Matt talks stats / Matthew Walton / 13 May 2009 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

The great thing about betting on Betfair is that we can make a profit on any given football match but we can all do it in entirely different ways, writes Matthew Walton.

The wide range of markets on the exchange allows punters and traders alike to employ pretty much any strategy they choose but then still come up with the same end result - i.e. a winner. And these generally revolve around the obvious areas such as the match winner, correct score, first goalscorer or over/under markets.

But one often neglected market is that of the Asian Handicap. It seems that a lot punters simply don't appreciate the distinct benefits which this style of betting can readily provide. To name but a few :-

1. The bet can effectively remove 'the draw' from the equation. Think about how many times your potentially winning bet has been scuppered by a late equaliser.

2. The application of a handicap turns previously unattractive short priced favourites into backable opportunities. Whilst many shy away from lumping on a side at a skinny looking [1.5] the chance to back them at an acceptable price, for example better than [2.0], is of more interest.

3. The split stake element, whilst to some a cause for initial confusion, isn't difficult to grasp and offers the chance to retain a portion of your stake even if your bet doesn't win ... because, unlike a conventional odds bet, when you don't win on the Asian Handicap it doesn't necessarily mean that you lose all your stake (as we'll see).

4. You need not back the team who wins the match for your bet to collect. The handicap start can often prove enough to see your Betfair balance heading in the right direction.

5. It maintains betting capital and keeps your strike rate high. For the more conservative player a definite bonus and also of appeal to those who like to play to much bigger stakes.

And we could go on. The point being, as a way of adapting your betting style and creating new ways for you to make a profit the use of Asian Handicap betting is definitely worth exploring.

And, if you're new to the topic, or are fully aware of its existence but don't quite understand the nuances of this comparatively new style of betting on Betfair, then do check out the markets for any match you happen to be considering and look to the Help section on the right hand side of the screen. A handy explanation, with examples, clearly explains this method of betting which proved so successful in the Far East where it originated (hence the name) and now has an ever increasing number of practitioners the betting world over.

Broadly speaking you're going to be looking at two types of bets when it comes to the Asian Handicaps and just picking out a few midweek matches we can illustrate the practical use of this innovative betting market.

Take the straight handicap bet, probably the easiest bet to understand, here you might well see the underdogs given a notional start such as (+0.5) or (+1.0) or (+1.5) and, by the same token, the favourites would begin the match with the corresponding negative value handicap to overcome.

Now, when the handicap line is smallest, just half a goal either way, a bet on the match favourite offers no advantage to the standard match odds betting. For example, in Tuesday's play-off second leg between Reading and Burnley, we found Steve Coppell's side at [1.98] to win the match in the 'match odds' market and [1.97] in the Asian Handicap market with a (-0.5) deficit to overcome.

They are, of course, one and the same bet - with the draw not an option, due to the handicap line being half a goal, Reading would either win the match (and the bet) or they wouldn't whether viewed in context of the Asian Handicap line or the conventional match odds.

The alternative was to back Burnley with a head start. They traded at [4.5] for the 90 minute win on the match odds market but, of course, the draw was a very live runner in this respect.

For sure, you could have split your stakes between a Burnley win and the draw so as to create a combined odds bet. Or you could have simplified that to a play on the Asian Handicap. Again, it boils down to the same end result and could even generate a bigger profit.

On Wednesday, we'll see Athletico Bilbao entertain Barcelona in the Spanish Cup. Here you'll see the lines at both (1.0) and (1.5) either way. Barcelona with a deficit to overcome, Bilbao with a notional goal or goal and a half headstart.

The (1.5) line works as with the above example of Reading/Burnley. Barcelona need to win by two clear goals for you to collect but they're [2.3] on the Asian Handicap to do this as opposed to just [1.47] to win the game on the match odds market. A good way to turn an odds-on chance into a decent bet at odds against.

Similarly, you can back Bilbao with a healthy headstart for a match they probably stand little real chance of winning but could, conceivably, keep close. And, with the line at (1.0) should they lose by just a single goal, your bet is void and stakes returned. You've not backed a loser although your side has lost the match.

What tends to confuse most players new to the handicaps are the split bets, those where you see a twin handicap like the Manchester United game at Wigan in the Premier League. One of the lines here being (+0.5, 1.0) for Wigan or (-0.5, 1.0) for United. But this works on effectively the same principle as above.

All you need to remember here is that your bet is being split, half your stake on one handicap line and half on the other. This is the area where Asian Handicaps come into their own as with the conventional markets all your stake either wins or loses, there's no middle ground. Here, you can collect on one half of the bet even if you lose on the other.

If you back United (-0.5, 1.0) and they win by two clear goals then both halves naturally pay a return, in the same way that if they draw the game or lose then both portions of your stake are lost.

However, if Sir Alex's side prevail by a single goal then you would win on the (-0.5) line and get your stake returned on the (-1.0) part of the bet as it's a drawn handicap and therefore a void bet according to the rules. So you still make a profit on the bet.

Another bigger handicap on this match is Wigan (+1.0, 1.5). Here, if the Latics lose by a score of, say, 2-1 then you win with the (+1.5) bet but get your stake returned for the other half as the handicap is tied. And, of course, if Wigan draw or win the game then you'll collect on both bets.

This type of bet provides that crucial middle ground. That half win/lose situation which can suit the cautious punter as well as the heavy hitter, neither of whom doesn't take too kindly to losing their full stake.

And, in a nutshell, that sums up the attraction of the Asian Handicaps. They cater for the whole spectrum of Betfair user, professional trader to occasional player, in a way that other markets don't always do. It's another way of dealing with the whole risk and reward element of betting.

So, if you're new to this area of betting do consider it as a serious way of widening your betting knowledge and improving your betting bank balance. Any effort you put into researching the subject of Asian Handicaps will be more than repaid by your successful use of them.