What is an Asian Handicap Bet?

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What is an Asian Handicap bet? It may not be the sexiest market out there, but harnessing the Asian Handicap offerings when approaching a football match can give you a leg up in spotting value prices.

With an Asian Handicap in your arsenal, whether it be the 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 or 1.0, you’ll allow yourself to back a favourite or a lesser fancied side with a plus or minus handicap that you believe will aid your foray into a fixture.

If looking for more football betting tips and advice, check out our Beginner’s Guide here.

What is an Asian Handicap?

So, what is an Asian Handicap? In short, it’s a betting market that attempts to level the playing field of any football match. It removes the possibility of a draw and attaches a fractional or whole-goal advantage to a team deemed the underdog.

On the other side of the coin, an Asian Handicap is also applied to the favourite in the tie. A team could receive a -1.5 Asian Handicap if taking the position of a heavy favourite in a fixture - this would require a two-goal winning margin, with the handicap advantage favouring the other team at kick-off.

An example of an Asian Handicap bet

For example, looking at the betting for the opening fixture of the 2023/24 Premier League season, Manchester City was a heavy favourite to open the season with a win against Burnley. And that’s no surprise - they just won the treble, after all. 

Vincent Kompany’s Clarets were running out against the likes of Rotherham in the Championship last term, so it would always be a massive test. Burnley were 8.50 for the win, whilst City entered the game as 1.28 faves.

Bet365 has placed a +1.5 Asian Handicap on Burnley to get this fixture to what the bookmakers believe is a level playing field.

If you thought this was a fixture that would be much closer than people believe as Kompany attempts to overthrow Pep, the Asian Handicap may have provided a sensible way in. The Burnley +1.5 goals handicap will only lose if Manchester City wins by two or more goals. 

If the score ends 0-2 to City, the scoreline is effectively 1.5-2 in terms of the bet - falling just short. However, if City wins by a one-goal margin, say 0-1, the Asian Handicap is a winner with the scoreline of 1.5-1 in Asian Handicap terms.

Which Bookmakers?

Some bookmakers won’t even offer Asian Handicaps in football betting markets. Others only provide the one line priced around evens (the +1.5 Asian Handicap above).

So, as is often the case here when discussing football betting at zicoball, we’re putting bet365’s name as the bookmaker to consider when searching the Asian Handicap markets. Not only do they have the main Asian Handicaps in their betting markets, but they also offer a range of alternatives, something many of their competitors don’t do.

Elsewhere, William Hill offers Asian Handicaps on the majority of top divisions and smaller leagues well in advance, often before bet365. However, unlike bet365, you won’t find the Asian Handicap alternative selections on their site.

Manchester City ended the game with a three-goal deficit (0-3), seeing the Asian Handicap win with relative ease. All of the alternative City Asian Handicaps above would have also won.

Asian Handicap Chart

This Asian Handicap chart can be your bible when navigating the market. There’s a lot to remember as a beginner in the Asian markets, but this will help.

As you can see from above, it makes a big difference whether you choose a plus or minus handicap, so consider that each time. Feel free to share and bookmark this page - it may provide you with the tools to pull the trigger on an Asian Handicap selection in the future.

Exploring the Different Options

As we’ve touched upon, the bookmaker decides on specific Asian Handicaps based on the probability that a side will win or lose. Heavy favourites like Manchester City will likely see an Asian Handicap of -1.25 or greater in most games, given their imposing quality. 

Yet, in fixtures which are more even, you’ll find the Asian Handicap is one of five (0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, or 1.0). We’ll give a quick explanation of these five, which you can come back and refer to.

Ensure you analyse the Asian Handicap chart above so the following explanations click. It may be wise to bookmark this page for when you next fancy utilising the Asian Handicap market and zicoball’s Asian Handicap chart.

What is an Asian Handicap 0.0 Bet?

An Asian Handicap 0.0 is straightforward. If you’re familiar with the ‘draw no bet’ market, you’re in luck because it’s the same. The Asian Handicap of 0.0 comes into play when the bookmakers view two sides evenly.

The Asian Handicap 0.0 is best to utilise when you believe Team A has the upper edge on the other, but at the same time, there are lingering concerns that Team B have enough to nick a draw or will set up in a way which makes the one point return a result likely to materialise.

For instance, if the score ends at 1-1, the Asian Handicap 0.0 returns your stakes in full.

Refer to the Asian Handicap 0.00 section in the Asian Handicap Chart.

Asian Handicap 0.25

Here is where it gets a little more tricky to understand. The Asian Handicap 0.25 splits your stake into two halves. One half of your stake is placed on the 0.0 Asian Handicap. The other half is placed on the 0.5 Asian Handicap.

Therefore, if Team A wins 2-1 with the 0.25 Asian Handicap, that’s a full winning payout. If the tie ends as a 1-1 draw, half of the bet is refunded thanks to the half stakes on the 0.0 Asian Handicap, while the other half is a win (+) or a loss (-) depending on if the punter chose the plus or minus handicap.

Refer to the Asian Handicap 0.25 section in the Asian Handicap Chart.

Asian Handicap 0.50

The most basic Asian Handicap is the -0.5 line. In the most simplistic terms, this is the same as if you bet on a team to win in the 1X2 market - no thrills or spills. This is the same as betting on a team on the nose to win the game.

The +0.5 Asian Handicap is a little different. This is, essentially, the double chance market. If the game ends in a draw and you’ve opted for the +0.5 Asian Handicap, your selection will win by half a goal, paying out in full.

Refer to the Asian Handicap 0.50 section in the Asian Handicap Chart.

Asian Handicap 0.75

If home favourites, Chelsea, at 1.70, for example, doesn’t take your fancy at a short price, the -0.75 Asian Handicap will likely be available at 1.90-2.00.

With this market, you will lock in returns if Chelsea wins. However, punters will receive half the profits if the Blues win by just a one-goal margin. You’ll see full profits in your betting account if Chelsea wins by two or more goals.

Refer to the Asian Handicap 0.75 section in the Asian Handicap Chart.

Asian Handicap 1.0

For the -1.0 Asian Handicap, your selection must win by two goals to return profits. This line will apply to heavy favourites and teams you expect to register at least two or more goals in a fixture. However, there’s a bonus to this line. If your selection wins the game, but only by a one-goal margin, your stake will be fully returned. 

As for the +1.0, this should be reserved for plucky underdogs who a punter believes can hold their own and not lose by two or more goals. If the result ends honours even as a draw, the +1.0 adds a goal to your team’s total and wins the bet. 

If said team loses by one goal, the +1.0 Asian Handicap ensures that the market ends in a draw and returns your stakes, similarly to when a favourite wins by just one goal on the -1.0 Asian Handicap.

Refer to the Asian Handicap 1.0 section in the Asian Handicap Chart.

Understanding Asian Handicap Corners 

Asian Handicaps are not limited to scorelines. They are often found in the ‘corners’ markets at a bookmaker, too.

The same logic applies to understanding Asian Handicap Corners between two teams. Nothing changes in that respect, but the primary focus is now on the corner count between two sides instead of the scoreline. The above intricacies of an Asian Handicap are still in play and applied to the corners total that both teams finish the 90 minutes possessing.

We should note that Asian Handicap corners line are often the last to be priced up at a UK bookmaker. You can expect this market to be released in the run-up to kick-off - two or three days beforehand.

Conclusion

We encourage all bettors, new and old, to explore the Asian Handicap betting strategy and apply such techniques. If the 1X2 markets for a particular game don’t quite cut it in perceived value and likelihood, maybe the Asian Handicap lines will. 

Including these markets in your betting armoury may lead you to a more fruitful football betting career.