Betting on sports in Asia varies between countries, and most offer markets on soccer, basketball, baseball, motorsports, and other popular sports. However, there are also interesting markets available to bet on that might seem unusual to sports fans in the West.
Asia is home to a number of unique, traditional sports that offer locals and visitors an excellent opportunity to bet. Take a look at the list below for some of the best options.
1. Sumo Wrestling
Most people will have heard of Sumo wrestling, but not many people will understand the rules and betting markets available. The ancient sport has been practiced in Japan for centuries, with prehistoric wall paintings depicting fighters being found.
The objective of the sport is relatively simple. Each wrestler has to force the other to the canvas or out of the ring. Wrestlers rely on technique, size, and strength to compete. The most successful fighters are held in high esteem in Japan.
Regulated betting shops and gambling sites available in Japan will offer betting markets on Sumo wrestling. The most popular is for an outright winner or the winner of a tournament.
2. Sepak Takraw
Sepak Takraw is a popular sport in many countries in Asia, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. The game is similar to volleyball but is played using just the feet instead of the hands.
The small court is typically the size of a badminton court, and the game can be played by teams of 2, 3, and 4. The first team to win two sets wins the game, and a team must be the first to score 21 points to win a set.
The game is known for the players’ incredible levels of skill and athleticism to control and reach the ball.
Betting markets for the game include outright match bets, tournament bets, and player propositions.
3. Bo-taoshi
Bo-taoshi is played exclusively by National Defense Academy of Japan graduates in two teams of 75. The game sees one team defending a wooden pole while the opposite team’s objective is to lower it to an angle of 30 degrees.
This unique sport is action-packed, and with 150 active participants, it is sometimes difficult to keep up to date.
Betting options for Bo-taoshi are few and far between, with only a few betting options available each year. This adds to the novelty and can be a fun way to enjoy an interesting sport.
4. Kabbadi
Kabbadi is most popular in India and South East Asia and features 40-minute contests where teams compete against one another. The main objective of Kabbadi is for an opposing player to enter the opposite team’s half and tag a player before making it back to their half safely.
The defending team of seven players will typically hold hands in an attempt to trap the attacker. While this may sound straightforward, one of the most important aspects of the game is for the attacker to hold their breath during the attack.
To prove the attacker does not take a breath, they must repeatedly chant the word “Kabbadi.”
Kabbadi markets that are popular to bet on include the outright winner, top raider, top tackles, as well as handicap markets.
5. Soft Tennis
Soft tennis is the same as regular tennis but played with a light, inflatable ball. Rackets can also be lighter with loose strings. The game is most popular in Japan, where it originated in the late nineteenth century, but it is also popular in Taiwan and Korea.
Soft tennis offers a great alternative to the speed and power of regular tennis with longer rallies.
Soft tennis betting markets are similar to regular tennis with outright, set betting, and player propositions.
6. Roller Speed Skating
Roller Speed Skating in Asia is available as road racing and track racing. This fast-paced sport is similar to speed ice skating and sees individual competitors and teams compete against one another.
Betting markets are similar to other racing events where people can gamble on individual races and tournaments.
