concept of handicap betting is to help level the playing field, especially in games where there is a short-priced favorite. It also offers bettors the chance to back a strong pick at better odds than is available on the moneyline. The teams will receive a positive or negative handicap pre-match, and that could be whole numbers (goals), halves, or even quarters.

Can you only bet on Asian handicaps in soccer?

Asian handicap is most commonly used in soccer betting, including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA World Cup. Major bookmakers offer the Asian handicap market on most games, especially those broadcast live on television. You’ll often find an Asian handicap coupon that allows you to quickly and accurately create parlays while targeting a nice profit off a small stake.

However, the market is not limited to the world’s most popular sport. It can be applied to any sport where there are only two possible outcomes with a strong favorite and an underdog, including NFL football, Six Nations rugby, World Championship snooker, and Grand Slam tennis. You’ll even find it on modern esports fixtures. As draws are more frequent in soccer than in these other sports, you’ll discover bettors use the Asian handicap more when gambling on games.

How Asian Handicap Betting Works: Asian Handicap Soccer Betting Goal Fractions

Now, to give the clearest explanation of the market, we are going to focus on Asian handicap betting in soccer. Asian handicap relies on goal fractions, from whole numbers like one or two goals to 0.5 goals, 0.25, or even 0.75 goals. That’s when things begin to get a little more complicated - but stick with us, as understanding the market in detail could have real benefits for your gambling. 

Below is an explanation of the most popular types of Asian handicaps you’re likely to encounter when wagering on soccer.

Asian handicap 0.0

The 0.0 Asian handicap is the easiest to understand, as it’s nothing more than a “draw no bet” scenario. If you back a team 0.0 on the Asian handicap and they win the game, you win your bet. If they lose the match, you lose your stake, and if the game ends in a draw, the bet is void, and cash is returned to your player balance.

Example: Manchester City vs. Liverpool. If you bet on Manchester City with a 0.0 Asian Handicap, and the match ends 2-1 in favor of City, you win your bet. However, if the game ends in a 1-1 draw, your stake is returned. If Liverpool wins, you lose your bet.

0.25 Asian handicap

Now, let’s look at a slightly more complicated option. The 0.25 Asian handicap splits your stake into halves, one half riding on the 0.0 handicap and the other on the 0.5 handicap. With a team +0.25, if they win, both parts of the bets win, and you bag the profits. If the game ends in a draw, the half of your stake that was on the 0.25 handicap is refunded, and you lose the half on the 0.5 handicap. If they lose, you drop your entire stake.

Example: Barcelona vs. Getafe. If you bet on Barcelona with a 0.25 Asian handicap and Barca wins 3-2, you win the full bet. If the game ends 3-3, you lose half of your stake, and if Barcelona loses, you lose your entire bet.

0.5 Asian handicap

The 0.5 Asian handicap is easy to understand, as you’re backing your team with a half-goal advantage. As any soccer fan knows, there’s no such thing as half a goal, and teams aren’t awarded half-goals. So, what does this mean? It simply means if your team wins the game, your bet is a winner. If they lose the game, your bet is a loser. If the game ends in a draw, your bet is also a winner, thanks to the handicap advantage.

Example: Liverpool vs. Fulham. You bet on Liverpool with a +0.5 handicap. If Liverpool wins or the game is a draw, you win your bet. If Liverpool loses, you lose your bet.

0.75 Asian handicap

We’re back to splitting your stake into halves, equally distributed between the 0.5 handicap and the 1.0 handicap. If your pick wins by two or more goals, you win the bet. If your team loses the game, you lose the bet. If your chosen team wins by one clear goal, you win the 0.5 half of the bet, and the 1.0 half is refunded.

Example: Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen. You bet on Bayern Munich with a -0.75 handicap. If Munich wins 2-0, you win the full bet. If they win 1-0, you win half the bet, and the other half is refunded. If the game ends in a draw or Bayern loses, you lose your bet.

-1 Asian handicap

Another easy one. The -1 Asian handicap means your team starts with a one-goal deficit. That means if your team wins by two or more goals, your bet wins. If they win by exactly one goal, your stake is refunded, and if they lose the game, you lose your stake.

Example: PSG vs. Lens. You bet on PSG with a -1 handicap. If PSG wins 3-1, you win the bet. If they win 2-1, your stake is refunded, and if they draw or lose, you lose your bet.

-1.5 Asian handicap

A 1.5 Asian handicap requires your chosen team to win by at least two goals. If they do, your bet wins, and if they fail to win by less than two goals, draw, or lose the game, the bookie keeps your stake.

Example: Juventus vs. Inter. You bet on Juventus with a -1.5 handicap. If Juventus wins 3-1, you win the bet. If they win 2-1 or the match ends in a draw, you lose the bet.

Where Can You Place Asian Handicap Bets?

Asian handicap betting is available at all major sportsbooks. To find the market, simply click on the soccer tab and select the league and fixture you wish to gamble on to reveal a long list of available markets. You’ll find the Asian handicap option in the handicap section. There should be a list of different handicaps for you to choose from and bet on.

Alternatives to Asian Handicap Markets

The Asian handicap is a popular market with sports bettors, but there are some interesting options.

The European handicap doesn’t split bets, meaning you either win or lose your wager. There’s no refund for level finishes on the handicap. You can also gamble on the total number of goals in a game, also known as over/under. For example, you could wager on a match producing more than two goals. The double chance market allows you to cover two of the three possibilities, such as both the home win and the draw.

Improve Your Betting With Whop

You’re now up to speed on the Asian handicap market and can begin to experiment with it when gambling on sports, so choose an upcoming fixture and give it a try. It’s best to play for small stakes until you’re comfortable and gain more experience with handicap betting.

If you’re looking for professional advice and expert predictions on the upcoming sports schedule, including the best games for Asian handicap betting, Whop has you covered. You can join one of our sports betting groups, covering everything from Australian thoroughbred horse racing to American football. These groups are private communities led by some of the most experienced sports bettors and cappers.

From education, to tips, advice, and picks to tail, you can find it all in these sports betting communities. Head to the Whop marketplace and find the right community for you.