An Asian Handicap (named so simply because of its Eastern origins) is a gambling term used to describe spread betting in soccer that has gained popularity over the years. The handicaps typically range from one quarter goal to several goals and can be described in terms of half or even quarter goals.
Most importantly, Asian Handicap betting reduces the possible number of outcomes from three (in traditional 1X2 wagering) to two by eliminating the draw outcome. This simplification delivers two betting options that each have a near 50% chance of success.
Asian Handicaps are both good and bad for bookmakers. On one hand, they help bookmakers minimize risk by facilitating trading with parity or balancing the amount of wagering on each side of the match. This enables bookmakers to take larger positions on major matches. On the other hand, Asian Handicap markets are typically low margin offerings that do not contribute as significantly to the gross win as other, higher vigorish betting options like 1X2.[1]
The term Asian Handicap was applied to this method of betting by a journalist, Joe Saumarez Smith, in November 1998. He was asked by an Indonesia bookmaker, Joe Phan, to provide a translation of the betting method that was termed 'hang cheng betting' by bookmakers in Asia.[2]
Description
Football (soccer) is one of the few sports in the world where a tie is a fairly common outcome. With traditional fixed odds, ties are treated as an additional outcome to the game. In other words, bettors lose when they place a wager on either team to win and the game ties. With Asian Handicaps, however, the chance for a tie is eliminated by use of a handicap that forces a winner. This creates a situation where each team has a 50-50 chance of winning; similar to the odds for a basketball or baseball game where a tie is impossible.
This system works in a straight-forward manner. The bookmakers's goal is to create a handicap or "line" that will make the chance of either team winning (considering the handicap) as close to 50% as possible. Since the odds are as close to 50% as possible, bookmakers offer payouts close to even money, or 1.90 to 2.00. Asian Handicaps start at a quarter goal and can go as high as 2.5 or 3 goals in matches with a huge disparity in ability. What makes Asian Handicaps most interesting is the use of quarter goals to get the "line" as close as possible. Taken in conjunction with the posted total for the game, the handicap essentially predicts the game's final score.
[edit] Quarter Goal or Two Way Handicaps
Subsequently, many matches are handicapped in ½ and ¼ intervals; both of which eliminate the possibility of a push since no one can score a half-goal. Quarter (¼) handicaps split the bet between the two next closest ¼ intervals. For instance, a $1000 bet with a handicap of 1 ¾ is the same as betting $500 at 1 ½ and $500 at 2. With ¼ handicap bets, you can win and tie (win ½ of wager) or lose and tie (lose ½ wager). The ¼-goal handicap may be expressed by some bookmakers as "0 and ½", or (especially for bookmakers whose systems are designed for sports like American football and basketball (where bets have a handicap that is designed to make the odds as close to even as possible)) as "pk (for "pick-em") and ½".
Match: Everton vs. Newcastle United
Handicap: 0 : +1.0, +1.5
Explained: This handicap states that half of your bet goes on Newcastle winning, or losing by less than 1 goal, and half on Newcastle winning, or losing by less than 1.5 goals.
If the final score is Everton 1-0 Newcastle, half your bet would be refunded due to draw (Everton 1 - +1 Newcastle, i.e: Newcastle lost by exactly one goal). The second half would win (Everton 1 - +1.5 Newcastle, i.e: Newcastle lost by less than 1.5 goals).
Whole Handicaps and Draws
In the event that a whole number is used for the handicap, the handicap adjusted final score could result in a draw. This situation is not a draw, but a push. With a push, all bettors have their original wagers returned as there is no winner.
Handicap Team Result Bet Result Handicap Team Result Bet Result
0 Win Win 0 Win Win
Draw Stake Refund Draw Stake Refund
Lose Lose Lose Lose
- 0.25 Win Win + 0.25 Win Win
Draw Half Lose Draw Half Win
Lose Lose Lose Lose
- 0.50 Win Win + 0.50 Win Win
Draw Lose Draw Win
Lose Lose Lose Lose
- 0.75 Win by 2+ Win + 0.75 Win Win
Win by 1 Half Win Draw Win
Draw Lose Lose by 1 Half Lose
Lose Lose Lose by 2+ Lose
- 1.00 Win by 2+ Win + 1.00 Win Win
Win by 1 Stake refund Draw Win
Draw Lose Lose by 1 Stake refund
Lose Lose Lose by 2+ Lose
- 1.25 Win by 2+ Win + 1.25 Win Win
Win by 1 Half lose Draw Win
Draw Lose Lose by 1 Half win
Lose Lose Lose by 2+ Lose
- 1.50 Win by 2+ Win + 1.50 Win Win
Win by 1 Lose Draw Win
Draw Lose Lose by 1 Win
Lose Lose Lose by 2+ Lose
- 1.75 Win by 3+ Win + 1.75 Win Win
Win by 2 Half win Draw Win
Win by 1 Lose Lose by 1 Win
Draw Lose Lose by 2 Half lose
Lose Lose Lose by 3+ Lose
- 2.00 Win by 3+ Win + 2.00 Win Win
Win by 2 Stake refund Draw Win
Win by 1 Lose Lose by 1 Win
Draw Lose Lose by 2 Stake refund
Lose Lose Lose by 3+ Lose
No comments:
Post a Comment