Asian Handicaps Explained All Bet Types With Examples

by | Sep 4, 2025 | LeonBet Official

Handicap Bet Explained Handicap Betting Examples

To ensure that the thrill of betting is enjoyed sensibly and responsibly. A minus symbol (-) is given to the favourite team giving them a disadvantage and a plus symbol (+) is given to the underdogs, giving them a virtual advantage. In a match involving Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield, here are some scorelines that would win if you were to bet on a ‘Draw’. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of some of the most popular handicaps – each with an explanation and a winning example.

However, the result would have to be different for the bet to be successful. Whilst this is different to the Asian handicap betting system, you can still learn more about the other form of handicap betting throughout our Asian Handicap betting guide. After reviewing the basics of football handicap betting, we will explain how these different handicaps work and what results are needed for a successful bet. At Asian handicap 0.25, your bet is still a winner if your team wins, and still a loser if your team loses.

But the easiest way of understanding the handicap is that the bigger the favourites, the larger the handicap against them, and vice versa. It’s not surprising that this confuses people, because you can’t have such a thing as half a goal in an actual game of soccer. However, when you just do that simple sum, you can easily understand how it works and also the advantages of ruling out the possibility of a draw.

You can still bet on your team and win against the favourites

With Asian handicap betting, the punter is given of option to choose between the two teams, yet to win, the favourite must win by a specified margin. Asian Handicap betting is a form of spread betting designed to eliminate the possibility of a draw (tie) in sports, primarily football. It gives one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage to level the playing field, resulting in only two possible outcomes — win or lose. 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.

Asian Handicap Betting Examples in Football

  • As you can see from the meaning of the handicap, the Asian handicap can be positive and negative.
  • With three options here at Sky Bet, we can see that the -1 goal handicap puts the favourite at a disadvantage, whilst the underdog can be awarded one goal with the handicap of +1.
  • 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.
  • However, it is quite a complicated idea to understand for those who are only used to placing simple bets such as backing a team to win a particular match outright.
  • They have a huge range of different Asian handicap lines and offer great value odds when compared to other bookmakers.

Asian handicap eliminates the draw outcome from traditional 1X2 and reduces the outcomes from 3 to 2 possibilities. That means you have theoretically around 50% chance to win in every couple of Asian handicap options. But in the practice, the chance to win is very different because it depends on the strength and the quality of the teams and on your own betting choice (favorite or underdog).

Russia (-1.25) 4.80 – If Russia wins by 2 or more the entire bet pays out. If Russia wins by 1 half the wager is refunded and half is lost. In addition, there are more possible outcomes when it comes to Asian Handicaps compared to Straight Handicaps.

Exchanges may provide improved odds and allow for more flexibility in terms of bet placement and cashout options. Asian markets are available in-play too, but there is one key element, you need to pay attention to. If you are taking a bet on asian handicap, you are betting on the result of the rest of the match. For example, if the score is 3-0, and you take the home team with a -0.5 handicap, you only win, if your team wins the rest of the match. This means, the team you bet on need leonbet casino to increase the goal difference by the final whistle.

Alternative Asian Handicap Lines

The best Asian handicap betting sites will have a guide for two kinds of bets. You won’t be confused about the difference between them and, hopefully, learn how to select the better one. If the odds are +0.75, your selection will win in case of a draw or win by any goal margin. If your pick loses by 1 goal, half of your stake is settled at the current price, while the other half is refunded.

Most punters wouldn’t bother backing at this price – why would you? It’s advisable to start with simpler handicaps like 0.0 or +/-0.5 and gradually move to more complex ones as you gain experience. Essentially, this lets you place two bets in one and really spread out your risk. The tactics behind this, to be fair, can call for careful consideration. Nonetheless, the math behind the result remains simple, and if you are still having any trouble with it be sure to check out the table below as a reference point. Up to 100% matched bonus €50 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365.

Let’s consider the -1.75 handicap line for the Chelsea versus Sheffield United match. You are placing a $100 stake on -1.75, indicating your support for Chelsea to win. If they win by 2, half of the bet ($50) will be won (-1.5), and the other half will result in a push (-2.0). However, a draw or Sheffield United win would result in a complete loss.

Learn what arbitrage betting is, how it works, and how to spot profitable opportunities using a risk-free strategy. Discover the tools, formulas, and pros & cons of sure betting. Asian Handicap 0.5 (also written as +0.5 or -0.5) means that half a goal is added or subtracted to a team before the match begins for betting purposes. This is ideal when you want to remove the “draw” outcome — which is often frustrating in traditional 1X2 betting. This complete beginner’s guide will help you understand what Asian Handicap betting is, how it works, and how you can use it to your advantage. The typical odds for Manchester City in a home game against a team like Burnley would be something in the region of 1.10, meaning you would have to spend £10 for each £1 of profit.

This type of market is often offered to “even up” a market so that a selection deemed to be “inferior” to its opponent(s) is given a greater chance of winning the event. It is significantly important for many bettors looking to have many options at their disposal than just a few outcomes with European handicaps. On the other hand, they are a bit more complicated but more fun. They bring the drawback into action, with the bettor’s stake usually refunded in draws.

For example, you’ll get your initial deposit back if the number of goals is the same as the goal line you’ve bet. ✅Unlike individual sports, upsets are not too common in football compared to sports like golf, meaning handicap betting can change the outcome of games. When placing a bet on the draw option, we can see that the handicap is the same as the Aston Villa handicap.

This is a straight Asian Handicap that requires the chosen team to win by two goals or more. 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. Now, if the team you’ve placed a bet on wins by only one goal you’ll earn rewards for half of the wager.

Football betting has a huge array of options and it can be hard to decide which ones to use. Teams may perform differently on home turf compared to away. Factoring in these tendencies is vital when considering handicap margins. The most important part is to do your research before placing any bets. If you’re just getting started I suggest you stick to basic Asian handicaps and build up from there. Russia (-0.5) – This bet would be the exact same as the 1×2 line bet, but often times you will find different odds for each.

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

Let’s use our favourite Atletico Nacional Medellin example as an aid for this – Deportes Tolima v Patriotas FC. A football fan expecting a big win for Deportes Tolima side could choose to back them on Deportes Tolima -1. The next quarter line works in much the same way as Asian handicap 0.25, but there is one difference so we still need to go through it as well. The English Premier League is undoubtedly the most thrilling and widely followed football championship globally. Millions of spectators watch the EPL fixtures every weekend gaping at their TV screens.

While we have provided tables and detailed explanations, the best way of getting the most out of Asian handicap betting is to work out the results for yourself. That way, understanding the odds at a glance is just as easy as regular betting. The easiest way to understand Asian handicap betting is that the handicap given is the points they start the game with.