What does -1.5,-2 mean in soccer betting? How to read Asian Handicap?

Asian Handicap is a type of wagering that effectively gives the underdog an advantage. Used in soccer, the Asian Handicap removes the “draw” option for bettors and provides an edge to the underdog.

In typical soccer betting, you need to select either team to win the game outright on the money line or the draw (1×2 betting). That gives you three options. For example:

• Arsenal -120
• Draw +240
• Tottenham +200

Asian Handicap gives a bettor a choice between just the two teams, but the favorite must win by a certain margin to be considered a winning bet.

A recent example of an Asian Handicap bet came in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, as Juventus hosted Atletico Madrid down 2-0 on aggregate.

The Asian handicap line looked like this:

• Juventus -1.5, -2

Juventus ended up winning the match 3-0 at +110 odds meaning a $100 bet would have returned you $210 (your $100 stake plus $110).

One interesting aspect of Asian handicap lines is that because they offer two spreads, your bet can be graded as just a partial win (on 50% of your stake).

In this case, if Juventus had won the game by just two goals, your bet would grade as a partial win, while if they won by just one goal (or didn't win outright), the bet would be a loss.