Asian Handicaps Explained

Stemming directly from the continent it derives its name from, Asian Handicaps are an increasingly popular bet that gives one side an advantage and the other a disadvantage to level the field before or during an event.

To do this, bookies will add to or diminish a team’s lead – even if it does not reflect the actual score. 

Primarily used in football matches, Asian handicaps are also found on other competitive sports markets like tennis, American Football and basketball.

Unlike normal handicaps, Asian handicaps seek to make a wager on either team appear profitable by proposing a near 50% chance of any outcome, whereas standard handicaps operate in a way that grants one team a virtual disadvantage or advantage.

What Is An Asian Handicap?

An Asian Handicap covers the possibility of a draw. In effect, this means bettors no longer need to consider a stalemate as an option as there are just two variables: a win or loss for the team you’ve bet on.

As mentioned, bookies create Asian handicaps by evening up the playing field. You’ll know which team is the predicted favourite by viewing the odds associated with that market. For example, if Chelsea (1.50 to win odds) were to play Norwich City (3.50 to win odds) at Stamford Bridge, the home side would be considered pre-game favourites.

With an Asian Handicap, bookies may put a (-1) next to Chelsea’s name. As the number next to Chelsea is a whole number, this is known as a Full Line bet.

Now, Chelsea must now win by two or more goals for a bet to win – thus making the bet far more interesting and potentially profitable. Added to that, the odds on Chelsea to win will increase and further your profit. 

How Are They Different To Normal Handicaps?

Asian Handicaps will return your stake if the outcome you bet on is neither met nor lost. This means that if Chelsea beat Norwich by a single goal, if you wagered on Chelsea to win at an Asian Handicap of -1, you’ll get your money back.

This is in contrast to standard handicaps, where this instance would result in you losing your entire stake. 

On top of that, Asian Handicaps offer two options in a win or loss. Normal handicaps provide bettors with three things to bet on – a win, draw or loss. Most importantly, Asian Handicaps use half and quarter goals. 

Scroll on to learn all about half and quarter goals in Asian Handicap betting.

How Do Asian Handicaps Work?

Having covered whole numbers when it comes to Asian Handicaps, it’s now time to discuss the more complex side of one of the most popular bet types in football. Here, you’ll discover the nitty-gritty details surrounding half and quarter goals – also known as half-lines and, after that, quarter lines.

Starting with Half Lines, these bets cover Asian Handicaps that add or remove half a goal to and from a team’s lead or deficit. So, instead of seeing -1 or +1, you’ll be presented with something like -0.5 or +1.5. 

Betting on a team with a +0.5 Asian Handicap will see them win in the event of a draw as the half goal edges the result in your favour. However, you’ll lose if the team you bet on is beaten. The same applies to bets with an Asian Handicap of -1.5. Should the team you backed win 2-1, you’ll lose the bet as the extra half goal brings your teams’ score below their opponents’.

In the next section is an explanation for split Asian Handicaps.

What Are Split Asian Handicaps?

When you bet on a Split Asian Handicap you’re effectively covering two sides to a bet. While Asian Full Lines operate with whole numbers and Asian Half Lines use half numbers, Split Asian Handicaps go one step further by using quarters. 

Before going any further, however, it must be noted that it’s possible to use Split Asian Handicaps on half-lines, but it’s not as popular an option.

Split Asian Handicaps using quarters are published on bookmakers’ websites as -0.75 (-1.0, -0.5), +0.75 (0.5, -1.0), or any other quarter line combination. Using these, you’re covering either end of the scale by rounding up or down to the nearest quarter.

This means that on a bet using an Asian Handicap of -0.75 (-1.0, -0.5) half of your stake goes toward -1.0 and the other half on -0.5. 

Now, if the team you’ve placed a bet on wins by only one goal you’ll earn rewards for half of the wager. 

On an Asian Handicap at -0.75 (-1.0, -0.5), that means you’ll need your team to win by two or more goals to win the entire bet. Read on for an example of each split Asian Handicap and how they work.

How Does The In-Play Asian Handicap Work?

The in-play Asian Handicap works in exactly the same way as the pre-game Asian Handicap. When you bet on an in-play Asian Handicap, you’re betting on the scoreline after the time at which the bet is placed. 

So, if Chelsea are beating Norwich 1-0 at half-time and you place an in-play bet on The Blues with an Asian Handicap of -1.0, you must imagine that the game is starting all over again at 0-0. 

• Therefore, if Chelsea fails to add to their lead and win by a solitary goal, your bet loses, as the second half of the match finished 0-0.
• Should Norwich claw one goal back and sneak a draw, your bet loses, as Norwich won the second half 0-1.
• If Chelsea score only one goal in the second half, your in-play -1.0 Asian Handicap bet would be a “push” or refund, as they needed to score two second half goals for the -1.0 bet to win.
• If Chelsea score twice or more in the second half and win by at least two goals, your wager is victorious.

The Most Popular Asian Handicap Markets

Here is a list of the most popular Asian Handicap markets accompanied by an example based on a football match.

Asian Handicap -2.5

This is a straight Asian Handicap that requires the team to win by a three-goal margin. Imagine removing -2.5 from the final score, would the team still win? If a team won 4-0 and you removed 2.5 from that, they’d finish on 1.5 to nil, thus still winning the match. 

Example: Liverpool (odds at 1.20) vs Aston Villa (odds at 5.0). You bet on Liverpool -2.5.

• If Liverpool beat Villa by a margin of three or more goals, you win.
• Liverpool 3-0, 4-1, 5-2 are some example winning scorelines.

Asian Handicap -2.25 (-2.0, -2.50)

This is a split Asian Handicap. Half of your stake would go on the -2.0, and half on the -2.5. For a full win, the team you back needs to win by three goals or more.

Example: Manchester United (odds at 1.40) vs Swansea City (odds at 4.50). You bet on United -2.0, -2.50.

• If Manchester United beat Swansea by three goals or more, you win the bet.
• If Manchester United win by only two goals, you get a refund on the -2.0 half of the bet, and the -2.5 part of the bet would lose.
• If Manchester United only win by a single goal, draw, or lose the match, you will lose the whole bet.

Asian Handicap -2.0

This is a straight handicap that requires a three-goal winning margin to win the bet. A two-goal winning margin will see the bet refunded.

Example: Barcelona (odds at 2.0) vs Real Madrid (odds at 1.5). You bet on Real Madrid -2.0.

• Real Madrid must win by more than three goals or more to win the bet. If Real Madrid win 4-1, you win the bet.
• If the game finishes 3-1, your stake is refunded.
• If Real Madrid win with a 1 goal margin, draw, or lose the match, your bet will lose.

Asian Handicap -1.75 (-1.5, -2.0)

This is a split Asian Handicap where half of your stake is placed on the -2.0 part of the bet, and the other half on the -1.50 part of the bet.

Example: Bayern Munich (odds at 1.2) vs Hoffenheim (odds at 4.0). Your bet is on Bayern -1.5, -2.0.

• Bayern need to win by three or more goals for the bet to fully win.
• If Bayern run out victors by two goals, half the bet wins, and the -2.0 part of the bet will be refunded. 
• If Bayern only win by one goal, draw, or lose the match, your bet will lose.

Asian Handicap -1.50

This is a straight Asian Handicap that requires the chosen team to win by two goals or more.

Example : AC Milan (odds at 1.8) vs Napoli (odds at 2.5). You’ve placed your stake on Napoli -1.50.

• Napoli are required to win by two or more goals for your bet to come through.
• A one goal win (e.g. 0-1, 1-2) will not be sufficient and your bet will lose.

Asian Handicap -1.25 (-1.0, -1.5)

This is a split Asian Handicap with half of your stake being placed on the -1.5 part and the other half on the -1.0 half. A two-goal or more winning margin will see the bet win.

Example: West Ham United (odds at 1.3) vs Sunderland (odds at 4.0). You’ve placed a bet on West Ham -1.0, -1.5.

• A victory by a margin of one goal in West Ham’s favour will see you lose half of the wager, and half refunded.
• If West Ham win by two goals, you win the entire bet.
• If West Ham draw or lose, the whole bet will be a loss.

Asian Handicap -1.0

This is a straight Asian Handicap that requires a two-goal or more winning margin for the bet to win. A one-goal winning margin will see your stake refunded.

Example: Arsenal (at odds of 1.90) vs Southampton (at odds of 2.80). You opt for Arsenal -1.0.

• A single goal victory for Arsenal sees your stake returned to you.
• A two-goal win or more for the Gunners will see your bet come good. 
• A draw or loss for Arsenal will mean your bet loses.

Asian Handicap -0.75 (-0.5, -1.0)

This is a split Asian Handicap, with half of your stake being placed on the -1.0 part of the bet, and the other half of your stake being placed on the -0.5 part of the bet.

For the bet to fully win, your chosen team will need to win by two goals or more. A one-goal winning margin would result in a half refund, half win.

Example: Tottenham Hotspur (odds at 2.0) vs Manchester City (odds at 1.20). You bet on the favourites, Man City -0.5, -1.0.

• City winning by one goal will be a half win, half refund. The -1.0 part of the bet would be refunded, and the -0.5 part would be a win.
• A City victory by two goals is enough to win the whole bet.
• A draw or loss for Manchester City would result in a loss for the whole bet.

Asian Handicap -0.5

This is a straight Asian Handicap that is the equivalent of a win. Whichever team you back in this Asian Line will need to win the match for your bet to win.

Example: FC Porto (odds at 1.30) vs Benfica (odds at 1.80). You place a bet on the home side to win.

• Porto must claim victory for your bet to win.
• A draw or a Benfica win would be a loss for your bet.

Asian Handicap -0.25 (0.0, -0.5)

This is a split Asian Handicap where half of your stake goes on the 0.0 part of the bet and half on the -0.5 part.

Example: Bournemouth (1.20 odds) vs Millwall (2.80 odds). You wager on Bournemouth 0.0, -0.5.

• A Millwall win would mean the bet loses.
• A stalemate will see half of your bet refunded and half lose.
• The Cherries winning by any scoreline will see your bet come through victorious. 

Asian Handicap 0.0

This is a straight Asian Handicap that is the equivalent of the draw no bet market. Whichever team you back in this Asian Line will need to win the match for your bet to win. A draw would be a refund.

Example: FC Porto (odds at 1.85) vs Benfica (odds at 1.85). You place a bet on FC Porto 0.0.

• Porto must claim victory for your bet to win.
• A draw and your stake will be returned.
• A loss for Porto would see the bet lose.

Asian Handicap +0.25 (0.0, +0.5)

This is a split Asian Handicap, where half of your stake is placed on the 0.0 market and the other half on the +0.5 market. The +0.5 is giving the team you back a half goal advantage, meaning in the event of a draw they would win as they’d have an extra half goal added to their score.

Example: Inter Milan (odds at 2.0) vs Juventus (odds at 1.2). You bet on Inter 0.0, +0.5.

• A win for Inter results in a win for your bet.
• A draw will see half of your stake refunded (the 0.0 part) and the other half of the bet will win (the +0.5 part).
• A loss would mean the bet loses.

Asian Handicap +0.5

This is a straight Asian Handicap that is effectively the same as the double chance betting market. Your backed team is given a half goal advantage, meaning a half goal is added to their score at the end of the game. If the backed team wins or draws, your bet will win.

Example: Borussia Dortmund (at odds of 1.5) vs Stuttgart (odds at 3.5). You bet on Stuttgart +0.5.

• A win for Stuttgart will see your bet win.
• A draw is a win for your bet.
• If Stuttgart lose, your bet will lose.

Asian Handicap +0.75 (+0.5, +1.0)

This is a split Asian Handicap, where half your stake goes on the +0.5 market and the other half on the +1.0 market. For this bet to fully win, your team must draw or win the match. A loss of 1 goal will result in half the bet losing and half being refunded. A loss of 2 goals or more would see the bet result in a loss.

Example: Everton (at odds of 1.4) vs Newcastle United (at odds of 1.5). You bet on Newcastle +0.5, +1.0.

• A win for Newcastle will see your wager win.
• A draw is enough for your bet to win.
• If Newcastle lose by one goal, half of your bet loses, and half is refunded.

Asian Handicap +1.0

This is a straight Asian Handicap, where the team you back is given a one goal headstart after the time that you place the bet. Your team must win or draw for this bet to win. A loss of one goal (such as 1-0 or 2-1) would see the bet refunded. A two-goal or more loss would mean the bet loses.

Example: Atletico Madrid (odds at 1.4) vs Sevilla (odds at 2.6). You bet on Sevilla +1.0.

• Sevilla claiming victory or a stalemate will see your bet win.
• Should Sevilla lose by a single goal, your bet will be refunded.
• A loss of two goals or more for Sevilla would mean your bet loses.

Asian Handicap +1.25 (+1.0, +1.5)

This is a split Asian Handicap, where half your stake gets placed on the +1.0 part and the other half on the +1.5 part. 

If the team you back draws or wins, your bet wins. A loss by one goal would see half your stake refunded, and a win for the other half. A two-goal or more defeat would be a loss.

Example: Burnley (at odds of 1.70) vs Leicester City (at odds of 1.5). Your wager is on  Burnley +1.0, +1.5.

• A Burnley win by any score and your bet wins.
• The game ends as a draw and your bet still wins.
• Burnley lose by one, meaning your bet is half-won, half refunded.
• Burnley lose by two goals or more and your bet loses.

Asian Handicap +1.5

This is a straight Asian Handicap. Whichever team you back with this is given a 1.5 goal headstart after the time you place the bet. 

If your selected team wins the match, draws, or loses by one goal, your bet will win. A two-goal or more defeat (e.g 2-0, 4-2, 5-1) would mean your bet loses.

Example: Atalanta (at odds of 1.70) vs PSG (at odds of 1.2). You bet on the Italian outfit +1.5.

• A win or draw for Atalanta wins your bet.
• A single goal defeat for Atalanta secures victory for your bet too.
• A two or more goal defeat for Atalanta means your bet loses.

Asian Handicap +1.75 (+1.50, +2.0)

This is a split Asian Handicap where half of your stake goes on the +1.5 line, and half on the +2.0 line. Whichever team you back with this handicap is effectively being given a 1.5 or 2 goal headstart after the time that you place the bet.

If your selected team wins, draws, or loses the match by one goal, your bet will win. A losing goal margin of two goals (such as losing 2-0 or 4-2) would see half your stake lost and the other half refunded.

Example : RB Leipzig (odds of 1.4) vs Lille (odds of 3.75). You bet on Lille +1.50. +2.0. 

• Lille winning or drawing makes your bet a winner.
• Lille losing by just one goal is another win for your bet. 
• A two-goal loss for Lille will result in a half loss and half your staking being refunded.

Asian Handicap +2.0

This is a straight Asian Handicap where the backed team is given a two-goal advantage. 

If the backed team wins the match, draws the match, or only loses by a one-goal margin, the bet will win. If they lose by two goals the bet will be refunded. A three or more goal losing margin will see the bet lose.

Example: Ajax (odds at 3.0) vs Lyon (odds at 1.44). You bet on the Dutch side +2.0.

• The home team winning will win the bet for you.
• If nothing can separate the two sides and the game ends as a draw, your bet wins.
• A one-goal defeat for Ajax remains a winner for your bet.
• A two-goal loss sees your stake refunded.
• A three or more goal loss (e.g 3-0, 4-1, 6-2) will be a loss for your bet.

Asian Handicap +2.25 (+2.0, +2.50)

This is a split Asian Handicap where half your stake is placed on the +2.0 line and the other half on the +2.5 line.

If the backed team wins, draws, or loses by a one-goal margin, the bet will win. If they lose by a two-goal margin, half the stake will be refunded and half will win. If they lose by three or more goal margin (e.g. 3-0, 5-2, 7-0 etc.) then the bet will lose.

Example: Club Brugge (at odds of 4.0) vs RB Salzburg (at odds of 2.20). Your wager goes on Brugge +2.0, +2.50.

• Club Brugge coming out on top in the affair wins your bet.
• A draw also wins your bet.
• A one-goal defeat will still see you earn full returns.
• A two-goal loss results in half refund, half win.
• A three goal or more loss results in the bet losing.

Asian Handicap +2.50

This is a straight Asian Handicap in which the backed team is given a +2.5 goal advantage after the time in which you place the bet. 

If your team wins, draws, or loses by a difference of one or two goals then your bet will win (e.g. 1-0, 3-1). A three-goal losing margin would be a loss. 

Example : Malmo (at odds of 4.0) vs Wolfsburg (at odds of 1.33). You back the Swedish team +2.50.

• A Malmo win wins the bet.
• The two sides drawing wins the bet.
• A one-goal defeat wins your bet (e.g Malmo 0-1 Wolfsburg).
• A two-goal losing margin and your bet wins (e.g Malmo 1-3 Wolfsburg).
• A three-goal or more losing margin and your bet loses (e.g. Malmo 2-5 Wolfsburg).