Asian handicap (AH) is a football betting market in which teams are handicapped according to their form. It first originated in Indonesia and has grown into one of the most popular betting markets on football betting sites.
A simple way of looking at AH is you select the favourite to overcome (negative number) a handicap or go against the favourite (positive number) with the handicap.
You will find numbers like -0.5,-1.0,-1.5 or +0.5, +1.0, +1.5. These numbers show a goal deficit or a goal head-start before the game starts. The "+" means a goal head-start and the "-" is a goal deficit.
It may still seem like a somewhat confusing prospect and that is fine. After all, it is a little more complicated than the 'standard' handicap markets. So, we've created an example below.
If Manchester City are facing Burnley in the Premier League, you may bet on Manchester City -1.5. In this situation, if City were to win by two goals, the bet would win. Vice versa, if you backed Burnley +1.5 and they only lost by one goal, your bet would win.
Example 1 (Manchester City -1.5): Manchester City 2-0 Burnley (With AH, 0.5-0) WINNER
Example 2 (Burnley +1.5): Manchester City 1-0 Burnley (With AH, 1-1.5) WINNER
Alternatively, you can also bet with an Asian Handicap of 1.0, 2.0, etc. In these situations, your bet can draw or 'push'. So, let's say we had Manchester City -1, and the score was 0-0, your bet would lose.
However, if Manchester City won 1-0, your bet would be a draw. In this case, your stake would be refunded to you. A lot like the 'Draw No Bet' options, the odds are lower for handicaps ending in .0, compared to .5.
Example 1 (Manchester City -1): Manchester City 2-0 Burnley (With AH, 1-0) - WINNER
Example 2 (Manchester City -1): Manchester City 1-0 Burnley (With AH, 0-0) - DRAW/REFUND
Example 3 (Manchester City -1): Manchester City 0-0 Burnley (With AH, -1-0) - LOSS
It is also worth noting that markets can be split between outcomes. Sometimes this may be presented as 0/0.5, or as ±0.25 or ±0.75.
In these cases, your bets are split between the two outcomes. For explanation purposes, we'll use the same teams. So, you've backed Manchester City -0.75 to beat Burnley.
In this scenario, if City win 1-0, the -1 part of your bet will result in a draw. However, the -0.5 part of your bet will see the bet win. So, you'd win half of the max returns. Hence, this is called a 'Half Bet'.
The number of Asian Handicap betting sites in the UK is gradually rising, but whether their markets are solid is something else entirely. So, we have taken a look at some of our favourites.
Bet365 is regularly at the top when it comes to betting in the UK and with the Asian Handicap markets, this is once again the case.
Ultimately, the handicaps exist to try to get a better price on favourites, and with the Stoke-based brand, better prices are available anyway. So, combining the two proves to be extremely valuable for punters to look at.
Not only can you bet in the Asian Handicap markets before a game, but you can also use them in-play, during normal time, extra time and even in a penalty shootout.
As is often the case with Bet365, there is significant value to having an account with them and it is certainly one of the fairest bookmakers for UK customers in terms of pricing.
Furthermore, with at least 14 Asian Handicap markets offered, and a whole section dedicated to 'Asian Lines', it is the undisputed king.
Unibet is among the best when it comes to Asian Handicap betting, simply due to how many markets are offered. For most elite-level fixtures, there are at least 11 different lines available.
These range from -1.5 to +1.5, going in 0.25 increments. Of course, this means that a wide variety of options are covered, leaving the punter with almost complete control over what they back with the handicap.
As well, the margins are pretty low compared to the standard 8% average that Unibet offers. Indeed, in the handicaps, they are lowered to around 6.6%.
Of course, there are better bookies for these prices. However, it is still nice to see such a drop for these markets and it can only be commended.
10bet is another of our favourites when it comes to football betting. This is simply because they often offer the best odds with the addition of Early Payout, which adds significant value.
So, to see them offering Asian Handicap markets is only a good thing. Their options are not vast compared to some of the others on this list. However, they offer more than enough.
Indeed, with two 'full' markets offered as well as two half bet markets, you are given plenty of choice. Furthermore, the option to bet on first and second half Asian Handicap markets is a worthwhile addition.
Considering there is already value with 10bet, this is only a positive addition to its books. However, there are certainly better options for Asian Handicap betting specifically.
SBK could honestly sit in third in the 'rankings' here. The site offers more options in terms of the markets, going from -1.5 to +1.5. However, there are no half bet markets.
Additionally, there are no first/second-half Asian Handicap markets. So, it takes the final place here. We are not going to be overly critical, though.
SBK's odds are like those from an exchange, thanks to it being powered by Smarkets. As a result, this means that there is significantly more value being offered compared to other competitors.





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Ben is an accredited football journalist who follows anything from League One to Serie A, also working for the likes of SempreMilan and Total Italian Football. As an avid punter, he has become the master tester at BettingLounge, refusing to take bookies by their words when it comes to withdrawal times and much more.