Most of you are used to betting on the 1X2 market, by backing the home team (1), the draw (X) or the visitors (2). Well, apart from this, there is another more helpful -for the punters- and also interesting way to bet, the Asian Handicap.
In the Asian Handicap, the bookmakers eliminate the draw, by offering only two choices to the punter. They eliminate the draw by giving at the favourite team of the fixture a handicap (that they have to overcome) and, of course, at the underdog side an advantage. For example, Inter Milan is facing Siena and the bookmaker gives a goal advantage for the visitors Siena in order to even up the two sides. In case that Inter wins by 2 (or more) goals, someone who had bet on Inter wins. But if Siena avoids losing against Inter, the bettor has lost. Finally, if Inter wins by only one goal (1-0, 2-1, 3-2 etc) the result is void and the stakes are returned to the bettor.
Well, I hope you understand that example because it is one of the simplest Asian Handicap forms that you will find. Asian Handicap goes further than that. Example:
Valencia is facing Sevilla and the bookmaker (well, not all bookmakers worldwide offer the Asian Handicap option) has set the Asian Handicap at the "level ball", or 0:0. This means that if you bet on Valencia 0 (or Valencia "Draw No Bet"), you will win in case that Valencia wins the match (no matter how by what score). If Sevilla wins, you lose and if the match ends up as a draw, your stakes are returned. This is the "Draw no Bet" choice. When a match is a draw, all stakes are returned and bet is considered void.
Moreover, there are some other kinds of Asian Handicap as the quarter handicap (+1/4 or +0.25). For example, Bari is playing against Atalanta and the handicap line is set at -0/0.5 : +0/0.5. Actually, this is another way to express the -0.25 : +0.25 handicap. If you bet on Atalanta +0.25, your bet wins if Atalanta takes the three points, you win your half bet in case that match is a draw and you lose if Bari wins.
In the table following you can see all the Asian Handicap choices you can have at a match and what is the result of your bet at each case.
| Favourite | Underdog | ||||
| Handicap | Your team's result | Payout | Handicap | Your team's result | Payout |
| 0 | Win | Win | 0 | Win | Win |
| Draw | No bet | Draw | No bet | ||
| Lose | Lose | Lose | Lose | ||
| 0, -0,5 | Win | Win | 0, +0,5 | Win | Win |
| Draw | Lose half | Draw | Win half | ||
| Lose | Lose | Lose | Lose | ||
| -0,5 | Win | Win | +0,5 | Win or draw | Win |
| Draw or lose | Lose | Lose | Lose | ||
| -0.5, -1 | Win by 2 or more | Win | +0.5, +1 | Draw or win | Win |
| Win by 1 or more | Win half | Lose by 1 | Lose half | ||
| Draw or lose | Lose | Lose by 2 or more | Lose | ||
| -1 | Win by 2 or more | Win | +1 | Win or draw | Win |
| Win by 1 or more | No bet | Lose by 1 | No bet | ||
| Win or lose | Lose | Lose by 2 or more | Lose | ||
| -1, -1.5 | Win by 2 or more | Win | +1, +1.5 | Win or draw | Win |
| Win by 1 or more | Lose half | Lose by 1 | Win half | ||
| Win or draw | Lose | Lose by 2 or more | Lose | ||
| -1,5 | Win by 2 or more | Win | +1,5 | Win, draw or lose by 1 | Win |
| Win by 1, draw or lose | Lose | Lose by 2 or more | Lose | ||
| -1.5, -2 | Win by 3 or more | Win | +1.5, +2 | Win, draw or lose by 1 | Win |
| Win by2 | Win half | Lose by 2 or more | Lose half | ||
| Win by 1, draw or lose | Lose | Lose by 3 or more | Lose | ||
| -2 | Win by 3 or more | Win | +2 | Win, draw or lose by 1 | Win |
| Win by 2 | No bet | Lose by 2 | No bet | ||
| Win by 1, draw or lose | Lose | Lose by 3 or more | Lose | ||
| -2, -2.5 | Win by 3 or more | Win | +2, +2,5 | Win, draw or lose by 1 | Win |
| Win by 2 or more | Lose half | Lose by 2 | Win half | ||
| Win by 1, draw or lose | Lose | Lose by 3 or more | Lose | ||
| -2,5 | Win by 3 or more | Win | +2,5 | Win, draw or lose by 1 or 2 | Win |
| Win by 1 or 2, draw or lose | Lose | Lose by 3 or more | Lose | ||
