What is an Asian handicap? The football betting tactic that shouldn’t be ignored
When it comes to betting on football, the Asian handicap is a great option and one that’s often overlooked.
It’s a form of football betting which means that a team is ‘handicapped’ according to their current form, so that stronger team would need to win by a set amount of goals for the bet to pay out.
That could mean, for example, that a bet on Chelsea in the FA Cup against Liverpool could pay a return even if the Blues were to draw or lose by a single goal – as the Premier League leaders are currently expected to blitz their opponents.
So it makes sense to check which bookmakers support Asian handicap betting so you can try it out.
In terms of that Chelsea v Liverpool cup tie, the Reds will of course be favourites but there is every reason for Blues fans to feel confident that their team can win that game and progress to the quarter-finals.
Chelsea youngsters can shine
The strength of Liverpool’s squad is obvious and the performances of their young players in cup competitions this season shows that the next generation of talent at Anfield looks immense.
But Chelsea have young players of their own to be reckoned with and the FA Cup is potentially a great platform for them to showcase their ability.
Young midfielder Billy Gilmour is a hugely exciting talent and his performances for Chelsea’s first team so far suggest he will be a force to be reckoned with at the top level.
Left-back Ian Maatsen could also get a run-out and his displays for Chelsea’s development side and in the Carabao Cup indicate that he too will make the breakthrough at senior level – and it’s a position where Chelsea need a decent option, with Marcos Alonso very likely to move on in the summer.
And of course there is Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has been returning to form after injury and is also likely to feature in the cup game. So Chelsea have youngsters of their own capable of making an impact.
‘Batman’ returns
The FA Cup also gives Michy Batshuayi a chance to stake a claim for a first-team place or at least cement his place as Tammy Abraham’s stand-in.
Despite limited game time, Batshuayi has scored nine goals this season and four of those have come in cup competitions – including against Hull in the previous round of the FA Cup.
The Belgium striker is a more than decent option for Chelsea up front and more than capable of troubling what is likely to be very far from Liverpool’s first-choice defence.
So a bet on Chelsea to reach the last eight could be well worth it.
