Asian Handicap Explained
Imagine a strange game of football where every time a goal is scored, the game resets back to 0-0 – Who would win from this point?
Even if Liverpool were already 3-0 up against Fulham, there’s still a game on as either team could win from 0-0. Will Liverpool sit back and let one slip, or will they push on and score more?
Doesn’t it make the game more interesting when you look at it this way?
Welcome to the world of in play Asian handicap betting. Here the rules of the game are slightly different as whenever a goal is scored, the line resets back to all square and you’re betting on what will happen from this point.
This offers a tremendous advantage to the punter, as you can bet on the outcome of the game from the point of the last goal, bringing games back to life when the favourites are backed in to 1.01 on Betfair.
Handicaps bring the game to life
Asian handicaps level the playing field in a game by giving the favourite a penalty they have to overcome (or the underdog an advantage). I’d advise you to check out this page to learn more about how handicaps work.
In-Play Betting Explained: When The Favourite Goes Behind…
Napoli v Marseille: November 6th 2013 Champions League
Here’s an example from a Champions league game from last year. Napoli were overwhelming pre-match favourites, but conceded an early goal making the score Napoli 0-1 Marseille.
If you were convinced that Napoli would still win from here, then the Asian Handicap would offer a valuable option in play as the score is effectively reset to 0-0. You might have liked the look of this bet: Napoli (-1.0) Asian Handicap @ 1.70
The (-1) Asian Handicap means you are betting that Napoli will win by more than one goal. If they won by just one goal you’d get a refund not a win.
Remember, the score was reset back to 0-0, so you are predicting that Napoli would score at least two goals from this point, with the safety net of a refund if Napoli only won by one.
The result: It was an incredible game that Napoli nipped 3-2 at full time. From the point of the first goal, the scoreline was 3-1, making the bet a nice outright winner. Had you taken the (-1.0) handicap pre match (available at similar odds), you would have only had a refund.
There are of course many different permutations that could effectyour betting such as the favourite scoring early – will they score more?
Using The Right Bookies Is Key…
Not all bookmakers offer in play Asian handicaps in this way, but the good news is that those that do offer tremendous liquidity and are open to your winning bets.
The best place for odds comparison http://www.oddsportal.com. When a game goes in play, click on ‘live odds’ then go to Asian Handicap as the example below shows:
For in-play Asian handicap betting, the following bookie accounts are a must (for pre match betting too):
Pinnacle
188.com
SBObet
Dafabet
Bet365
Why Betfair isn’t always best for Asian Handicap
While you might think that Betfair is the only place for in play betting, when you factor in their 5% commission, you often get much better odds with the Asian bookies (the same is true with pre-match betting). Their in-play Asian market also works differently – It doesn’t reset to 0-0 and liquidity can be pretty thin.
There are a number of reasons for betting in play, especially with Asian Handicap. It might be that you missed a bet with a tipster and try to place the bet in-play instead. By understanding how in-play handicaps work, you can ensure you’re placing the right bet and more importantly could increase your profits in the right circumstances.