Betting on Badminton, Sites, Tips and Bets Explained

Badminton Betting Markets

Most bookmakers offer similar markets to bet on badminton as on other major sports, as well as some individual markets. Some of the bet types you can place on badminton include:

• Straight bet – the most popular bet in badminton, where you back who the winner of the match will be. This offers some good value, particularly in live badminton betting where the favorite player may lose the first set only to win the next two.

• Handicap betting – as the only possible result of a badminton match can be either 2-0 or 2-1, the badminton handicap market is fixed at -1.5 to the first player and +1.5 to the second player. If you back the player with the -1.5 line, he would have to win the match 2-0 for your bet to be settled as a winner. Accordingly, backing the player with +1.5 means he can lose the match as long as he wins a set and you have a winner. This market also has value especially in the matches where the odds are set in favor of a clear winner. It is not uncommon for a clearly favorite player to lose a set yet win the match.

• Over/Under – you can also bet on the total number of points in a match, with the betting line usually set between over/under 72.5 to 78.5 total points. You should back the over market if you think the match will go to three sets, or back the under market if you think it will be a two straight-sets win.

• Correct score – there can only be two possible winning score lines in a badminton match: 2-0 or 2-1. As such, you have odds available for each player to win or lose the match with 2-0 or 2-1.

• Set betting – this offers the other markets only at a set level as opposed to a match level. You can place a straight bet on who will win a set. You can also bet on over/under total points in a set. Last but not least, you can bet on what the difference of points in a set will be. The difference of points is usually given as a range such as 2-4 points, 4-6 points and so on.

• Leader after – some bookies, especially in badminton live betting, offer betting markets for which player will be the leader after 5, 10, 15, 20 or more points in a set.

• Player to score the next point in a set – more like a coin toss bet but some bookies do offer you the choice to bet on which player will score the next or a certain point number in a set.

• Odds/even total match/set points – this is a primary example of blind betting. It is impossible to determine if the total point in a set or the whole match will be an odd or even number. If you back this type of bet, do so only for fun and stake accordingly.

Understanding the Game

If you want to bet on badminton, the first thing you should do is to understand the game. Most people are familiar with badminton in one form or another. You’ve probably seen or even played some badminton in the backyard or at a picnic. And while that is definitely a version of badminton, it is not the badminton you will bet on. Badminton as a professional sport is always played indoors.

Where does badminton come from

Badminton was invented by British military officers in India around the 1860s. On the premises of a military factory in India, a British army officer was having a drink when he packed some stray feathers in the cork from the bottle. He then threw it to a fellow officer who threw it back at him. And just like that, this entertaining activity that quickly became popular was the beginning of the badminton we know today.

Today, badminton is an Olympic sport and it is widely played in the UK, the Scandinavian countries and South-eastern Asia, in countries like China, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. There are numerous national and international badminton tournaments and championships offering bettors opportunities to make some money.

Badminton Objective

The objective of the game is to hit the shuttlecock, or birdie, over the net and make it land in the scoring area. If the opponent successfully returns the shuttlecock, a rally begins until it finally lands or gets struck into the net. To win a badminton match, a player has to win 2 out of 3 sets. To win a badminton set, a player must get to 21 points first.

Facilities and Equipment

• Indoor court – a rectangular shaped court divided into two halves by a 1.55 m tall net. The court has two tramlines along its sides. Just like in tennis, the outward tramline marks the scoring zone for doubles matches with the inside tramline marking the singles scoring zone.
• Racket – each badminton player uses a stringed racket. Good quality badminton rackets weigh only 70 – 100 grams and are made of carbon fiber.
• Shuttlecock – it is to badminton what the ball is to many sports like football, basketball and tennis, the scoring object. Shuttlecocks can be synthetic but most of them are made from 16 feathers, usually from geese or ducks, fixed in a conically shaped cork base. An aerodynamic masterpiece, the shuttlecock will turn to fly cork first no matter its initial orientation. It is very light, weighs up to 5.50 grams but it can pack a punch, reaching speeds up to 200 miles per hour during a match.   

Scoring and Winning

To win a badminton match, a player or team of players have to win 2 out of 3 sets. A badminton match can have a maximum of three sets. To win a set, a player must reach 21 points before the opponent. In the event the set gets to be tied at 20-20, a player must win by a 2 point margin. For example, a scoreline of 23-21 means the set was won while 23-22 means it keeps on playing. The highest points a player can score during a set is 30. That means if the set is tied 29-29, whoever scores the next point wins the set.

Badminton Rules

• A badminton match can be singles (one player against another) or doubles (two players against another two). A doubles game can be between either an all-male or female pair against an all-male or female pair, or it can be mixed.

• An official badminton game must be played in an indoor hall.

• Scoring is counted when the shuttlecock lands within the scoring zone of the opponent’s court.

• If the shuttlecock, or birdie, lands outside the scoring zone or hits the net, the opponent is awarded a point.

• Serving has to be underarm, below the waist of the serving player.

• If a player or their racket touches the net, it is considered a fault and the opponent is awarded the point.

• Lets can be called if a shuttlecock lands on the court from an adjacent court, or if the shuttlecock hits the lights or railings of an arena, or if the receiving player is not ready when the serve is delivered. When a let is called, the play is stopped and started over with no impact on the score. If the shuttlecock hits the tape in a serve, no let is called.

• Like in tennis, each badminton game is refereed by an umpire on a high chair who makes the calls.