Handicap betting has become very popular in recent years, offering alternative ways to bet on sports beyond betting on the winner, final score, or total goals. Learn about Asian handicap betting, what payouts you can expect on different lines, and find the best sportsbooks that offer these types of bets.
What is an Asian Handicap in Betting
Asian handicap is a form of handicap, where betting lines give an advantage or a disadvantage to one side, effectively evening the two teams. As the name implies, the first bets of this type happened in Southeast Asia but quickly gained popularity across the world.
Bets with an Asian handicap are displayed in decimal format. The number represents the score difference between the two teams. If it’s a positive number, it implies the side is an underdog and is given a point advantage. On the other hand, a negative number disadvantages the favourite, meaning they’ll need to cover the spread for this bet to count as a win.
Since this handicap uses two decimal spaces, you’ll often see that bookies on our Asian handicap bookmakers list give half a point (dis)advantage for these bet types. For example:
- Liverpool gets a -1.50 handicap against Manchester City as they’re considered the favourite in the match. They’ll need to score two goals more than Manchester for this bet to win.
- Bayern Munich gets a -3.00 handicap against Barcelona, being the underdog. As long as Barcelona wins by a difference of 2 goals or less, a bet on Bayern is a winner.
Is Asian Handicap Worth Betting?
Many consider betting with an Asian handicap a good value for sports bettors as, typically, bookmakers have a much smaller cut (edge) on these bets.
They’re also a good choice for bettors who’d prefer simpler bets, as usually there are only two possible outcomes instead of the classic 1X2 moneyline where there are three possible outcomes.
Lastly, certain betting lines with an Asian handicap introduce a half-win and a push result. This means that, in cases where your bet isn’t a win, you can recoup some money or even your whole wager. You can use our odds calculator to figure out whether a particular bet is a good value or not.
Asian Handicap Betting Lines
Asian handicap bets are specific in that they are displayed as decimal numbers. This allows bookmakers more options when creating markets and betting lines. To be precise, there are three types of betting lines you’ll encounter when betting with Asian handicap - full lines, half lines, and quarter lines.
Full Lines
Full Asian handicap betting lines are those represented by whole numbers (1.00, 2.00, etc). If the number is preceded by a ‘-’ it represents the underdog, while a ‘+’ sign represents the favourite in the match.
Although full lines might seem like these types of bets are exactly the same as European handicap lines, there’s a key difference - you get your wager back when there’s a push, for example when a team wins by 2-0 when they had a -2.00 handicap.
Half Lines
The most common betting lines that all the best Asian handicap betting sites have on offer. Half lines mean that the lines are shown with half a score, for example, 1.5 or -0.5. Unlike full lines, these do not have a push result. So, if a match ends in a draw and your selection had a 0.5 handicap, it counts as a win as, obviously, it’s not possible to score half a goal.
Quarter Lines
Quarter lines are the most complex of the Asian handicap betting lines. Besides being shown as 0.25 or 1.75, these lines introduce half-stake wins and losses. It’s complicated even further depending on how close to the next whole number the quarter line is:
- For -0.25 lines, the team needs to win by one or more for a full win, while the draw is counted as a half loss.
- For -0.75 lines, the team needs to win by two goals for the bet to turn into a win, while a victory by one point is paid out as a half-win.
The opposite applies to positive values next to these betting lines.
Asian Handicap Betting Markets Explained
Now that we’ve explained the different betting lines you’ll encounter at Asian handicap betting sites, let’s delve into more detail. These are the most common markets you’ll find at online sportsbooks that offer these kinds of bets.
Handicap 0.5
The simplest form of handicap betting to grasp. This Asian handicap bet gives one team half a goal of advantage, meaning that the bet is a win even if the match ends in a tie. But, if it has a negative value, your team must win the match for your bet to win, too, or else your bet counts as a loss.
Asian Handicap -0.75
An advanced version of the previous bet where the bookies introduce partial wins. To win this bet, your chosen team not only has to win the match, but they must do so by at least a two-goal difference. If they win by one goal, you win half the stake, and any other result of the match is counted as a loss.
Handicap -1
Similarly to the previous bet, your team of choice must win with two or more goals of difference for your bet to count as a win. But, in case they win by one goal, you get your whole stake back, making this handicap bet a much better, safer option, albeit at lower Asian handicap odds.
Handicap -1.5
Another common wager you can make at the new betting sites with Asian handicap. This bet is another simple bet that you can make if you’re certain that you’re betting on a clear favourite. If your chosen team wins by two or more goals, your bet is a winner. In all other cases, your bet loses.
Asian Handicap 0.0
A special case when betting with an Asian handicap is when you see the 0.0 value. This is also known as the Draw No Bet (DNB) and it effectively works as a traditional bet, meaning that neither team gets an advantage or disadvantage. But, if there is a tie, your wager will be refunded. A great option for bettors looking for some low-stakes bets.
Differences Between Handicap and Asian Handicap Bets
When bettors and bookies talk about handicap betting, they typically mean European handicap. Although it’s displayed in a similar fashion to the Asian handicap, there’s a big difference between the two.
The difference is that markets with European handicaps are always displayed with whole numbers, while sportsbooks use decimal numbers for Asian handicap bets. This isn’t just a visual difference, either, as the decimal numbers in Asian handicap wagers remove the possibility of the draw result, while European handicaps allow it.
Additionally, the house edge is usually lower on Asian handicaps, giving bettors better value for their money.
What to Look For When Choosing the Best Site for Asian Handicap Betting
Aside from picking any of the bookmakers featured on our list of the best sites with Asian handicap betting, we recommend going through the reviews of each of them and familiarising yourself with the pros and cons of each sportsbook.
Obviously, the sportsbook variety matters. You want to bet at a site that covers all sports and leagues that you fancy but also has lots of markets so you can diversify your betting slips. Some bookmakers run dedicated football betting sites, for example, while others try to have something for everyone. Shop around.
Specifically for Asian handicap bets, you want a site that offers plenty of these betting lines and sports to bet on. The more, the better, it’s as simple as that. It’s even better if the bookmaker offers prop bets and wants to create custom bets for their customers, allowing you to bet at even higher handicap values if you wish.
Beyond these points, you’ll of course want to bet at a sportsbook that has a good bonus offering, accepts currencies and payment methods that you most prefer, and has a good track record in the betting community.
