Asian Handicap Betting Guide: Two Outcomes, No Draw, Better Odds

Standard handicap betting gives one team a head start in whole numbers and keeps the draw on the table. 

Asian handicap does two things differently, it uses quarter goals to create lines that are almost impossible to tie, and it eliminates the draw as a possible outcome entirely. The result is a betting market that always resolves as a win, a loss, or, in specific cases, a partial refund. 

On Jackpot.bet's sportsbook, Asian handicap markets run across every major soccer league, from the Premier League to the Champions League. 

Once you learn how the lines work, it opens up a set of markets that standard betting simply can't replicate.

How Asian Handicap Works

Asian handicap levels the playing field between two mismatched teams by giving the underdog a virtual goal advantage before kickoff. The favourite receives a deficit. 

The goal is to bring both sides as close to a 50/50 proposition as possible, which is why the odds on most Asian handicap markets sit close to even money.

The minus symbol (−) goes to the favourite, they start the match with a goal deficit applied to their final score. The plus symbol (+) goes to the underdog, they start with goals already on the board.

Take a Premier League match where Manchester City are playing a newly promoted side. In the standard match odds, City might be priced at 1.25, barely worth backing. 

In the Asian handicap at −1.5, City need to win by two or more goals for the bet to land. The promoted side at +1.5 wins the bet if they win, draw, or lose by just one goal. Two outcomes, no draw, cleaner odds on both sides.

The Four Asian Handicap Lines

Asian handicap uses four main line types. Each handles the possibility of a tie differently.

Level Ball (0.0)

Also called Draw No Bet, the Level Ball handicap gives neither team an advantage. Both sides start at zero. If your team wins, the bet wins. If the match ends in a draw, your full stake is refunded. 

If your team loses, the bet loses. It's the simplest Asian handicap line and the closest to a standard match bet, just with the draw converted into a push.

Half Goal (0.5)

The half goal line is the most common Asian handicap. Because no team can score half a goal, a draw is mathematically impossible, the bet always resolves as a win or a loss. A team at +0.5 wins the bet if they win or draw. 

A team at −0.5 wins the bet only if they win outright. No refunds, no pushes.

Whole Number (1.0, 2.0)

Whole number lines introduce the possibility of a push. A team backed at −1 needs to win by more than one goal for the bet to win outright. If they win by exactly one goal, the handicap makes the adjusted score a draw, and the full stake is refunded. 

Win by two or more and the bet wins fully. Lose and the bet loses fully.

Quarter Goal (0.25, 0.75, 1.25, 1.75)

Quarter goal lines are where Asian handicap gets genuinely unique. These lines split the stake across two adjacent handicaps simultaneously.

How Split Stakes Work on Quarter Goals

Quarter goal handicaps are the most misunderstood part of Asian handicap betting, but the logic is straightforward once you see it in practice.

A bet on a team at +0.25 automatically splits your stake equally between +0 (Level Ball) and +0.5. The two halves are settled independently.

Say you place $100 on a team at +0.25 and they draw:

• The +0 (Level Ball) half pushes - $50 refunded

• The +0.5 half wins - $50 returns with profit

Net result: you win half your bet and get the other half back.

If that same team loses:

• The +0 half loses - $50 gone

• The +0.5 half also loses - $50 gone

Net result: full loss.

If they win outright: both halves win, full profit on the entire stake.

The same principle applies across all quarter lines. A bet at −1.75 splits between −1.5 and −2.0. Win by two goals and you win the −1.5 half and push the −2.0 half. 

Win by three or more and both halves win in full. Win by one or draw and both halves lose.

Quarter lines give the market finer resolution than whole or half goal lines, the bookmaker can price a match more precisely, and bettors get partial outcomes rather than all-or-nothing results on the margins.

Asian Handicap vs Standard Handicap

The handicap betting guide on Jackpot.bet covers standard European handicap, whole number lines with three possible outcomes including the draw. Asian handicap differs in three key ways.

Outcomes: Standard handicap keeps the draw as a third result you can win, lose, or back directly. Asian handicap eliminates the draw by using half or quarter goal lines.

Lines: Standard handicap uses whole numbers only. Asian handicap uses whole, half, and quarter goals, giving the market much finer precision when pricing close matches.

Stake handling: Standard handicap pays or loses in full on every outcome. Asian handicap introduces partial refunds on whole number lines and split-stake settlements on quarter lines outcomes that standard handicap doesn't have.

For evenly matched games, standard handicap is often simpler. For matches where one team is a clear favourite but the draw is a realistic outcome, Asian handicap gives you a way to back that favourite at better odds while removing the draw risk entirely.

How to Use Asian Handicap on Jackpot.bet

Asian handicap markets are available across soccer on Jackpot.bet's sportsbook, covering the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Champions League, and international fixtures.

They sit alongside standard match odds and other markets within each game's betting options.

A few things worth keeping in mind before placing:

Combining Asian handicap selections in an accumulator works the same way as standard markets, but partial refunds on quarter lines affect how a pushed leg is treated within the multi, check the specific terms for how pushed legs are handled in parlays before building one.

If you're assessing whether a handicap line represents value, the implied probability behind the odds is the starting point, the odds and profit calculator makes that calculation straightforward for any line you're looking at.

Conclusion

Asian handicap strips soccer betting back to two outcomes and gives you tools, quarter goals, split stakes, partial refunds, that standard handicap markets simply don't offer. Level Ball acts as Draw No Bet for close matches. 

Half goal lines guarantee a clean result every time. Quarter lines give you partial cover when the margin is exactly on the line. 

Once you're comfortable with how each line type settles, Asian handicap becomes one of the more flexible markets on any soccer fixture. All of it is available right now across every major league on Jackpot.bet's sportsbook.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Asian handicap betting?

Asian handicap is a soccer betting market that gives the underdog a virtual goal advantage before kickoff, eliminating the draw as a possible outcome. 

The favourite receives a goal deficit. Outcomes resolve as a win, loss, or, on whole number and quarter lines, a partial or full stake refund.

What is the difference between Asian handicap and Draw No Bet?

Draw No Bet is the same as a 0.0 Asian handicap, both refund your stake on a draw. The difference is that Asian handicap extends to half and quarter goal lines, giving you a much wider range of markets beyond just the Level Ball option.

What happens when an Asian handicap bet pushes?

A push on a whole number line means the handicap-adjusted score ends level, your full stake is returned. On a quarter line, only one half of the split stake pushes while the other half wins or loses depending on which side of the line the result falls.

Is Asian handicap available on Jackpot.bet?

Yes, Asian handicap markets are available across all major soccer leagues and international fixtures on Jackpot.bet's sportsbook, including the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Serie A.