How to Wield the Two-Edged Sword of Asian Handicaps?

Can You Become Champion of the Asian Handicap?

Online sports betting is convenient, comprehensive and better suited for savvy punters. While it provides an excellent gaming environment for casuals and recreational players, it is the perfect arena for those who take football betting seriously. The diversity of the betting markets in one of the main reasons for why so many have switched from brick-and-mortar bookmakers to their online counterparts. A special type of bet is the one using Asian handicaps, a common occurrence at modern gambling companies. Learning how to master this type of wager can make the difference in the long run, as it helps maximizing value.

How to Use the 0:0 Asian Handicap?

Without a doubt, the best-known and most popular type of Asian Handicap is the one refunding the stakes if the match ends undecided. This has the merit of providing players with a safety net, if the match ends undecided and the involved teams split points. When betting on football, the 0:0 Asian Handicap, commonly referred to as the “draw no bet” market is ideal for derbies and coin flip events. These matches are more likely to result in a low scoring draw, especially when the stakes are high.

In addition to mitigating the very real risk, this type of Asian handicap will not cripple the odds on the winning team. As stated here, many of the leading bookmakers will offer decent value to those betting on one of the teams to win, while offering the cover of a draw no bet market. By comparison, using the same handicap on games with a clear favorite will defeat the purpose of mitigating the risks. The odds are so low that they usually render the entire bet useless, so it is simply better to avoid the match altogether.

Getting Creative with Fractional Asian Handicaps

Casual players rarely go beyond the “draw no bet” wager, but experienced punters can maximize the return on investment by using fractional handicaps. The ¼ and the ¾ versions of Asian handicap are worth considering when betting on underdogs. It is particularly useful to rely on them when backing the team playing at home, or the one desperate for points. The odds on the outright victory are already high, but you can still recuperate a portion of the money lost if the match ends undecided. In the long run, these incremental gains more than compensate the losses suffered by not betting on outright wins at higher odds.