Asian Handicap Betting - Get involved in the midweek internationals
Ever wondered how an Asian Handicap works or what's meant by 'overcoming the handicap'? Read on for a full explanation on how this could prove to be a profitable way to bet ahead of the midweek Euro 2012 qualifiers and friendlies.
Asian Handicap markets offer an attractive alternative to simple Match Odds.
At first, they can seem pretty daunting to get your head around, much like Betfair itself. But once it all clicks you'll never forget how it works and you'll find that it's a market that can make any football match an attractive one in which to bet on. Especially since its' a market offered on virtually every match covered on Betfair.
Asian Handicaps were designed to eliminate the troublesome third option; the draw. There are only ever two options per line, thus making a decision on which way to go a little simpler. A handicap is a way of giving the outsider an artificial head start. The greater the gap in quality between the two teams, the more of a start the outsider is given. When the match ends you take the final score and then apply the handicap to it.
Each match is handicapped to try and produce a line that gives each option a roughly equal chance of winning. This is called the money line or ocassionally, the central line. Betfair delivers that market but also gives you the added service of a slightly higher and a slightly lower handicap.
For example, if you backed Lithuania +1.5 goals at home to Spain in Tuesday's Euro 2012 qualifier and the match ended 1-0 to Spain, you'd take the goal Lithuania lost by, add the 1.5 goal start they were given and Lithuania would have been 0.5 goals up after you applied the handicap. Your back of Lithuania +1.5 would therefore have been a winner.
Sometimes, two teams are trading at almost the exact same odds to win the match, as is the case with Ukraine v Italy, an international friendly, also being played on Tuesday. When this happens, the central line is 0 as neither team is given a start on this line. This effectively means that you're being offered even money (2.0) on either team to win the match and that if it ends a draw, you're refunded your stake.
Finding your way around the Asian Handicap
One of the great things about the Betfair Asian Handicap is that if you are not quite sure how a certain handicap line works, then it is very easy to get the answer.
Simply click on the option you wish to back and type a stake into the box. Before you submit, the text below will tell you exactly what your return is for each possibility. Shane Long's Republic of Ireland host Slovakia for an international game on Tuesday and the handicap there is Uruguay +0.25. This handicap should make the two options roughly even money.
If you wanted to back Uruguay on that handicap you would see that for a £10 stake at 2.0, if Uruguay wins you would make a profit of £10. If the game was a draw, you would make a profit of £5. And should Uruguay lose then you would lose your stake of £10. Whatever the handicap, the payout explanation is always there in the Place Bets box to help you out before you submit the bet.
One Sided Games
Asian Handicaps provide a betting interest in games where it's pretty obvious who is going to win. International football throws up greater mismatches than you'd ever get in domestic leagues and therefore bigger handicaps. Teams like Andorra are often given a start of several goals and your task is to decide if they can hold on with that start. When they played England in June 2009 they were given a 5.5 goal start which on that occasion wasn't enough as England put six past them with no reply.
You'd never get that sort of handicap in a Premier League match because no side is deemed so poor that they would be predicted to lose by four or five goals against another Premier League side. That said, when the likes of Barcelona are at home to opposition sitting at the foot of the La Liga table, the visitors have occasionally been given as much as a 2.5 goal start, such is the perceived difference in strength between the two sides.
Top Tip
The principle behind an Asian Handicap is to get the two teams handicapped so they are equal. But don't get so drawn into the concept that you don't take advantage of Betfair's offer of the higher and lower handicaps. You don't always have to bet on the middle line and there are often better value odds to be had on the other lines. Put in an offer at odds you would like as you never know if that extra quarter goal might just be what gives you the profit you are seeking.
Published: 29 Mar 2011
Leave a comment