The wide range of markets offered by bookmakers like Betsson, allows punters to employ pretty much any strategy they choose but then still come up with the same end result – i.e. a winner. And these generally revolve around the obvious areas such as the match winner, correct score, first goalscorer or over/under markets.

But one often neglected market by European punters is that of the Asian Handicap. It seems that some punters simply don’t appreciate the distinct advantages this style of betting provides.

In short, Asian line betting offers great value and is potentially less risky than traditional “Win-Draw-Win” style betting. You must either select the favoured team to overcome a handicap (framed in goals) or oppose the favourite with the handicap.

Key features include:

1. The bet can effectively remove ‘the draw’ from the equation. Think about how many times your potentially winning bet has been scuppered by a late equaliser.
2. The application of a handicap turns previously unattractive short priced favourites into backable opportunities. Whilst many shy away from lumping on a side at a skinny looking 1.3 the chance to back them at an acceptable price, for example better than 2.0, is of more interest.
3. The split stake element, whilst to some a cause for initial confusion, isn’t difficult to grasp and offers the chance to retain a portion of your stake even if your bet doesn’t win, because unlike a conventional odds bet, when you don’t win on the Asian Handicap it doesn’t necessarily mean that you lose all your stake.
4. You need not back the team who wins the match for your bet to collect. The handicap start can often prove enough to see your betting balance heading in the right direction.
5. It maintains betting capital and keeps your strike rate high. For the more conservative player a definite bonus and also of appeal to those who like to play to much bigger stakes.

The point being, as a way of adapting your betting style and creating new ways for you to make a profit the use of Asian Handicap betting is definitely worth exploring.

What to look for in an Asian handicap bet

Broadly speaking you’re going to be looking at two types of bets when it comes to the Asian Handicaps and by creating a few mythical matches we can illustrate the practical use of this innovative betting market.

Take the straight handicap bet, probably the easiest bet to understand. With this, you would expect the perceived the underdogs to be given a notional start such as (+0.5) or (+1.0) or (+1.5) and, by the same token, the favourites would begin the match with the corresponding negative value handicap to overcome.

Now, when the handicap line is smallest, just half a goal either way, a bet on the match favourite offers no advantage to the standard match odds. For example in a game priced up like this between Birmingham and Sunderland, the home side in this case Birmingham are 1.98 to win the match in the ‘match odds’ market and 1.97 in the Asian Handicap market with a (-0.5) deficit to overcome.

They are, of course, one and the same bet – with the draw not an option, due to the handicap line being half a goal, Birmingham would either win the match (and the bet) or they wouldn’t whether viewed in context of the Asian Handicap line or the conventional match odds.

The alternative was to back Sunderland with a head start. They traded at 4.5 for the 90 minute win on the match odds market but, of course, the draw was a very live runner in this respect. For sure, you could have split your stakes between a Sunderland win and the draw so as to create a combined odds bet. Or you could have simplified that to a play on the Asian Handicap. Again, it boils down to the same end result and could even generate a bigger profit.

Let’s take a look at a team that is a heavy odds on favourite at home, Chelsea playing one of the weaker Premiership sides at home will provide a good example especially with their strong record at home, Wolves are taken as the opposition. Here you’ll see the lines at both (1.0) and (1.5) either way. Chelsea with a deficit to overcome, Wolves with a notional goal or goal-and-a-half head start.

The (1.5) line works as with the above example of Birmingham/Sunderland. Chelsea need to win by two clear goals for you to collect but they’re 2.0 on the Asian Handicap to do this as opposed to just 1.22 to win the game on the match odds market. A good way to turn an odds-on chance into a decent bet at odds against.

Similarly, you can back Wolves with a healthy head start for a match they probably stand little real chance of winning but could, conceivably, keep close. And, with the line at (1.0) should they lose by just a single goal, your bet is void and stakes returned. You’ve not backed a loser although your side has lost the match.
What tends to confuse some players new to the handicaps are the split bets, those where you see a twin handicap. For instance, if Manchester United went to Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League, one of the lines being (+0.5, 1.0) for Blackburn or (-0.5, 1.0) for United. But this works on effectively the same principle as above.

All you need to remember is that your bet is being split, half your stake on one handicap line and half on the other. This is the area where Asian Handicaps come into their own as with the conventional markets your entire stake either wins or loses, there’s no middle ground. Here, you can collect on one half of the bet even if you lose on the other.

If you back United (-0.5, 1.0) and they win by two clear goals then both halves naturally pay a return, in the same way that if they draw the game or lose then both portions of your stake are lost.

However, if Sir Alex’s side prevail by a single goal then you would win on the (-0.5) line and get your stake returned on the (-1.0) part of the bet as it’s a drawn handicap and therefore a void bet according to the rules. So you still make a profit on the bet.

Another bigger handicap on this match is Blackburn (+1.0, 1.5). Here, if Blackburn lose by a score of, say, 2-1 then you win with the (+1.5) bet but get your stake returned for the other half as the handicap is tied. And, of course, if Blackburn draw or win the game then you’ll collect on both bets.

This type of bet provides that crucial middle ground. That half win/lose situation which can suit the cautious punter as well as the heavy hitter (neither take kindly to losing their full stake).

And, in a nutshell, that sums up the attraction of the Asian Handicaps. It’s another way of dealing with the whole risk and reward element of betting.

So, if you’re new to this area of betting do consider it as a serious way of widening your betting knowledge and improving your betting bank balance. Any effort you put into researching the subject of Asian Handicaps should more than be repaid by the success it delivers.

Put your new betting skills to the test at Betsson.com – the bookie with the most markets and the best odds.

A new and exciting growing betting phenomenon is that of in-running or in-play betting.

Football punters who have not yet got involved are missing out on some great excitement and the chance to turn their reading of a live game into profit.

In-play football betting simply means odds are updated live and move in reaction to events and incidents during a match allowing punters to get involved with a bet, right up until the final whistle.

Lots to bet on for fast fingered punters

The most obvious way to join in with in-play betting is to wait until a game is underway before assessing which team is on top or creating the better chances, and then have a match bet on your selection at the odds available at that point in time.

Bookmakers like Betsson now offer a huge array of in-play betting opportunities from the obvious markets like next team to score, total goals, correct score and sending off, to the more subliminal ones like substitutions.

Remember betting in running is a fast-moving medium and bettors need to be able to calculate decisions quickly and have a strategy in place to cope with rapid changes in the game and the subsequent movements in price.

You can, if quick fingered and shrewd, guarantee a profit by betting on the alternative outcomes at attractive odds in some markets, as the game ebbs and flows.

A betting exchange such as is offered by Betsson provides an additional trading angle as the prices constantly change.

Indeed, if you have called it right and backed an outcome at longer odds, say Blackburn Rovers to win at 6 against Arsenal, which then shortens after Rovers score, you are able in effect to “sell” or lay the bet or part of it back to the market at much shorter odds (say 2) and lock in a guaranteed profit.

That’s all well and good when you gain an advantageous position but it is important to consider what to do should a position go against you,

Important points to consider with in-play betting

In-play betting adds a new exciting element to punting, but there are some important points to remember to avoid some of the pitfalls associated with it:

Planning – You must be prepared, have a plan. “Without preparation you will fail before you begin”. Research, trends and outside influences are important – make sure they are in place.

Patience – “You need plenty of patience to become a profitable punter” Wait for the right opportunity and have a proven area of success. Watch and assess the game before jumping in, sometimes just watching pays dividends.

Consistency – Specialise in two or three in running markets and get used to the way the markets move and react to incidents within the game – you’ll then be prepared when you enter them.

Greed – Don’t get greedy. If you have a set point where you decide to close your position do it, don’t hang on as that will eventually cost you. Incidents can happen very quickly that change a game and the odds turn a winning position into a losing one.

Discipline – “Lack of discipline will undermine your progress” Don’t let emotion ruin a good strategy, stick to your rules, see above.

Laziness – “It is arguably a natural human characteristic to get away with putting in very little effort” Betting on football is complex, add in play to the equation and it becomes more so. You need to invest time initially and at the very least learn the fundamentals to gain an edge.

Mistakes – “Gain a valuable edge and take advantage from past mistakes, by keeping good records” Another area where punters fall down badly is, they fail to learn from past mistakes, and continue to make them over and over again. You should try to improve your performance, and keeping good records will help you to do this. Once again learning how markets move especially in play will help you achieve this.

Emotion – “Learn how psychology and emotion can undermine your success” Learning to control the way you think and react to situations that arise in your betting patterns will lead to consistent success. If you stick to a proven plan you won’t start to question your judgment or ability. Have faith in your own opinion and be wary of hype and rumours. Don’t get caught up in the game and forget your strategy, sometimes betting on teams that you have an emotional attachment to is best forgotten.

TV coverage – Remember that if you are watching a match on television or streamed over the internet, it is likely to be some seconds delayed and it is possible another exchange punter may have a few seconds advantage over you – which could prove costly.

The golden rule with in-play betting is keep thinking a few minutes ahead – what will happen if ….? With live trading, you are focusing on what happens next, not necessarily the end result.

In-play betting has dramatically changed the football betting landscape forever. It’s fast, furious and fun but make sure it’s profitable by following the rules.

Football betting is of course great fun, but if you are to be a success long term, it is advisable to do your homework before parting with your cash.

There are a wealth of statistics and lots of helpful information available with Topleague and you should use all of this to your advantage, but it is not the complete answer. Before making a judgement, it can pay to anticipate as many possible outcomes as you can and ask yourself what influences could affect the outcome of the game.

By having this strategy in place, you can think beyond the norm.

Stats and more stats

There are some obvious starting points which become apparent with minimal research. If a team is on a winning run and confidence is high, you are immediately drawn to them over a side which cannot find a victory and whose confidence is rock bottom as tactics and personnel may be chopped and changed in an effort to turn things around.

Average goals per match and home and away records are similarly helpful as are past head-to-head comparisons between teams and there are many more statistics available to the punters as results are scrutinised and fed through various analysis programmes.

But do not be blinded by stats. If the data relates to matches from long ago when none of the current players were involved, their worthiness has to be seriously questioned.

Give more credence to recent clashes between teams when the personnel and club infrastructure was largely the same and distinguish between home and away form and check out if any key players were injured and whether the teams were experiencing a good or bad run of form.

Be prepared to delve a little deeper into the patterns and trends that surround the games.

More than a numbers game

Stats are great but betting on football simply by looking at the numbers provided in a results section or as part of a league table is a dangerous business. If all the favourites won and there was never a shock all the bookmakers would be out of business in a heartbeat and punters around the world would rejoice in harmony.

Trends will often show that teams are on good runs or bad runs, in truth sides can run up sequences like that throughout the season – don’t over react to them but look at the make-up of those set of fixtures.

Were the matches all easy or did the club experience a particularly brutal set of fixtures when you would not expect the said team to win, even if they were playing at the top of their form.

Punters can sometimes be too influenced by recent events and we must always be prepared to look at the longer-term picture when assessing a result or a team.

If it was only as easy as only looking at previous form, punters would be the ones with the advantage and bookmakers would be cutting the odds and making sure it was a lot tougher to make big profits from football betting.

Follow the story

Normally there is a storyline for most games that could change the outcome,

Of course Manchester United will almost always be favourite to beat Wolves, but what if you know it is going to be a second-string United side turning up at Molineux? Keep an eye on the news – it’s there to help – and if you find out Wayne Rooney and 10 of his regular teammates will not be turning up, then it might be the right time to react and avoid backing a reserve team at odds-on.

Injuries, illness and suspension can always change your perception of a possible result, but might not always be reflected in the odds.

The same goes for referees. Referees lists are available a couple of days before the match in some countries, and some referees do tend to officiate differently and of course some are far harsher than others. This is especially important when getting involved in bookings markets and indexes.

One of the biggest influences that interests football backers is a change of manager – instantly backers expect results to improve. Perceived wisdom is that a team will want to play better and impress their new boss, that argument presupposes that they are capable of impressing.

Ultimately results may improve but that is then down to the quality of the new manager, the calibre of players at his disposal and probably most important these days the funds made available for transfers.

Even something that might seem worth ignoring, like the weather, can have a significant impact on results. Imagine a slippery pitch, snow, rain, hail and tough conditions; they are often said to be ‘a leveller’. The impact of such weather on pitches can certainly make life harder for the skilful player and possibly the goalkeeper.

Could that be the time to get involved in the total goals market? Maybe challenges will start to become reckless – time to go and back bookings?

These things may sound simple but they are often ignored and it all comes down to betting with your head, filled with all of the information you have gleaned while researching, rather than your heart.

So the message is to use form and statistics in conjunction with other non numerical factors.

And remember bettors have the advantage of concentrating on one or a few teams that they can get to know well – bookmakers still have to cover the whole spectrum of teams that they provide prices for.

Put your new betting skills to the test at Betsson.com – the bookie with the most markets and the best odds.

Goals are arguably the most important component in a game of football and at Betsson there are many exciting ways to have a related bet.

Betting on the total number of goals in a match, the total number of first half goals, home or away team goals totals and over and under a set mark, such as 1.5 goals per match, are among the most popular and are worth exploring.

However, betting on football is not confined just to goals and the markets that accommodate them directly.

Ante-post (or long-term) markets are a whole different proposition. These markets allow you to bet well ahead of the outcome of an event and to take the odds on offer at that time.

The betting will of course change with fluctuations in the season, but if your judgement is right, you can secure good value.

For example, Betsson’s ante-post Premier League winner’s market is popular among those who like to have a bet that could provide excitement for a long time – even throughout the whole season.

If you had a bet on Manchester United at 3.4 to win the title and they are six points clear, their price will probably shorten significantly, let’s say to around the 1.9 mark, meaning you secured a bargain. It can of course work the other way though.

In addition to the Premier League, there are similar ante-post markets on all major leagues in Europe and South America, as well as the biggest tournaments the planet has to offer; the World Cup, European Championship and Champions League among them.

Ante-post football markets on all of these leagues and competitions usually allow you to also bet on other outcomes.

For example for a fraction of the odds, you can bet on a team to finish in the top three or four overall – in tournaments this will usually involve betting on a team to get to the semi-finals with only the cup winner producing the biggest returns.

Likewise, at the start of a season, often a handicap market is available where you might be able to back your outright fancy at much bigger odds if you are prepared to give other teams in the market a head-start – you can of also receive a points advantage if you do not back the ‘scratch’ team…

For example, Manchester United started the 2009/10 Premier League season as outright favourite and in a handicap market would have been given a scratch (often called Scr) start of zero points and been available to back at 18/1 to win the league, giving every other team a start – most likely starting with a couple of points to the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea all the way to 40 or 50 points to clubs expected to struggle like Wolves and Burnley.

There are more complex markets we will look at in future tutorials, but among the simpler to describe are player markets, where the final result makes no difference at all to the outcome.

Back to the game

Rather than back a team to win a match, you can back a player to score a goal instead – for example if your research reveals Fernando Torres has a great record of scoring goals for Liverpool against Hull City, then you might take advantage of the odds on offer for that. At times you can even find odds for individual players to score a hat-trick.

The number of corners is another market that is gathering popularity amongst soccer bettors and again research can be important.

Many who play these markets think that the market is related to the total goals market – not true. You may have heard people say that in a game that is expected to be cagey and low scoring there will not be many corners – and conversely, that in a game where both teams are expected to be gung-ho and free-scoring there will be lots of corners. Research over the years has proved that the rises and falls in goals scored in a game does not correspondingly give a rise and fall in the number of corners awarded.

On the more negative side of the game, bookings markets have become popular over time in correlation with the amount of headlines referees have made, and odds are often available for players being booked or sent-off, as well as prices on the total bookings.

These will often be given a numerical quote, for example you might back bookings at over 50 points, when one yellow card is 10 points and a red card is 25 points, if you think a game might be a little on the tense side or it is, perhaps, a derby game between two fierce rivals like Arsenal and Spurs.

These markets, and many others, are also available on the betting exchanges as well, for example the one on offer at Betsson, where the punters act as bookmakers and offer prices that they are willing to lay.

The bookmaker, in this case, takes a percentage of returns in the form of commission and backers and layers are matched up, without actually ever knowing who the other is. Prices do vary from the fixed odds but in effect the end result is still the same – someone wins and someone loses!

Exchanges offer a dynamic way of betting, with changes in price more frequent and more extreme, especially at the time the match is actually being played – in-running betting as it is widely known, which will be covered in another of the forthcoming tutorials.

So the next time you look at a match take a glance at the wider picture and consider a bet in these markets – you might not be able to see an edge for a team in the goals related markets but it’s not all about the goals is it?

Put your new betting skills to the test at Betsson.com – the bookie with the most markets and the best odds.

The world of football betting is big and growing ever bigger. There are now more opportunities to have a bet than ever before. Backing your judgement and enjoying the thrill of a bet – especially a winning one – offers great excitement, but it can be confusing for the first-time punter.

This tutorial is designed to explain some of the most basic and popular football betting opportunities and to help identify what prices are being offered and how to place a bet.

So to start at the beginning, you have registered on the site and deposited funds and two teams are playing in a match that has caught your interest – in this example it is a Premier League game between Portsmouth and West Ham.

You have assessed the team strengths, perhaps looked at recent results, league positions and even head-to-head records (Topleague provides all this information plus a great preview podcast), you have formed an opinion and are ready to back your judgement.

The most straightforward option is to select the game from the Premier League coupon and to have a ‘match bet’, that is to choose the outcome of a game for which there are three alternatives: home win (also noted as 1 on the coupon), a draw (noted as X) and an away win (noted as 2). This system is known Europe-wide as 1X2 and is different to an Asian Handicap which will be explained in a later tutorial

The prices on offer for this game, derived by Betsson’s own experts (odds compilers) are:

Portsmouth 2.50 (stake 1 unit, return 2.50 units including stake)
Draw 3.10 (stake 1 unit, return 3.10 units including stake)
West Ham 2.80 (stake 1 unit, return 2.80 units including stake)

These prices are expressed as decimal odds, but they can also be displayed as fractional odds (particularly in the UK) which provide the same returns and for this match would read thus:

Portsmouth 6/4
Draw 21/10
West Ham 9/5

It is now a simple matter of choosing the outcome you predict will happen and the level of stake you wish to invest – then sit back and enjoy the game.

If there are a number of games of interest you can link them together in ‘a multiple’ and potentially win big from a small stake – at Betsson you can bet as low as 1 tenth of the unit currency – that is if you are betting in Euros, the minimum stake unit is just 0.10 Euros.

With a multiple, the winnings from one bet are carried on to another. The simplest such bet is a double where both selections must win for you to win. Adding one more selection makes a treble, and then there is a four-timer accumulator and so on. The only limit is your imagination.

Obviously the bigger the combination bet, the bigger the potential winnings and the higher the risk but these kinds of bets are hugely popular.

Away from the actual result, there are many other bets available on each match, some of which we’ll look at in the next tutorial, but among the most popular are the final scoreline and half-time/full-time combinations.

For example in the above game, if you fancied Portsmouth to win 2-0, you could back them in the correct score market and receive odds of 10.00 (stake 1 unit, return 10.00 units including stake).

Similarly, bookmakers like Betsson split the game into two (first half and second half) and call a winner for each of the halves (often called double result) meaning if you fancied Portsmouth to be leading at both half-time and full-time, you could back them at 3.50. Alternatively if you believed Portsmouth were often slow to get going but finished as match strongly, you may opt for West Ham/Portsmouth and big odds of 35.00 would be your reward.

But when you learn that Betsson had 28 markets available on that game alone and, at the time of writing, over 4,000 individual football markets available you will see just the depth of selection available to you.

And that is without even mentioning the Exchange option, where other people act as the bookmaker and offer a price which may be different to the fixed odds available.

But all that is for another article.

Why not start off by deciding the outcome of a game and have a simple match bet – you will love it.

Put your new betting skills to the test at Betsson.com – the bookie with the most markets and the best odds.