Kabaddi Betting Odds

Kabaddi is the oldest team sport in Asia and has formed part of the Asian Games since 1990.

The two most well-known kabaddi leagues in India are the Pro Kabaddi League and Super Kabaddi.

The Asian Kabaddi Cup, hosted by the International Kabaddi Federation, as well as the Kabaddi Workshops, are also very popular across Asia.

Nielsen Sports states that interest in kabaddi has grown by 14% year-on-year since 2015, with interest in the Pro Kabaddi League up 33%.

This makes the PKL the second-most popular sports league on TV in India after cricket’s Indian Premier League.

Sports betting platforms have taken note of this popularity and offer a wide range of markets to cater to avid fans.

This is particularly the case online, where you can wager on your preferred team or player whenever you want, wherever you are in the world.

Kabaddi Basics

There are 12 players in a kabaddi team, with seven on the pitch at any one time.

The other five players are in reserve.

The two teams face each other at opposite ends of a 13m by 10m playing area, which is divided by a line in the centre.

One team sends a “raider” to the opposing side to start the game.

They repeatedly yell “Kabaddi! Kabaddi!” while raiding.

The raider’s job is to touch one or more of their opponents with their hand or foot.

Meanwhile, the defending team needs to capture the raider by either wrestling them to the ground or preventing them from returning to their own half.

The raider only has one breath to make their move.

Teams lose players as the game goes on and the team that causes the other team to lose every athlete is declared the winner.

A kabaddi match has two halves of 20 minutes each, with a five-minute half-time break.

The intended duration of a raid is one breath or, in practical terms, 30 seconds.

Thirty seconds is about the maximum a raider can manage due to the frequent shouting of “Kabaddi”.

If a knockout match ends in a tie, a seven-minute-long mini-match is played to determine the winner.

In rare cases, if that also ends in a tie, the winner is decided by a sudden death Golden Raid where the baulk line is also considered the bonus line (see below for these definitions).

If the Golden Raid also ends in a draw, the winner is determined by the toss of a coin.

Tackling and raids

Scoring points in kabaddi is straightforward.

The attacking player scores a point for each opponent they put out of the game. These are called touch points and they score one point for each defender they remove.

Once a defender has been tagged, they must leave the field of play and cannot be replaced by reserve players.

If a team eliminates all seven opposing players, they earn a bonus of two points, which is known as Lona.

The defending team scores a point if they prevent the raider from returning to their half.

These are called tackle points.

If the raider stops chanting “Kabaddi, Kabaddi” while raiding, he is also considered out and the defending team earns a point.

When a team scores a point, all of the players are revived and the next raid can begin.

Note that if a defender or raider steps out of the boundary at any point, their opponents get a point.

Kabaddi Main Betting Odds Explained

Raiding and tackling are the two key aspects of kabaddi, so these are also the two key betting markets outside of the outright markets.

Outright Winner

Like in most sports, you can bet on the team you think will win the match.

Top Raider

In this wager, you place money on the raider you believe will score the most points.

The league’s top raiders will be given lower odds as they are most likely to succeed.

There are quite a few dark horses when it comes to raiders, so studying recent form and head-to-head statistics can help guide your betting.

Top Tackler

The defending team can win points by preventing the raider from successfully returning to their side of the field.

Defence is therefore equally as important as offence. Some players excel at tackling their opponents, which makes this a clear area for kabaddi betting.

Similar to top raider, you may place a wager on the player you think will be the top tackler in a game.

Over/Under Total Raid Points

Betting on Total Raid Points is also possible, which works similarly to goals scored in football.

Kabaddi Bet Market Overview

In addition to the options above, many bookmakers offer a range of markets including Double Chance, Asian Total, Super Total, Handicap, Asian Handicap, Team Result + Total, and Even/Odd.

Many of these markets are quite comprehensive, particularly when it comes to in-play betting.

However, not every bookmaker has every market, so it’s important to do some research to find out which one is right for you.

PKL Kabaddi Betting Rules

The PKL seeks to make kabaddi more entertaining as one of their main aims is to popularise the sport.

This means there are a few additional rules to provide more opportunities to earn points. Knowing these is crucial for your betting strategy.

Rule 1: Do-or-die Raid

The do-or-die-raid is played after a team has made two unsuccessful raids. To remain in the game, the attacking team/player must score in their third raid.

Rule 2: Super Tackles

When the defensive team has three players or fewer, their tackles are defined as “Super Tackles”, giving them two points rather than one.

Rule 3: Baulk & Bonus Lines

Kabaddi is usually played on a pitch of 13x10m for men and 11x8m for women.

As well as having two halves divided by a middle (or mid) line, there are also baulk and bonus lines.

Baulk line: These are lines parallel to the midline. The distance from the baulk line to the midline is 3.75m.

Raiders need to have at least one foot across the baulk line to ensure a legal raid.

They are not guaranteed points but this does guarantee their survival in the game.

Bonus line: This is the line between the baulk line and the end line. The distance between the bonus line and the baulk line is 1m.

Crossing this line will see the raider pick up a bonus point if they have one or both feet over the line.

Bonus points are scored when a raider crosses the bonus line when there are six or more defenders on the pitch.

Betting on bonus points is not usually an option with most bookmakers, but they do contribute significantly to the score.

From a betting perspective, this is particularly important for the popular ‘Team to Score 15 points in the 1^st Half’ Market.

It is a simple yes/no bet but studying the form of the team is vital to make the correct prediction.

Kabaddi Betting Strategy

Like with all betting, having a good strategy is key to your success. Kabaddi is no different.

Here are some things to consider which can help with your betting.

First Point Scorer

Scoring the first point is psychologically important in kabaddi and can build momentum.

This is something to bear in mind, particularly when you are betting in-play.

The Position & Timing Of The Main Raider

Often the main raider scoring 10 points is not sufficient for a team to win a match.

They need to be on the pitch when the team is in trouble, so check how often this has occurred in previous matches.

Ideally, the main raider has been on the pitch over 70% of the time.

Determine Who The Go-To Raider Is

Teams that qualify for the final stages of tournaments often have a go-to-raider who can score valuable points quickly.

This is often in the form of bonus points when the team is trailing.

Check a team’s previous results and see if there is any history of this happening.