Asian Total in Sports Betting — What It Means?

Total in sports betting is a wager on any quantitative indicator that can be measured in a given event. There are two types: European (standard) and Asian (quarter). Let’s break down what Asian total means in betting and provide examples of how it works. To understand how the Asian total (AT) works, it’s important to know the principle of the European total — whole and half numbers. When placing a bet on an AT ending in 0.25 or 0.75, the player effectively wagers on two adjacent European totals. The total stake is divided in half.

For example, we place a 10 USD bet on Over (2.25).

This means two bets are placed:

• Over (2.0) for 5 USD;
• Over (2.5) for 5 USD.

When calculating, the bookmaker pays out the combined result, but in essence, two separate bets are settled.

Notation in bookmaker lines

Once you understand what an Asian total is in betting, it’s easy to find it in an online bookmaker’s line. Usually, this type of market is placed right after its European counterpart, somewhere near the handicap markets.

The market name is always the same. The easiest way to identify it is by the quarter endings of the value — 0.25, 0.75.

Sports and metrics it applies to

When analyzing how to interpret the Asian total, note that it applies not only to goals. Many measurable statistics in various sports can be used for AT bets:

• goals, corners, yellow cards, fouls, offsides in football;
• goals, faceoffs won, penalties in hockey;
• games, aces, double faults in tennis;
• innings in baseball, etc.

In basketball, where the European total is most popular, the Asian version is rarely used. This is because there are so many points scored per game that splitting Over and Under values makes little sense.

Main types of Asian totals

The classification here is similar to that of the standard total:

• overall (for both teams combined);
• individual;
• for the entire match;
• for separate segments — halves, quarters, periods.

How the bet is calculated

Not all beginners immediately understand how the Asian total is calculated for different indicators across various sports. Let’s look at a few examples for illustration.

Example of calculation

Let’s place a $10 bet on the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace. The bet on Over (3.25) is offered at odds of 2.10. The calculation options are as follows:

• The total number of goals in the match exceeds three. Both halves of our bet — Over (3.0) and Over (3.5) — win. We receive a payout of $10 × 2.10 = $21, with a net profit of $11.
• The teams score exactly three goals combined. One of our parts — Over (3.5) — loses, while the other — Over (3.0) — is refunded. We get a $5 refund and lose the remaining $5.
• If fewer than three goals are scored, both halves of the bet lose, and the $10 is fully lost.

For comparison, let’s look at the odds for nearby European totals. Over (3.0) was priced at 1.75, and Over (3.5) at 2.33.

Thus, the Asian total provides an intermediate coefficient, blending risk to some extent since, with three goals, half of the stake is refunded.

And what if we placed a bet on the opposite outcome — Under (3.25) at 1.85?

The following calculation options apply:

1. More than three goals — the bet loses.
2. Exactly three goals — half wins (Under 3.5), and the other half (Under 3.0) is refunded. $5 × 1.85 + $5 = $14.25, net profit — $4.25.
3. Two or fewer goals — full win: $10 × 1.85 = $18.50. Profit is $8.50.

Here, there are two profitable outcomes and one losing one. However, the bookmaker’s calculations show that the risk is lower — hence the slightly less favorable odds.

Calculation in accumulators

Using Asian totals in accumulator bets has its own specifics. Splitting the stake into two parts affects the overall calculation. Let’s illustrate with a simple example: an accumulator of two selections, one of which is an AT. We place a 10 USD bet with the following picks: Home Win at 1.60 and Over (2.25) at 1.70. If the home team fails to win, the entire bet is lost.

If the first selection wins, here are the possible outcomes based on the total in the second event:

1. A goalless draw or one goal — accumulator loses.
2. Two goals — $1.60 × $5 × 1.70 = $13.60.
3. Three or more goals — $1.60 × 1.70 × $10 = $27.20.

This accumulator technically consists of three parts but isn’t a treble, since the AT components don’t multiply but run parallel. This setup provides a win even if one half loses — as seen in the second outcome. When multiple Asian totals are added to the bet slip, the calculations become significantly more complex. One would have to compute numerous combinations manually. However, online bookmakers handle these calculations automatically.

Pros and Cons of Asian totals

The main advantages of this betting market include:

• availability in nearly all online bookmakers’ lines;
• applicability to various metrics across many sports;
• the ability to find profitable odds when European Over/Under markets don’t offer them;
• a built-in safety mechanism — a refund instead of a full loss on one half of the bet.

The main drawback is the complexity of calculations for beginners, especially when such selections are added to accumulators.