What does -1, -1.5 mean?

[GiveMeaBJ]

Have always seen it never knew what it meant or how it worked. Anyone care to explain?

[MexicanStallion]

It means you need both bets to hit to cash. If the team wins by 1, then you push on that and lose the other. So you win/lose half the stakes.

[GiveMeaBJ]

Got it thanks Mex, so it is baisically insurance?

[mihaita666]

we need a sticky thread on the soccer forum to explain the asian handicap.

if your team wins by at least2 goals, you win. if your team wins by 1 goal, you lose half..if your team doesn't win, you lose all your wager

[montan]

Lets take 2 teams, A and B.
lets say team A is favorite , meaning they are considered as winners before the game starts, therefore team B should lose.

a.) team A - team B is in play. lets say you bet -1 on the favorite team, which is team A. To win your bet, the match has to finish 2-0, 3-1 4-2..and so on , for team A, because -1 means that you cut one goal from them, you eliminate one goal, so 2-0(1-0), 3-1(2-1), 4-2(3-2). They win anyway with that goal in minus.

b.) If the game finish 1-0, 2-1 or 4-3 it means that the game finished as a draw. minus one goal it will be 1-0(0-0), 2-1(1-1),4-3(3-3). This is what -1 means.

Some sportsbooks give you your money back if the game finished the way i showed you at point b.), This is called a push. Also some other sportsbooks give you only half of the money you`ve bet , or they retain a small amount of your bet sum (your stake).

-1.5 is more convenient for sportsbook, because the game can`t possibly end as a draw.You can`t score half a goal in a game . in the same time it is also convenient for bettors too, because the odds are a little high .

1.) So if we take again team A with -1.5 and the game finished 2-0, 3-1 4-2, you win because -1.5 will give you this result: 2-0(0.5-0), 3-1(1.5-1), 4-2(2.5-2). you win with half a goal.

2.) But, if the game finish 1-0, 2-1 or 4-3, you lose your bet , because the real result will be like this: 1-0 (-0.5 - 0), 2-1(0.5 - 1) or 4-3 (2.5 - 3).This mean that team B win the game and not only you lose your stake but you can`t take it back. No sportsbook will give you your money back because you didn`t make a push.

Understand?