Choosing the right market for your selections is one of the most integral features. We show you how Asian Handicap betting works and how it will become your go-to coupon in the ongoing pursuit of profit.
Most semi-experienced punters will have encountered this term at some stage, but you may have avoided the markets due to a lack of understanding.
While it can seem like a minefield from afar, our Asian Handicap Betting guide will provide you with the knowledge you need. Tools needed to utilise Asian Handicap betting for maximised returns on investment (ROIs) will also be supplied.
For more information, and to learn about the tools you need to maximise your returns on investment, check out our related articles to understand the Asian Handicap market better.
What is Asian Handicap betting?
Whether it’s football or another sport, it’s not uncommon to have two teams of varying quality face each other. If one of the top teams is at home against one of the weaker sides, for example, the favourites will be heavily fancied to seal the victory.
Asian Handicap betting sees the bookies give the underdogs a hypothetical advantage to level the playing field. At least in terms of the betting markets.
The Asian Handicap lines can take several forms, but the most common is to see the outsider given a fictional one goal (or more) lead. While there are several methods that can be used to gain an edge over the bookies, Asian Handicap punters are ultimately looking to put the odds in the favour due to one of the two following ideas;
- Backing a favourite to win by more than one goal in order to secure a bigger payout on the selection.
- Backing an underdog to perform above expectations without necessarily winning.
While the above idea is very similar to the European Handicap lines, Asian Handicap betting boasts one major difference. If the game is drawn after adding the fictional handicap, the bet is pushed. This means that your stake is refunded, unlike the European Handicaps where the bet would be considered a loss.
Example:
Team A beats Team B by a 1-0 scoreline.
- If you backed Team A -1 goal on the European Handicap, you would have lost your bet.
- If you backed Team A -1 goal on the Asian Handicap, you would have your stake returned.
Winning by two goals or more would result in a winning bet on both handicap lines.
The Rising Popularity of Asian Handicap Betting
Originating in Indonesia as “hang cheng betting”, the concept of Asian Handicap betting started to reach the wider betting community in the early parts of the 21st century. This coincides with the period where online bookmakers began to achieve mainstream popularity.
As the shift towards internet betting has grown, the number of Asian Handicap bookies has unsurprisingly grown too.
Although a European Handicap bet may offer slightly better odds, the safety net of a refund can make the Asian Handicap lines far more appealing on a long-term basis as it should significantly reduce your volume of losing bets.
Meanwhile, the fact that there are two selections (Team A or Team B) rather than the three (Team A, Team B, or draw) means that the house edge is often smaller than it would be on the 1×2 coupon. Once again, when used well, this can only increase your hopes of sustained success.
It’s no wonder so many people are turning to this market, especially betting on the Premier League Asian lines. Now is the time for your to join the revolution!
How do Asian handicaps work?
All betting activities come with a degree of risk, and there is no way of guaranteeing profits. Nonetheless, the Asian Handicap lines can bring a far greater level of joy, and it’s all thanks to the use of statistical data.
Gut feelings and your understanding of sport can work wonders when picking winning selections, but statistical analysis is a vital part of your research. By noticing the patterns, finding the value becomes a far easier task. When odds taken are consistently higher than what they should be, sustained success is almost assured.
Take Premier League Asian Handicap betting as an example, and you can quickly see how certain statistics can help you increase your winnings or reduce your risks depending on which side of the line you’re on.
Statistics Example:
- A standard Premier League season contains roughly 22% drawn matches.
- In 2017-18, 11 of Manchester City’s 14 home wins (up to the point of being crowned champions) were won by 2 or more goals.
- In 2018, Arsenal lost each of their opening five away games.
Each of those points shows how the stats can point you towards smarter selections using the Asian Handicap lines. The first point shows the value in backing teams on the 0 Asian Handicap line. Especially when backing an underdog or picking a team in an evenly matched game as part of an accumulator.
The second point shows that taking Manchester City on the -1 Asian Handicap line would’ve been far more beneficial than backing them on the straight win market. After all, a 1.3 bet on the 1×2 coupon may have been 1.5 on the -1 Asian Handicap. The returns from 11 wins and three refunds at higher odds would surpass those of 14 wins at lower odds.
Meanwhile, the Arsenal stats show that there’s value in backing the away teams. However, you still wouldn’t have backed teams like Swansea and Newcastle to win. Taking them on a + handicap would’ve provided the safety net while still retaining fairly decent odds.
With a combination of research and instincts, the Asian Handicap lines can provide a fantastic platform for success regardless of which league you specialise on. However, it’s not all about predicting outcomes before kick-off.
Winning Big with the Asian Handicap In-Play
In addition to pre-game markets, many bookmakers offer in-play Asian Handicap betting on most major football matches. Also a healthy percentage of games from the more obscure leagues. This is perhaps an even greater opportunity for securing steady profits.
Reacting to the action as it develops gives you an even better chance of making calculated predictions. Whether it’s backing a losing favourite to turn things around, or tipping an underdog to frustrate their opponents doesn’t matter.
With the 0 Asian Handicap line, you can even back teams to win (from that point in the game onwards) knowing that you won’t lose your stake as long as they don’t concede.
However, you should know that, unlike European Handicap lines, in-play Asians take place from the point when you placed the bet. So, if your team is winning 1-0 and you’ve backed them with a minus one goal handicap, they’ll need to win by three goals to secure the win.
As with pre-game bets, the form guide can support your initial instincts. Some teams score more goals in the second half while others may have a tendency to sit back on a two goal advantage. When you know what to expect, finding value with the in-play Asian Handicaps should feel pretty easy.
What Next?
By now, you should have an understanding of how Asian Handicap betting works. This could be the key to unlocking maximised profits. However, there’s still a lot to learn about the various lines, strategies, and choice of reputable Asian handicap bookmakers.
Use the rest of our Asian Handicap guides to learn everything you need to know. The profits will be flowing in no time.