A handicap is essentially the same as giving a head start to the weaker team. A newbie may need to take some learning time to get used to the numbers but once you do you will find it very satisfying. Of course like in other betting trades, one must be ready to engage in a little statistics and math in order to capture value from the given opportunity.
The term asian handicap probably came about because this from of betting started in Asia. It was coined in the year 1998. It is also known as ‘hang cheng betting’.
Asian handicap -0.25 explanation
The asian handicap -0.25 is often referred as double handicap (or quarter handicap) which comes from a combination of the two numbers “0” and “0.5”. This double handicap is expressed in increments of ¼ or 0.25 and basically implies that one team must win. Asian handicap 0 is referred to as level ball handicap while 0.5 is a half goal handicap.
Quarter handicap basically does not express its actual position. Instead, it splits your bet between the two closest half intervals on either side. When starting at a handicap point of 0 – 0.5, half the stake is on the 0 point handicap while the other half is on the 0.5 handicap.
There are different ways of writing the quarter goal handicap. For instance, some bookmakers will express the -0.25 handicap same as 0, -0.5. The value to one side of the comma looks like the full goal handicap while the value on the other side looks like the half-goal handicap. In a quarter goal handicap, there are four possible outcomes.
Example:
Scenario 1: We bet €10 on Norwich City -0.25
- Win (Both half stakes win) if Norwich City wins – profit will be +11.7 (stake 10*2.17 – stake 10)
- Lose (Both half stakes lose) if Crystal P. wins – we lose our stake -10
- Lose half, void half (One half stake loses, the other is returned) if a draw occurs – we lose €5 and €5 is back. We lose €5.
Scenario 2: We bet €10 on Crystal Palace +0.25
- Win (Both half stakes win) if Crystal P. wins – profit will be +7.8 (stake 10*1.78 – stake 10)
- Lose (Both half stakes lose) if Norwich City wins – we lose our stake -10
- Win half, void half (One half stake wins, the other is returned) if a draw occurs – €5 is returned while winning half brings profit of €3.9 (5*1.78 – half stake of €5).
Asian handicap 0 explanation
If both teams are given the asian handicap 0, it indicates that the teams are perceived to be of equal strength. A handicap of 0 is the same as a head to head bet with the exception that bets will be refunded when there is a draw.
Scenario : We bet €10 on Norwich City AH is 0 or 0.00
- Win if Norwich City wins – profit will be +8 (stake 10*1.80 – stake 10)
- Lose if Crystal P. wins – we lose our stake -10
- Returned 10 if a draw occurs
Teams are handicapped according to their form. It simply means that a stronger team must win by more goals for those betting on them to win. Stronger teams start at a disadvantage while weaker teams start at an advantage.
This system has become very popular in the 21st century as more opportunities to win are made available with the asian handicap -0.25; you have more options to win at “0” and “0.5” depending on the direction of your bet. Some bookmakers express it as “0 and ½” or as “pk and ½”. On the one hand, bookmakers are able to minimize risk by enhancing balanced wagering on both sides of the match. On the other hand however, the margins are too low to generate a significant amount to the gross win.
