Sports betting these days includes a lot of terms that people will need to be able to understand. With dozens of markets to pick from for a big match, it can be quite baffling for newcomers. One such term that is among those people must work out is the Asian handicap. A type of bet becoming a lot more popular in certain sports, the Asian handicap is certainly en vogue. For those who never used the Asian handicap, it is vital to know how it works. Check out our full guide to the Asian handicap in sports betting.
What Is The Asian handicap?
Handicaps are often used in sports betting to balance the chances of a team or player winning. Let’s use a Premier League football match between Manchester City and Burnley as an example. The City are at home, and they are big favorites, with a short price offered as a result. It might not be worth betting on City due to the low odds, but using the handicap markets can be an excellent way to achieve more value out of this bet. City -2 would mean they would have to beat Burnley by three clear goals for the bet to be a winner, but the odds would be a lot higher.
The Asian handicap takes the handicap option and adds an extra layer of complication. However, once people understand the Asian handicap, it provides a lot of good options for bets. In the Asian handicap, the number of possible outcomes for a match such as a football game is reduced from three – home win, away win and drawdown to just two. The draw is eliminated as a result of the bets offered in the Asian handicap. What this means is there is often more value on offer to players who pick this type of bet when logging on to their favorite site. Essentially, the Asian handicap is a type of spread betting. So, in the example named above, a player might not fancy the City -2 option, which would be known in the industry as a full line. Instead, the Asian handicap might come into play. A bet such as City -1.5, -2 would provide a bit of leeway. This is essentially two bets, so the stake selected is split into two. If City were to win by three clear goals, then both parts of the wager would be winners. But if they only won by two goals, the City -2 part of the bet would lose, and the City -1.5 part of the bet would win.
When Is The Best Time To Use The Asian Handicap?
There are a few ways to use Asian handicap in sports betting. Many sports will have the Asian handicap available, but it is most commonly used for betting on football. Bets on big favorites at short prices can be boosted to more appealing odds by using the Asian handicap market. It is an excellent way to make a favorite worth backing, as long as the player is confident they are going to win the match by an exact distance. Asian handicap bets can also be used for wagers on underdogs who the player believes has a possibility of pulling off a shock result. They are a versatile option and well worth checking out.