If you bet mostly on NFL or college football and NBA or college basketball, you might be confused regarding the Asian handicap in soccer. The Asian handicap is a form of spread betting. However, it differs greatly from our more common NFL betting lines. Below, we break down exactly what the Asian handicap is and provide examples.

What is the Asian handicap?

In soccer three-way betting, we can bet on a Team A money line, a Team B money line, or the draw. Three-way betting doesn’t provide a spread line.

Asian handicap betting turns three-way betting into two-way betting. The Asian handicap does this by dropping the draw.

How is the Asian handicap different from an NFL spread line?

An NFL or NBA spread line sets points where the favored team must surpass in order for those who bet on the favorite to cash their wager. The opposite is true for underdog bettors.

When an underdog bets on an NFL spread line, the chosen team can lose up to the spread points. So if Las Vegas loses to Kansas City by 3 and the spread is Vegas +6, Vegas backers win their bet.

The Asian handicap takes spread betting to a different level. The Asian handicap is designed to allow players to handicap based on soccer form. The reason is that scoring a single goal in soccer is difficult while an NFL or college football touchdown yields 6 points.

Asian handicap examples

Sometimes, an Asian handicap will look like an NFL line. A team could be favored by 1.5 or 2.5 goals. Don’t let the Asian handicap line fool you. It may look like a traditional NFL line but it most definitely isn’t.

Asian handicap lines can look something like -1.25 or +1.75. Check out examples to see how the Asian handicap line works.

The advantage to the Asian handicap is that it allows you to possibly cut risk. So, for example, if you bet a team at -1.75, say Man City against Nottingham, you win half of your bet if Manchester City beats Nottingham by 2 goals.

You win your bet, the full amount, if City beats Nottingham by 3 or more goals. You lose if City wins by 1, loses outright to Nottingham, or draws.

If you bet Nottingham at +1.75, you have three ways to win, a way to only lose half your bet, and a single way to lose outright. Nottingham must lose by 3 goals or more for you to lose outright.

If Nottingham wins straight up, you win. If Nottingham draws, you win. If Nottingham loses by 1 goal, you win. If Nottingham loses by 2 goals, you lose half your bet.

Asian handicap betting can be confusing. So the best thing to do is to keep the above handy. Then, the next time you want to bet a soccer match on the Asian handicap, find the odds on the chart and determine the bet you wish to make.

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