26. "Straight" Asian Handicap Betting

When "Straight" handicapping is being used, the result of applying the handicapping to the match result is very obvious. For example, if a goal advantage of ½ is given to the Away Team and the match result is 0:0, then the handicapped result would be 0:½, meaning that the Away Team had won for the purposes of deciding the pay-out under Asian Handicap Betting rules.

Consider the above scenario again, but this time with an actual match result of 1:0. This would mean that the handicapped result would be 1:½, and that the Home Team had won for the purposes of deciding the pay-out under Asian Handicap Betting rules.

The quirk that appears with "Straight" handicapping is where the handicapped result ends up as a Draw (which can only occur where Whole number handicapping is used). For example, if a goal advantage of 1 is given to the Away Team and the actual match result is 1:0, then the handicapped result would be 1:1. In this very special case there is considered to be "no bet", and your stake would be returned to you almost intact (a small administration fee having been deducted first, usually around 3%); so you lose almost nothing. Whole number "straight" handicapping includes no handicapping (0:0), 0:1, 1:0, 0:2, 2:0, 0:3 and 3:0.

Half number handicapping covers 0:½, ½:0, 0:1½, 1½:0, 0:2½ and 2½:0; it is not possible to obtain a "no bet" scenario here (because a Draw result can never arise with the application of Half number handicapping, and a "no bet" scenario only applies to a handicapped result that produces a Draw as its output).

The odds for "Straight" Asian Handicap Betting will generally be displayed in one of the two manners shown below (both examples are for identical handicapping):

What both the examples given above mean in betting terms is the following:

1. For Match Ref (a):
   1. If you bet on Team A to win, then Team A has to be the clear match winner for you to be paid out at the Home Team Odds. If the actual match result ends in a Draw, you lose your stake.
   2. On the other hand, if you bet on Team B to win, then Team B only has to achieve a Draw for you to be paid out at the Away Team Odds. If it fails to achieve the Draw or Win, then you lose your stake.
2. For Match Ref (b):
   1. If you bet on Team C to win, then Team C only has to achieve an actual match result of a Draw for you to be paid out at the Home Team Odds. If it loses by only 1 goal, then the handicapped result would be a Draw, and your stake would therefore be returned to you. But if it loses by more than 1 goal, then you would lose your stake.
   2. On the other hand, if you bet on Team D to win, then Team D has to be the clear match winner for you to be paid out at the Away Team odds. If it wins by only 1 goal, then the handicapped result would be a Draw, and your stake would therefore be returned to you. But if it does not win the match, then you would lose your stake.