While badminton can be a fun summer activity for family and friends, it’s very popular worldwide and is the fastest-growing sport where players use a racket. When it debuted at the 1996 Olympics, it was the most-watched sport overall, with more than 1.1 billion people tuning in to watch the games.
As its popularity increases, many sites for betting online allow players to wager on badminton events worldwide.
The basic rules of competitive badminton were established by the Badminton Federation of England near the end of the 19th century. However, the sport is most prevalent in Asia and is played by many people in Japan, China, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
For those new to the sport, this guide will provide everything about the basics of badminton wagering and the different bet types available.
Badminton Gameplay
The mechanics of badminton are similar to tennis, but its rules and scoring are closer to volleyball. Players on either side of the net use a shuttlecock, which is hit back and forth with a racket similar to the one used in tennis.
Players can only hit it once before it goes over the net or hits the ground. Like tennis, there is single and doubles play, including mixed doubles. Each match consists of three sets, with the winner being the first player to reach 21.
Badminton Betting Markets
Straight Bets
This is the simplest type of wager when betting on badminton, where players pick who they think will win the match. If that player is the winner, the bet is successful no matter the margin they win by.
Unfortunately, players will often find an overwhelming favorite in some matches that pay short odds, meaning they have to risk a lot to get a significant win. However, bookmakers created the next betting market on this list to counter that trend.
Handicap Betting
In badminton betting, the only two match results are either 2-0 or 2-1, with the handicap always set at -1.5 for the favorite and +1.5 for the underdog. This is similar to other low-scoring sports like baseball and hockey.
For example, if taking the favorite at -1.5, they must win the match 2-0 for the bet to be successful. However, when betting on the underdog at +1.5, the bet is still a winner if that player loses the match and wins at least one set. It’s not uncommon for the winner of the match to lose a set, which is why this can be a profitable betting market.
Over/Under
In this badminton betting market, players can wager whether something occurring in the match will be higher or lower than the number provided by the bookmaker. For example, betting on the total points scored in a match by both players will be seen as a pick of higher or lower than a specific number.
If the over/under is at 72, players should pick the over if they think the match will go three sets. They should take the under if they believe the winner will take it in straight sets 2-0.
Correct Score
Bettors that like to follow the small details of a badminton match can make a wager on the final score. Players must simply pick whether the final score will be 2-1 or 2-0 to win the bet.
Major Badminton Tournaments to Wager
Several major badminton events are available yearly for players to wager online. The BWF Super Series is a tournament sponsored by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) since 2006 that has 12 countries competing in the yearly event.
The Super Series Masters Final is a year-end tournament played between the top eight players and doubles teams based on their Super Series rankings.
There is also the badminton World Championships, established in 1977, where players compete in five divisions; men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed singles to determine who’s the best in the world.