Asian Handicap Tips - Learn How to Bet with Asian Handicaps

Asian Handicap betting is becoming more popular in Europe, but what is an Asian Handicap and why should punters latch on to this kind of bet?

The growth of online betting means that bookmakers are offering more and more markets on every event and one bet that is booming in popularity is Asian Handicap betting.

Unlike Handicap betting, or European Handicap betting, an Asian Handicap bet is one in which there is no possibility of a tie. It has been popular in the Far East for many years, originating in Indonesia and becoming popular in the early 21st century.

Handicap lines are set by a bookmaker in order to make a contest more even and gives punters two options, each with around a 50% chance of success and odds that reflect this.

The official name for Asian Handicap betting is 'hang cheng betting' but the term 'Asian Handicap' was coined by journalist Joe Suamarez Smith in 1998, when he was asked to translate the bet for an European market.

This type of football betting is both good and bad for bookmakers. It is good because it allows them to trade equally on both sides of a bet.

So, rather than having all the money come in for a favourite, they can balance their book by making a moveable handicap line, that can be adjusted depending on the volumes of money coming in for the favourite, giving away goals or points, or the underdog, receiving goals or points.

However, it is also a fantastic option for punters, as the two options significantly reduce the bookmakers' over-round, or vigorish on a bet. Generally Asian Handicap odds offer far less potential for profit for a bookmaker than a standard 1X2 bet.

In a football match there are traditionally three outcomes. There is a favourite, an underdog and a draw. In Asian Handicap betting, the bookmakers will use these odds to determine by how much a favourite is expected to win and will set a line based on this perceived superiority. 

For example, Celtic are expected to beat Cliftonville comfortably in a UEFA Champions League qualifier. The favourites are 1/25 and a three goal line is set on the Handicap and odds are offered on Celtic winning by more than three goals, Cliftonville winning when given a three goal start and a tie (exactly three goals).

Asian Handicap betting eliminates the tie by offering odds on the favourite's superiority to the nearest half, or even quarter goal. In this example odds would be offered on Celtic (-3.5 Goals) and Cliftonville (+3.5 Goals).

In order for the favourites to cover the Handicap line they would have to win by four and for the underdogs to win the bet they would need to lose by three goals or less.