All About Asian Handicaps

ASIAN HANDICAP

An Asian Handicap (named so simply because of its Eastern origins) is a gambling term used to describe spread betting in soccer that has gained popularity over the years. The handicaps typically range from one quarter goal to several goals “head start” for a given team.
Most importantly, Asian Handicap betting reduces the possible number of outcomes from three (in traditional 1X2 wagering) to two by eliminating the draw outcome. This simplification delivers two betting options that each have a near 50% chance of success.

Asian Handicaps are both good and bad for bookmakers. On the one hand, they help bookmakers minimize risk by balancing the amount of wagering on each side of the match. This enables bookmakers to take larger positions on major matches. On the other hand, Asian Handicap markets are typically low margin offerings that do not contribute as significantly to the gross win as other, higher margin betting options like 1X2.

Description
Football (called Soccer in the US and Canada) is one of the few sports in the world where a tie is a fairly common outcome. With traditional fixed odds, ties are treated as an additional outcome to the game. In other words, bettors lose when they place a wager on either team to win and the game ties. With Asian Handicaps, however, the chance for a tie is eliminated by use of a handicap that forces a winner. This creates a situation where each team has a 50-50 chance of winning; similar to the odds for a basketball or baseball game where a tie is impossible.
This system works in a straight-forward manner. The bookmakers goal is to create a handicap or "line" that will make the chance of either team winning (considering the handicap) as close to 50% as possible. Since the odds are as close to 50% as possible, bookmakers offer payouts close to even money, or 1.90 to 2.00. Asian Handicaps start at a quarter goal and can go as high as 2.5 or 3 goals in matches with a huge disparity in ability. What makes Asian Handicaps particularly interesting is the use of quarter goals to get the "line" as close as possible. Taken in conjunction with the posted total for the game, the handicap essentially predicts the game's final score. Take a look at this example:

Example

Match: Everton vs. Newcastle United
Handicap: 0 : +1.5
Explanation: This handicap states that Everton is "giving" Newcastle one and one half goals headstart to win the match. What this means is that Newcastle is starting the game with a 1.5 goal lead. If the final score of the game is Everton 2-1 Newcastle, then a bet on Newcastle wins with the final score (considering the handicap, Everton 2 - 2.5 Newcastle).

Quarter Goal or Two Way Handicaps

Subsequently, many matches are handicapped in ½ and ¼ intervals; both of which eliminate the possibility of a push since no one can score a half-goal. Quarter (¼) handicaps split the bet between the two next closest ¼ intervals. For instance, a $1000 bet with a handicap of 1 ¾ is the same as betting $500 at 1 ½ and $500 at 2. With ¼ handicap bets, you can win and tie (win ½ of wager) or lose and tie (lose ½ wager). The ¼-goal handicap may be expressed by some bookmakers as "0 and ½", or (especially for bookmakers whose systems are designed for sports like American football and basketball (where bets have a handicap that is designed to make the odds as close to even as possible)) as "pk (for "pick-em") and ½".

Match: Everton vs. Newcastle United
Handicap: 0 : +1.0, +1.5
Explained: This handicap states that half of your bet goes on Newcastle winning by 1 goal, and half on Newcastle winning by 1.5 goals.
If the final score is Everton 1-0 Newcastle, half your bet would be refunded due to draw (Everton 1 - +1 Newcastle). The second half would win (Everton 1 - +1.5 Newcastle).

Whole Handicaps and Draws

In the event that a whole number is used for the handicap, the handicap adjusted final score could result in a draw. This situation is not a draw, but a push. With a push, all bettors have their original wagers returned as there is no winner.

Outcomes

Handicap Team Result Bet Result Handicap Team Result Bet Result
0 Win Win 0 Win Win
Draw Stake Refund Draw Stake refund
Lose Lose Lose Lose
-0.25 Win Win +0.25 Win Win
Draw Lose Half 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 1 Half Win +0.75 Win Win
Win by 2+ Win Draw Win
Draw Lose Lose by 1 Half Lose
Lose Lose Lose by 2+ Lose
-1.00 Win by 1 Stake refund +1.00 Win Win
Win by 2+ Win 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

The best lines on Asian Handicap are offering by Betfair, Canbet, Pinnacle and Bet365.