Asian Handicap Betting in Sport Explained

If you’ve ever wondered ‘what is Asian handicap betting’, then you’re in luck! Today, we’re going to explain this interesting and potentially profitable sports betting strategy so that the next time you’re on your favourite online sportsbook, you can consider using Asian handicap betting on a range of sports. 

So without further ado, let’s look at Asian handicap betting in a little more detail. 

What is Asian Handicap Betting? 

Although it has a pretty exotic-sounding name, Asian handicap betting is a pretty straightforward concept. In simple terms, it's a type of betting strategy that was designed to eliminate the possibility of a draw. 

With Asian and handicap betting, the team less likely to win is given a bit of a head start in the form of a point ‘handicap’, while the stronger team has to overcome a deficit. 

If you're a bit of a sports betting pro, you might be thinking that this sounds awfully similar to spread betting. However, traditional point spread betting allows three possible outcomes - win, lose or draw - but in Asian handicap betting there is only the option to win or lose. This is facilitated by the sportsbook, which adjusts the odds so that a draw effectively leads to a win or loss, depending on the handicap given

Understanding Asian Handicap Odds 

There are 3 main types of Asian handicap odds. So let’s take a look at each one.

Full ball handicap 

When using a full-ball handicap, one team is given a full point difference, i.e. +1 or -1. Therefore, if a team is handicapped at -1, they'll need to win by more than one goal for the bet to pay out.

Half-ball handicap 

With half-ball handicaps, a team is given just a half point, plus or minus, i.e. +0.5 or -0.5 This eliminates the possibility of a draw because there are no half points in most sports.

Quarter-ball handicap 

Quarter-ball handicaps are split into two parts. With a +0.25 handicap, half of your bet is placed on +0.5, and the other half on 0. This means if the match ends in a draw, you win half your bet (+0.5) and the other half (0) is a push.

Popular Sports for Asian Handicap Betting 

Asian handicap betting is suitable for a lot of different types of sports - but not all of them. So let’s take a look at some of the most popular sports where you can use this betting strategy. 

Soccer (football) 

Soccer is the perfect sport for Asian handicap betting because a lot of matches end in a draw. The olds can be adjusted to balance the stronger and weaker teams, so that you get better odds. 

For instance, and under normal circumstances, if Manchester City were playing Burnley, City would be the clear favourites. But with Asian handicap betting, Manchester City would be put at a point deficit, meaning that the bet is more interesting and could end up being more profitable for you.

Basketball 

Basketball is another great sport for Asian handicap betting. Handicaps are usually given to reflect the expected margin of victory, but because ‘blowouts’ are a common occurrence in basketball, Asian handicaps give the weaker team a point advantage - making betting more exciting, regardless if there's a heavy favourite to win.

Tennis 

You may think that Asian handicap betting only applies to team sports, but tennis is another great opportunity to use this betting strategy. Usually, you'll have a heavy favourite in a tennis match, so giving this player a deficit to overcome means the underdog has a better chance of winning in terms of your bet.