Asian handicap betting is one of the popular options available in top sportsbooks that cover football. However, it’s one of those betting markets that are difficult to understand, at least from the perspective of a new punter. If you’re a beginner and betting from the Philippines, this short guide can help you understand how it works.
Top Bookmakers in the Philippines for 2023
What is Asian Handicap Betting?
The word ‘handicapping’ is a popular term that’s used in sports betting. The meaning of a handicap in betting involves a team that’s handicapped or it’s virtually given a head-start even before the start of a football match. The assignment of the handicap depends on the form of a team and the capabilities of its opponent. Under the Asian handicap meaning, a stronger football team must win by more than one goal, often by two or three, for a punter betting on them to win. Once the bookmaker sets the handicap, the market becomes active, and betting prices can move if most punters see that the handicap is wrong. In short, handicap betting removes the possibility of a draw in a football match.
There are two types of Asian handicap explained in this guide- the half goal (o.5 or 1.5) and the whole goal (0 or 1). If the bookmaker assigns a half goal handicap football bet, you can expect a clear winner in the match since it’s not possible for a team to score half a point. When it comes to the whole goal Asian handicap betting, if the result is level after considering the assigned handicap, then the punters’ bets are refunded.
An Example on How Asian Handicap Betting Works
To fully explain and understand handicap in sports betting, we can use Asian handicap examples.
For example, there’s a scheduled match between Arsenal and Everton. In a standard football match with regular betting, there are three options available: Arsenal, Everton, and a Draw. But in Asian handicap betting, the possibility of a draw is taken out of the picture. Therefore, you only have two options available and your choice depends on how the team is handicapped.
Let’s say that the sportsbook features the following handicap:
Arsenal -2.5
Everton +2.5
As you can see, the sportsbook uses the half goal handicap. Based on this betting line, the team that will score most with the handicap is considered the winner. For example, if you put your money on Arsenal, you can win your Asian handicap betting if the team manages to win the match by 3 goals or more. But if Team Arsenal wins by only 1 or 2 goals, you lose your bet. For this reason, it’s important to pay attention to the form of the team and their recent results if you’re planning to play Asian handicap betting.
On Quarter-Point Handicaps
Some betting sites also offer the quarter-point handicaps. If the half-goal or the whole goal handicaps are complex terms for beginners, then this type of handicap is even more challenging. In betting sites that offer this form of handicap you can find three betting options. This is often used in football matches where there is no ‘clear favorite’ to win the match. If this is the case, half of the wager is staked a value a quarter-point below the indicated price. And the remaining bet is staked at the value a quarter-point above. To fully maximize this bet, you need to pay attention to the table or use an Asian handicap calculator.
Asian handicap betting comes with complicated rules and if you’re a beginner, you must read first and check out some examples. You can start with the popular betting types like over/under and money line before putting your money in Asian handicap betting. Once you’re familiar with the lines and outcomes, then that’s the time you can consider this type of bet.
FAQ
?? What is Asian handicap betting?
It’s a popular form of betting in football where a team is handicapped to avoid the possibility of a draw.
? How can I tell if a football team is favored to win in handicap betting?
In Asian handicap betting, you can only bet on two options- a win for Team A or B. Here, a team is represented by a negative (-) or a positive (+) sign. For example, Team A is -1.5 and Team B is offered at +1.5. Using this example, it means that Team A is favored to win the match, thus it’s handicapped by 1.5 goals.
? How can I play and place an Asian handicap bet?
To start betting on football, you’ll need to register first a real money account in an offshore licensed sportsbook. Just visit one of the sportsbooks included on this site and register an account. Upon account confirmation, you can now place real money bets.
