Alternative Asian handicap - what is it? Explained

Betting has a lot of jargon terms that can be confusing for the average sports fan.

Alternative asian handicap (aka AAH) is certainly one of them and the average gambling enthusiast may never have placed a bet on this type of market.

But for those who are serious about going up against the big betting sites and coming out on top, the AAH is a fantastic way to place wagers.

If you do not know what the alternative Asian handicap is or how it can be used in wagers, there is no need to worry.

Our ultimate guide to the alternative Asian handicap will tell you everything you need to know.

What is alternative Asian handicap in soccer betting?            

To understand this type of handicap in soccer betting it is important to first clarify exactly how the Asian handicap markets work on betting sites.

Asian handicap bets - often referred to as just AH by bookmakers - take out the possibility of the draw, which technically allows punters to access better value bets.

As there are only two options to the bet - either one team wins or the other does - it means there is less margin for bookmakers and more potential profit up for grabs as a result.

Handicap betting might sound complex and complicated at first but it does not have to be that way and once you get to grips with it, these bets are actually quite easy to understand.

The starting scoreline for any match in any sport is always level, so all the handicap does is give one team an advantage from the start.

So if a team is offered at -1 on the handicap market, this means their final tally of goals or points will be reduced by one for the purpose of the bet.

That really is all there is to it and alternative Asian handicap in soccer betting is no more difficult to understand either.

The only difference between standard Asian handicap bets and the alternative Asian handicap markets is that there are other different options up for grabs on your chosen sportsbook.

For example, Asian handicap markets might include such offers such as -1, -1.5. On the alternative Asian handicap lines, options to take on betting sites could include -2.5, -3.0.

The most famous are asian handicap 0.5 and AH 0.0 

How does AAH work?            

Alternative Asian handicap bets - or just AAH for short - work in much the same way as standard Asian handicap bets. 

This means that, unlike the vast majority of bets you might place on a gambling website, there is the chance to have the bet end in a 'push'.

What this means in practice is that the stake will be returned to your account by your chosen bookmaker. This happens in the event of a draw once the handicap is taken into account.

Let's say for example that you want to place a hot pick on a Superliga football match between local rivals Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade.

Red Star Belgrade are at home for the game and are big favourites in the eyes of bookmakers due to the fact that Partizan Belgrade are trying to cope with a major injury crisis.

You will notice when browsing sportsbooks for alternative Asian handicap bets that there is often two numbers written side by side for one particular option - for example -1.5, -2.

This means that the stake you choose to place on the bet is split into two, with half of it going towards a wager on your chosen team at a handicap of -1.5, while the other goes on -2.

In the next section of our ultimate guide to AAH in soccer betting we will go through exactly what you need to do to place a bet on this type of market with bookmakers.

Odds and examples of using alternative Asian handicap            

Alternative Asian handicap bets are usually placed just under where the standard Asian handicap bets are offered by your chosen sportsbook.

They will sometimes be labelled AAH so watch out for this, but they can be spotted easily.

To go back to our example of Manchester City hosting Manchester United in a Premier League grudge match, let's say you want to bet on City on the alternative Asian handicap market.

Your chosen wager for the match is Manchester City -2, -2.5. This means you are expecting Manchester City to easily win when they go up against their local rivals Manchester United.

As we mentioned a little earlier on in our ultimate guide, half of the stake from this alternative Asian handicap bet would go on the -2 Manchester City bet. The other half of your chosen stage will go on a bet on Manchester City -2.5.

If Manchester City were to lose the match to Manchester United, the outcome for the bet is quite obvious. Both halves of the wager would be losers and you would be out of pocket.

The same would be true if Manchester City were to win the game by a single goal, as this would not be enough goals to triumph based on the handicaps you have chosen to bet on.

In the event of a two-goal Manchester City victory, for example by a 3-1 scoreline, things do get a little bit more complicated here.

The -2 Manchester City bet would be a push due to the scores being level on your chosen handicap, with the -2.5 Manchester City bet a loser as the final result would be 0.5-1.

But if Manchester City were to win the match against Manchester United by a three-goal margin, for example by a score of 4-1, then both halves of the bet would be a winner.

The chance to have stakes returned is one of the big selling points of the alternative Asian handicap - if you cannot win a bet then at least you will get another opportunity with your cash.

Summary of alternative Asian handicap    

It sounds like a lot to take in, and it can be for anyone unfamiliar with Asian handicap betting.

But once you have a little bit of practice with how these bets work, the Bet365 alternative Asian handicap can be a great option to help you get one over bookmakers.

With the draw taken out of the equation in this market, there is a lot more value up for grabs when compared to a lot of the other bets that are offered on standard sportsbooks.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to making money on the alternative Asian handicap, so play around with the options on offer from betting sites and see what works for you.

As always, the best advice we have for when you are testing out a new type of bet is to stick with very small stakes until you are confident you have got a full grasp of how the wager works.

But as long as you remember to calculate the handicap in your mind at all times then there is not going to be any more risk involved with placing alternative Asian handicap bets compared to any other type of wager that might be offered by betting sites.