Asian Handicap in betting — what is it

24th March 2022

Introduction

The betting handicap means wagering a bet on the virtual leading or not of one of the participants in a sporting event. It is usually abbreviated by the letter H with the addition of 1 for the local team and 2 for the away team. The second name for this term is spreading.

The Asian handicap is visually different from the standard one. It always has two decimal places, only with 25 or 75 digits. For example, 1.25 or 2.75.

In fact, the amount of the bet is to be divided in half and distributed between two adjacent indicators. Let’s say the handicap is 1.25 and the stake amounts to 100 USD – it means wagering the simultaneous bets of 50 USD on H (1.0) and H (1.5).

Calculation example for the Asian handicap bet

Let’s move from theory to practice and calculate four possible asian handicap betting options on the example of the Bayern – Union Berlin match.

Bankroll is 100 USD. The handicap value is to be added to the final result of the match.

H1 (-2.75) with 2.53 odds

It means two 50 USD bets wagered on H1 (-2.5) and H1 (-3).

Bayern’s win by four goals or more guarantees winnings on both bets. Total amount: 50 * 2.53 + 50 * 2.53 = 253 USD.

Bayern’s win by three goals will result in winnings on the first bet amounting to 50 * 2.53 and a bet-back with a 1.00 odds on the second one. Total amount: 50 * 2.53 + 50 * 1 = 176.5 USD.

Bayern’s win by two goals, a tie, and Bayern losing means losing the entire bet slip.

H1 (-1.25) with 1.37 odds

The bet amount is to be wagered in equal parts on H1 (-1) and H1 (-1.5).

Bayern’s win by two goals or more will result in winnings on both bets. Total amount: 50 * 1.37 + 50 * 1.37 = 137 USD.

Bayern’s win by a single goal will be equal to getting the bet-back on the first bet and losing the second one. Total amount: 50 * 1 + 0 = 50 USD.

In case of Bayern’s tie or losing, the whole bettor’s stake goes to the BO.

H2 (+1.25) with 3.10 odds

We wager two 50 USD bets on H2 (+1) and H2 (+1.5).

A tie or the Union’s win with any score will increase the bet stake by 3.10 times. Total amount: 50 * 3.10 + 50 * 3.10 = 310 USD.

The Union losing by a single goal will result in getting a bet-back on the first bet and a win on the second one. Total amount: 50 * 1 + 50 * 3.10 = 205 USD.

The Union losing by two goals or more will result in losing whole amount of 100 USD.

H2 (+2.75) with 1.52 odds

We wager two bets of 50 USD on H2 (+2.5) and H2 (+3).

The Union’s win, a tie, or it losing by two goals will result in the full win of the bet slip. Total amount: 50 * 1.52 + 50 * 1.52 = 152 USD.

The Union losing by three goals will result in getting a bet-back on the second bet, and a loss on the first one. Total amount: 0 + 50 * 1 = 50 USD.

The Union losing by four goals or more will result in a loss of the entire stake.

Types of Asian handicap bets

All the above examples show that the Asian handicap can be either negative, or positive, can be wagered either on the first participant in the match, or on the second one, has a four-digit form with the numbers 25 and 75 after the decimal point.

The Asian handicap is mainly used in football and hockey events. In BOs’ detailed breakdowns, the aforementioned handicap is usually listed under the common European handicap.

Below are the most common designations.

The 1 and 2 numbers mean the first and second team, followed by the handicap indicator.

The Asian handicap, divided into two parts.

Why you should wager the Asian handicap bets

Any type of handicap betting is a must have in unequal matches with obvious favorites and underdogs. The virtual advantage (lag) increases quotes and makes the event interesting for betting and winning.

In the previously mentioned match between Bayern and Union, Munich’s win was quoted very low (1.18), and Berlin’s win was fantastically high (19.0).

Betting on the local team could be effective in case of wagering large amounts, but we must not forget about the risk of losing. The odds for the away team’s win eloquently speak of its meager chances.

Handicap betting could significantly smooth those corners and expand the opportunity for betting maneuvers.

The Asian handicap is more interesting than the european handicap thanks to the partial bet-back option.

Also, two out of three betting options are profitable.

In conclusion, let’s compare the quotes for the three handicap bets for the Bayern – Union match.In ca of the Bavarians winning by 

Bayern handicap = odds:

-2.0 = 1.85;

-1.75 = 1.63;

-1.5 = 1.52.

three goals, it was more profitable to wager bets on H1 (-1.75) than on H1 (-1.5).

In the case of the Reds winning by two goals, the bet-back was to return the stake wagered on H1 (-2), H1 (-1.75) being a mandatory plus.