Online sportsbooks in Nigeria offer a wide range in betting markets, and Asian Handicap is one of them. From the name, you can infer that the bet is from the far east. However, over the years, it grew in popularity and is now one of the top markets at online sports betting platforms worldwide. The bet is a common one in football and is a favorite because it creates more gambling opportunities. Nigerian punters can learn how the Asian Handicap works in this guide.
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What Does Asian Handicap Mean?
Asian Handicap is a kind of spread bet where one team gets an advantage to level the playing field. In an instance where one team is stronger than the opponent, a bookmaker offers the weaker side an advantage before the game begins. The bet removes the draw, meaning that you can only wager on two options - win or lose.
History Behind The Asian Handicap Bet
In the 1990s, British journalist, Joe Saumarez, coined the term ‘Asian Handicap’ when he was asked to translate ‘hang cheng.’ At the time, hang cheng was a wildly popular form of gambling in Indonesia and other Asian countries. The wagering system spread across the region and then to Europe and the U.S. Currently, it is one of the must-haves in sports gambling, especially for football markets.

Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros:
- Bigger chance of winning
- Increased betting opportunities compared to regular bets
- Bookmakers offer great odds on favorites
Cons:
- The bet might not be viable for bonus funds use
Types of Asian Handicap With Examples
This gambling system uses half and quarter goal increments, which creates a broad selection of wagers. A negative symbol is used to show the team with the advantage. Below are common alternatives.
Whole Goal
This bet works the same as conventional over/under wagers. In this case, you get to bet on the whole goal.
- For example, a site offers 1.80 home odds and 2.00 away odds on Liverpool vs Westham United - 0.1. Then you bet 100 NGN on Liverpool to win the - 0.1 AH. For your ticket to win, Liverpool has to win by 2+ goals. If Liverpool wins by a single goal, the bet is void, and you get your funds back. You lose your wager if Liverpool loses.
Half Goal
Also called a half-line Asian total, a half, 1/2, 0.5 goal handicap has two results - win or lose. Therefore, you won’t get money back in the case of a draw.
- For instance, you have odds for Monaco and Lyon 0:0.5. If you bet on Monaco, the team has to win for your bet slip to be profitable. However, a win or draw by Lyon is a loss for you.
Quarter Goal
The advantage is for a quarter goal before kickoff.
- For example, you have Manchester United vs Burnley 0.0.25. So, you put down 100 NGN on Man United. If the favorites win, your ticket makes a profit. However, if the teams draw, you get 50 NGN back and lose the other half. If Burnley wins, you lose the entire bet.

Asian Handicap Odds
The bet design forces a sportsbook to keep the odds as close to even as possible. Nigerian punters can find online bookmakers that offer odds of between 1.90 and 2.00. Compared to 1×2 betting, Asian Handicap has better odds. Subsequently, they provide opportunities to increase profits when wagering on teams with uneven strengths.
Leveraging The Asian Handicap
The difference between Asian Handicap and other handicaps is that it forces a winner by eliminating the draw. Consequently, the odds rise from 33% to almost 50%, which allows sportsbooks to give payouts close to even money. The use of quarter goals is part of the fun of betting on the Asian Handicap. Punters in Nigeria can capitalize on AH markets at most of the sites available. For the best experience, compare odds from different sites.
