Asian Handicap Betting

Asian Handicap is a form of betting which is very popular in Asia (thus the name). “Handicap” means that a team receives a virtual head start, effectively leading the game by differing amount or amounts before it actually kicks off.

If you back a team with the handicap and they manage to win the match (with head start included), then you’ll win the bet.
In some cases, a team is given two virtual head starts. If they manage to overcome both of these, then you get a maximum return on your stake. If they overcome only one of these, your profit is either halved or half your stake is returned, depending on the market.
Rather than the three options available on standard football match betting:
  • Arsenal
  • Chelsea
  • The Draw
when you bet on an Asian Handicap market, you have two options from which to choose:
  • Arsenal -1.5
  • Chelsea +1.5
The above example is the simplest case of Asian Handicap betting on Betfair, ie when a team is given a half number of goals (+0.5, +1.5, +2.5 etc). The team who scores the most with the handicap applied is deemed the winner. For example, if I back Arsenal to beat Chelsea with a handicap of -1.5, the bet is a loser if the following happens:
  • Chelsea win
  • Draw
  • Arsenal win by a 1 goal margin
but it’s a winner if Arsenal win the match by 2 or more goals
As mentioned, some Asian handicap markets give teams two virtual head starts (or handicaps in the case of the favourite!). Here, we have a combination of a half goal and a whole goal handicap (-0.5 & -1, +0.5 & +1). These bets are sometimes referred to as quarter goal handicaps:
  • Real Madrid -0.5 & -1.0
  • Barcelona +0.5 & +1.0
In this case, the stake is divided between a bet on the half goal and a bet on the whole goal handicap. For example, if I back Real Madrid to beat Barcelona with a handicap of -0.5 & -1.0, then
  • If Real win by 2 goals or more, both parts of my bet win and I collect all winnings
  • If they win by exactly 1 goal, then only half my bet wins and the other half is void
  • If they draw or lose, then naturally both parts of the bet lose
A similar market to this is when the handicap starts with a full goal amount (-1, 0, 1) rather than a half goal amount. For example:
  • Liverpool 0 & -0.5
  • Everton 0 & +0.5
In this case, the stake is divided between a bet on the whole goal handicap and a saver on the half goal handicap. For example, if I back Liverpool to beat Everton with a handicap of 0 & -0.5 (or -1/4 goal), then if:
  • Liverpool win by 1 goal or more, I win my bet at the odds taken
  • Liverpool draw, I get half my stake returned
  • Everton win, I lose my entire stake
The market is similar to an odds betting market in that you put up offers and take odds in much the same way as the odds market. However, because of the more complex rules surrounding Asian Handicap betting, it is not possible to display the profit and loss on this market. However, when placing bets in the bet manager, you may tick the ‘Detail View’ box on the ‘Place Bets’ tab to detail your profit and loss for each outcome. On the ‘My Bets’ tab, there is a summary of you current matched position and your worst possible outcome for each possible result. Each unmatched bet on the ‘My Bets’ tab has profit and loss information underneath it.
As on all markets, when you place a bet, money will be reserved from your account to cover your worst possible position on the market. In an Asian Handicap market, the amount reserved will reflect bets on all lines. If, for example, I back a team to win with a 1.5 goal start, but lay them to win with a 1.5 & 2 (or 1 ¼) goal start then my maximum loss may (depending on the odds and stake) be when they lose by two goals and it may result in me losing half my stake, not the stake on both bets. This will be reflected in my available balance. In addition, commission on these markets is taken from the total winnings on the market across all lines.

 

Handicap
Team Result
Bet Result
Handicap
Team Result
Bet Result
0
Win
Draw
Lose
Win
Stake Refund
Lose
0
Win
Draw
Lose
Win
Stake Refund
Lose
– 0.25
Win
Win
+ 0.25
Win
Win
Draw
Half Lose
Draw
Half Win
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
– 0.50
Win
Win
+ 0.50
Win
Win
Draw
Lose
Draw
Win
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
– 0.75
Win by 2+
Win
+ 0.75
Win
Win
Win by 1
Half Win
Draw
Win
Draw
Lose
Lose by 1
Half Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose by 2+
Lose
– 1.00
Win by 2+
Win
+ 1.00
Win
Win
Win by 1
Stake refund
Draw
Win
Draw
Lose
Lose by 1
Stake refund
Lose
Lose
Lose by 2+
Lose
– 1.25
Win by 2+
Win
+ 1.25
Win
Win
Win by 1
Half lose
Draw
Win
Draw
Lose
Lose by 1
Half win
Lose
Lose
Lose by 2+
Lose
– 1.50
Win by 2+
Win
+ 1.50
Win
Win
Win by 1
Lose
Draw
Win
Draw
Lose
Lose by 1
Win
Lose
Lose
Lose by 2+
Lose
– 1.75
Win by 3+
Win
+ 1.75
Win
Win
Win by 2
Half win
Draw
Win
Win by 1
Lose
Lose by 1
Win
Draw
Lose
Lose by 2
Half lose
Lose
Lose
Lose by 3+
Lose
– 2.00
Win by 3+
Win
+ 2.00
Win
Win
Win by 2
Stake refund
Draw
Win
Win by 1
Lose
Lose by 1
Win
Draw
Lose
Lose by 2
Stake refund
Lose
Lose
Lose by 3+
Lose