What is Asian Handicap in Football?
Asian Handicap (AH) is a betting market designed to remove the possibility of a draw and balance the difference between two teams by giving a “handicap” (a head start or deficit).
- The stronger team gets a goal handicap (they start with -1, -1.5, etc.).
- The weaker team gets a goal advantage (they start with +1, +1.5, etc.).
The aim is to make betting more competitive when one team is much stronger than the other.
Main Types of Asian Handicap
1. Level Handicap (0 or Draw No Bet)
- Bet is void if the game ends in a draw.
- Example:
- Arsenal (0) vs Tottenham (0)
- If you back Arsenal (0) and they win → you win.
- If it ends draw → bet refunded.
- If Arsenal lose → you lose.
2. Whole Handicaps (-1, +1, -2, +2, etc.)
- Manchester City (-1) vs Nottingham Forest (+1)
- If you bet Man City -1, they must win by 2+ goals for you to win.
- If City win by exactly 1 goal → bet is refunded (void).
- If they draw/lose → you lose.
3. Half Handicaps (-0.5, +1.5, -2.5, etc.)
- No chance of refund here.
- Example: Real Madrid (-1.5) vs Girona (+1.5)
- Bet on Madrid (-1.5) → they must win by 2+ goals.
- Bet on Girona (+1.5) → they win if Girona win, draw, or lose by only 1 goal.
4. Quarter Handicaps (-0.25, +0.25, -0.75, +0.75, etc.)
- These split your bet into two parts.
- Example: Liverpool (-0.25) vs Chelsea (+0.25)
- If you bet Liverpool -0.25:
- If Liverpool win → full win.
- If draw → lose half, refund half.
- If they lose → full loss.
- If you bet Chelsea +0.25:
- If Chelsea win → full win.
- If draw → half win, half refunded.
- If they lose → full loss.
- If you bet Liverpool -0.25:
Example Match (Champions League)
Manchester City vs FC Copenhagen
- Bookmakers know City are far stronger, so they set:
- Man City -2.0 AH
- Copenhagen +2.0 AH
Scenarios:
- City win 3–0 → Man City -2 wins (exact 2-goal win → refund).
- City win 2–0 → refund (because handicap cancels out).
- City win 1–0 or draw → Copenhagen +2 wins.
Betting Tips for Asian Handicap
- Use AH to reduce risk → If you like a favorite but think the game could be tight, take -0.25 or -0.5 instead of 1X2.
- Look at team form & motivation → In cup matches, big clubs may rest players, so underdogs with +1.5 or +2.0can be good value.
- Best for uneven matches → When Barcelona plays Alavés, a normal win bet has very low odds, but AH (-1.5 or -2.0) gives better returns.
- Quarter handicaps are safer → They allow you to still get half your stake back on a draw (insurance).
- Home advantage matters → At tough stadiums (like Anfield or Signal Iduna Park), backing the home team with -0.75 or -1.0 can be profitable.
Would you like me to create a visual table with scenarios (win/draw/lose outcomes vs. AH bets) for easy reference?