Handicap Betting Guide: Asian vs European Explained With Real Examples

Struggling to understand the handicap betting? Unsure how it works or when you should be doing it?

No doubt the veterans amongst you will already know, but for everyone else, we’ve put this article together to explain how handicap betting works and when you should or should not be doing it.

Now, let’s get into the details…

What is Handicap Betting?

Handicap betting is when a specific selection within a sporting event is assigned a ‘handicap’ to overcome, so that you may win your bet. If you’re predicting a draw, this is not the kind of bet you want to be using! Typically, this type of bet is attractive to users when there is a very strong favourite participating because the event markets odds are so low…

You may have also heard handicap betting referred to as line, points or spread betting.

Comparison between an event and a handicap bet:

• West Ham to win the match is 1.18
• West Ham (-1) is 1.7

With the standard style of betting, your payout is minimal. With the handicap bet of (-1) your payout is far greater, although West Ham would need to win the game by more than one goal. This is because their handicap is -1.

Two Types of Handicap Betting:

Not everyone is aware, but there are two different forms of handicap betting, Asian and European. They share similarities, with some subtle differences as explained below.

European Model:

Think of two teams or players, one stronger and the other weaker. The stronger team or player starts with negative points or goals, while the weaker team starts with the same number but positive points or goals.

For example, let’s say Liverpool FC are slugging it out against say Arsenal. The bookies assign Liverpool FC three goals (-3) down, while Arsenal starts the game with +3 goals head start. What that means is that Liverpool FC has to win the contest by 4 goals or more to cover the deficit or handicapped point. Simple.

If at the end of the match, the scoreline stands at 3-2 to Liverpool FC, the winner on the single handicap market would be Arsenal. This is because the game, according to the bookies, finish 3-5 to the underdogs.

Next, let’s look at three-way handicap betting. This is part of the European handicap model.

With three-way handicap betting, bettors have the chance to bet on the handicap tie option. If a bettor selects the handicap tie option, he is staking a victory for the team that starts with the virtual deficit by the exact winning margin offered.

For instance, let’s say Southampton will be playing Real Madrid. Southampton start with a +2 goal head start, while Madrid start with -2 goals deficit. The draw/handicap tie will effectively be -2.

If the game ends 1-0 to Madrid, staking Madrid to win will end in a bet loss as Madrid fails to cover the spread. The game effectively finished 2-1 to Southampton. If you’ve also placed a bet on the handicap, you also lose the bet as Madrid didn’t win by the margin specified in the handicap.

Bear in mind that placing a bet on the handicap draw means that you’re betting on the margin of victory and not the actual number of goals scored by the team.

That sounds a bit more exciting, right?

Now, let’s consider ‘no draw handicap betting’.

Learning to trade? See our Beginners School – the No.1 FREE Resource to Start

Asian Model:

Handicap betting also has something the bookies call ‘no draw handicap betting.’ This model provides for a guaranteed winner by removing the option for a draw, regardless of the final scoreline is.

Under the Asian model, you can’t bet on a draw; you can only bet on either team winning. A draw means that you lose or your money is refunded back to you.

If you’ve seen it in the past, this is what Over 2.0 goals means for football bets.

Look at this: in a game between say Atletico Madrid and Alaves, the draw no handicap market offers Alaves a +2.5 handicap and Atletico Madrid -2.5. This means Alaves are already leading 2.5 goals before kick-off. If the match ends 2-1, your bet on Alaves is won because the final score on the market is Atletico Madrid 2 Alaves 2.5.

However, if the game ends 2.5-1, the scoreline is a tie.

The Asian handicap betting also offers another model but with lower odds…

Here, if Atletico Madrid with -3 deficit win Alaves by 3-0.5, the result is drawn; the bet is cancelled, and your money is refunded.

The last model offered by the Asian handicap betting is the split line bet. It is a combination of the first two Asian models. In this case, your wagers are on Atletico Madrid of -2.5 and -3. It means that your bets win if Atletico win by more than 3 goals.

Real Examples of Handicap Betting in Action…

To make handicap betting easier to understand, let’s look at a few practical examples across different sporting events…

Football Handicaps:

Manchester City (-1.5) vs. Everton (+1.5) – If City win 2–0, the handicap result is 2 minus 1.5, so your bet on City wins. If City win 1–0, your bet loses because they didn’t cover the 1.5-goal handicap. So as you can see; following expected goals statistics is can be extremely helpful when betting on Handicaps in football.

Tennis:

Novak Djokovic (-3.5 games) vs. Daniil Medvedev (+3.5). If Djokovic wins 6–4, 6–4 (total +4 games), your bet wins.

Horse Racing (Handicap Races):

Horses carry weights to ‘level the playing field’. The better horse gets more weight, similar in principle to point handicaps in other sports. Understanding this helps traders compare value across codes.

Adding context like this helps you recognise when handicap markets offer fair or inflated prices…

Handicap Betting Options:

So there you are, all of the different types of handicap betting explained.

It’s not that one style is generally better than the other, but knowing the different options available to you is imperative.

After all, it could be the difference between winning and losing!

Common Handicap Betting Mistakes:

Even experienced punters sometimes get caught out by simple errors.

Here are my top 4:

1. Confusing Asian and European markets: Remember, Asian handicaps remove the draw; European ones don’t.
2. Ignoring half-goal lines: A 0.5 or 1.5 line eliminates draws, changing your true odds.
3. Not considering motivation: A team resting players for a cup match might not chase extra goals to cover the spread.
4. Overvaluing favourites: Bookmakers often shorten odds on big names! Always check if the handicap line justifies the price.

It’s mad how a small awareness tweak can save you money and lead to better betting choices. So don’t overlook them!

Related: Predict Football Scores with Poisson Distribution (Step-by-Step Guide)