Although not as popular as other types of Asian Handicaps, the -0.25 (or 1/4) isn’t as complicated as it may seem. Even though it might seem complex and difficult to understand, it’s a straightforward form of betting on soccer.
Anyone who understands the basics of Asian Handicaps should know how, where, and why to use the -0.25. In very simple terms, the -0.25 bet is a combination of two (+0 and -0.5) bets, so as long as you know what those mean and how they are used, you’re all set to start betting with a quarter-goal handicap.
We could end our guide here, but obviously, we need to look at the issue a bit closer and explain how exactly -0.25 works, what it does, and what it means in soccer betting.
How Does Asian Handicap Work?
When you talk about any Asian Handicap bet, it’s essential to know what Asian Handicap is and why it is used. Without providing too much detail about this type of bet - Asian Handicap is a form of wagering that gives the underdogs an imaginary advantage or puts handicaps the favorite by taking goals away from them.
In typical soccer betting (1x2), you select either team to win or that the game will end in a draw. That gives you only three options to choose from, whereas an Asian Handicap bettor has far more choices.
If you believe Team A will win the match with more than one goal to spare, you will back them with a -1.0 handicap, which essentially means that they will start the game with a negative one goal. The same principle applies when you bet on the underdogs with a positive handicap (ex. +1.0), in which case you are giving the team an imaginary headstart of one goal.
There will be many different variations of Asian Handicap, but while there are limitless possibilities when choosing the size of the handicap, there are only five different types of handicaps. In fact, there are only three, which you then combine to create the remaining two.
Types of Asian Handicaps include +0, quarter-goal handicaps (X.25), half-goal (X.5), three-quarters (X.75), and whole-number (X.00). The quarter and three-quarter handicaps stand out from the rest, but they’re basically nothing more than the combination of their adjacent handicaps.
What is -0.25 in Soccer Betting, and What Does it Mean?
As established above, the 0.25 and 0.75 handicaps might seem complex but are only combinations of two other handicaps. We have already covered what 0.75 means and how to use it in another article, so here we will focus on the 0.25 handicap.
The best way to explain what -0.25 in soccer betting is, is with an example.
Example
Let’s take a Premier League match between Brighton and Everton.
Brighton are priced as the favorites (+130), a draw is at +220, while Everton are priced as (+330) underdogs. Since Brighton are only slight favorites to win, the bookmakers will offer a +/-0.25 handicap line since they believe a one-quarter of a goal is enough to level the playing field – that might not make sense now but bear with us.
As noted above, the 0.25 handicap is a combination of two handicaps – in the example, it’s a combination of +0.0 and 0.50. Another way to look at 0.25 handicap is that it is two bets in one, where your wager gets split into two equal parts, which then get placed on +0.0 and 0.5 handicaps, respectively.
- You wager $100 on Brighton with a -0.25 handicap
- Your wager gets split into two equal parts ($50)
- The first half ($50) gets placed on Brighton +0.0
- The second half ($50) gets placed on Brighton -0.5
With the -0.5 handicap bet, you’re predicting Brighton to win the match, whereas the +0.0 bet on Brighton is essentially a Draw No Bet (NDB). With the latter, you will hit your bet if Brighton win but will get your stake refunded if the game ends in a draw.
Now that you know that -0.25 is nothing more than two bets in one, it is easy to figure out what you’re betting on with a quarter-goal handicap.
Assuming Brighton defeat Everton with 1-0, both of your bets (+0.0 and -0.5) would hit, resulting in a full pay-out. But what if the game ends in a draw?
If Brighton manage only a draw (1-1), your -0.25 bet will result in a “half-lost.” That is because you will get refunded the $50 you have placed no Brighton +0.0 but will lose the other half of your bet (Brighton -0.5).
The same principle applies to any X.25 bet. A -1.25 bet is nothing more than a combination of -1.00 and -1.50; a -2.25 is a combination of -2.00 and -2.50, and so on.
Key Points
- X.25 Asian handicap is two bets in one
- It combines X.0 and X.5 handicaps (ex. -0.25 combines +0.0 and -0.5)
- Your initial wager gets split into two equal parts, each then placed on separate handicaps
- A $100 bet on -0.25 is the same as placing $50 on +0.0 and $50 on -0.5
- You have to look at the result of the match separately for both bets
- Depending on the success of your two bets, you can either win, lose, half-win, or half lose
