What is Asian Handicap?
Do you have a betting slip that features "Asian Handicap" and are unsure how the winnings were calculated? Check out this article!
For classic bets, you can only win or lose, but with Asian Handicap markets, there are three more possibilities:
• You win half the bet
• You lose half the bet
• You receive Odds of 1.
The handicap is a type of bet that gives an advantage or disadvantage to one of the competitors. In football, the favorite team starts with a fictional disadvantage, while the underdog team starts with a fictional advantage.
- Handicap 0.0
Known as DNB (Draw No Bet), Handicap 0.0 means that if you bet on a team, you win if they win. If the game ends in a draw, your money is refunded.
- Handicap -0.25/+0.25
For the -0.25 line, a win by the team results in a winning bet. If there is a draw, you lose half the bet and the other half is refunded. If the team loses, you lose the entire bet.
With the +0.25 line, if the team wins, the bet is won. If they draw, you receive half the winning amount (multiplied by the odds) and the other half is refunded. If the team loses, the bet is lost.
- Handicap -0.5/+0.5
The -0.5 line corresponds to a simple win bet on the team. The team must win for the bet to be successful.
On the other hand, the +0.5 line corresponds to the "Double Chance – Draw or Win," meaning the bet wins if the team does not lose.
- Handicap -0.75/+0.75
In the -0.75 line, the team needs to win by two or more goals for the bet to be successful. If they win by one goal, you receive half the winning amount (multiplied by the odds) and the other half is refunded.
For the +0.75 line, if the team wins or draws, the bet is a winner. If they lose by one goal, half the bet is lost and the other half is refunded. If they lose by two or more goals, the entire bet is lost.
- Handicap -1/+1
Betting on the -1 line means the team must win by two or more goals for the bet to be successful. If they win by only one goal, the bet is refunded. If they draw or lose, the bet is lost.
On the +1 line, the bet is lost only if the team loses by two or more goals. If they lose by one goal, the bet is refunded. If they draw or win, the bet is a winner.
How to Know if Your Handicap Bet is a Winner?
Check the table below. If your bet is not one of the situations presented, it can be calculated by applying the same principles.
| Handicap | Team Wins By 2+ Goals | Team Wins By 1 Goal | Draw | Team Loses By 1 Goal | Team Loses By 2+ Goals |
| -0.25 | Win | Win Half | Lose Half | Lose | Lose |
| +0.25 | Win | Win | Win Half | Lose Half | Lose |
| -0.5 | Win | Win | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| +0.5 | Win | Win | Win | Lose | Lose |
| -0.75 | Win | Win Half | Lose | Lose Half | Lose |
| +0.75 | Win | Win | Win | Lose Half | Lose |
| -1.0 | Win | Push (Refund) | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| +1.0 | Win | Win | Win | Push (Refund) | Lose |
| -1.25 | Win | Win Half | Lose | Lose Half | Lose |
| +1.25 | Win | Win | Win | Lose Half | Lose |
| -1.5 | Win | Win | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| +1.5 | Win | Win | Win | Lose | Lose |
| -1.75 | Win | Win Half | Lose | Lose Half | Lose |
| +1.75 | Win | Win | Win | Lose Half | Lose |
| -2.0 | Win | Push (Refund) | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| +2.0 | Win | Win | Win | Push (Refund) | Lose |
Differences Between 2-Way Handicap, Asian Handicap, and 3-Way (European) Handicap
The main difference between European handicaps and Asian handicaps is that European handicaps use only whole numbers, while Asian handicaps allow the use of fractional numbers. Thus, the key distinction of Asian Handicap from European Handicap is that the Asian market has fractional lines. Another major difference is the existence of a draw in European handicaps, which does not exist in 2-way handicaps and Asian handicaps, which are a fractional variation of the 2-way handicap.
Discover more at: Betting and Game Rules