Asian Handicap Betting in Sport Explained
Learn how Asian handicap betting works and explore strategies for popular sports like soccer, basketball, and tennis. Discover how to manage risk, find value bets, and improve your sports betting experience.
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.
Strategies for Asian Handicap Betting
Like any other betting strategy, there are ways to help Asian handicap betting work for you.
Analyzing team form and performance
This is true of all betting strategies. One of the most straightforward and best things you can do before making any type of bet is to analyse the teams’ recent form. But don't just look at the team that you want to win! If there is a match coming up that you want to bet on, take a look at some historical data for both teams and see who has performed better recently.
Identifying value bets
The next thing you can do is to look for value bets. This is where a bookmaker may not have given the most accurate odds on a match or event. If the sportsbook has over or underestimated a team, and given odds to reflect that, this is where you have a value bet. These are like gold dust, so keep your eyes peeled!
Managing risk and protecting your bankroll
Like with any type of sports betting, it's important to manage your risk and protect your bankroll. Asian handicap betting can be a lot more complicated than many other types of bets, such as moneyline or spread betting. Therefore, it's really important that you manage the risk and do not overspend.
The same goes for managing your bankroll. Do not chase the losses and never spend what you cannot afford to lose.
For more information about sports betting strategies, always visit us here at SportsBoom. We keep you in the know with our latest news, reviews and guides.
With 10 years of experience in content writing, Alyx has produced countess guides, reviews and articles covering a wide range of topics in the iGaming industry. She loves anything to do with online casinos, as well as UK and international sports betting.
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