Asia is a very diverse continent in terms of sports betting, and for this reason choosing one bookmaker will not be easy. However, on the other hand, there are many common points that link this market and make Asian bookmakers popular worldwide. High odds are the common denominator of bookmakers from this region. Asian players are picky and like to search for the highest possible odds, which translates into a solid bookmaking offering from local companies.
Football is by far the most popular of the sports bet on here. Fans place bets on wins, match totals, corner kicks and, of course, Asian handicaps, which can be found in the offer of any self-respecting bookmaker. By far the largest number of companies from the region are based in the Philippines. This is influenced by the country’s regulations, which are friendly to bookmaking companies.
The main requirement of the Philippine regulator is that the company they certify should not provide services to Filipino citizens. For this reason, Filipino players have the least choice of bookmakers and have to use global offshore companies to bet on football. Concluding the introduction, it is worth noting that betting on football is by far the number one choice for most players in the region. So what specifically do Asians like to bet on?
Which Leagues and Games Are Popular in Asia.
Asian players love European football. English leagues, Spanish leagues, Italian leagues, French leagues, the Champions League and other competitions attract the interest of millions of fans and sports bettors. Not surprisingly, these are the global competitions with by far the most liquid betting markets. Many countries have their favourite European competitions and so in Indonesia, for example, the English league is by far the king, with a huge audience and betting volume. Indonesia is a country with a population of almost 300 million people, which means that some leagues have higher viewing figures in Indonesia than in the UK.
China and Japan, on the other hand, have a large number of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona fans, but all major European leagues are popular. Of course, the leader in all locations in terms of interest is the Champions League. This interest in foreign football clearly translates into sports betting. Asians are betting heavily on European football. For most bookmakers in the region, it is therefore naturally the main sport they offer on their sites. Live football betting is also very popular.
However, European football is not everything. Players also bet on local leagues, which have definitely been growing in strength in recent years, thanks to numerous transfers and high budgets. So, already knowing the popular global games, we can move on to the local games. Which local Asian leagues are also frequently chosen by players for sports betting?
Local leagues:
- J-League (Japan)
- Chinese Super League (China)
- K-League (South Korea)
- Indian Super League (India)
- Indonesia Super League (Indonesia):
- V.League 1 (Vietnam)
- Thai League (Thailand)
International Asian Competitions:
- AFC Champions League
- Asian Cup (AFC Asian Cup)
These are the most popular leagues and local competitions in terms of fans and betting. Virtually every bookmaker in the region has an extensive offer for local leagues, which include many different bets, including side bets. Of course, foreign leagues have the greatest popularity and betting volume here, but omitting the local competitions would be a big mistake, especially since, although to a lesser extent, bets on these leagues are also placed by players in Europe.
Bookmakers in Asia
Asian gamblers love to place bets on football and more. This goes without saying, these are some of the largest sports betting markets in the world. It is therefore not surprising that bookmakers meet these requirements of players and the football offer is very wide. There are many bookmakers that are present in Asian markets. The most popular ones include PS3838 (Asian Pinnacle) and Sbobet, which offer wide access to pre-match and live bets on football in a global version as well as and local. Due to their focus on Asian markets, the websites of these bookmakers are available in many local languages. Every reputable bookmaker that operates in these markets offers a wide range of football betting options. The offer includes, among others, access to many types of bets.
Popular Bets
Match result:
The most popular type of bet, where players bet on whether a given team will win, draw or lose.
Asian Handicap:
The Asian Handicap is often used, allowing players to bet on teams based on the difference in odds.
Over/Under:
Betting on the number of goals in a match, where the player bets on whether there will be more (Over) or less (Under) than a specified number of goals.
Goal scorer bets:
Players can bet on which player will score a goal in a given match or tournament.
Total corner bets:
Bets follow a similar principle to total goals, only in this case the player bets on the sum of corner kicks in the match.
Other bets:
Bookmakers also offer other bets, such as the number of yellow cards, correct score, even/odd and many others.
Football betting, while definitely the number one sport in Asia, is not the only popular sport. Other sports that rank highly among local bettors include horse racing, baseball and basketball. Despite the popularity of many other sports, football position does not seem to be under threat. Players from many Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia etc. are loyal supporters of their local teams as well as the global giants. The upcoming football seasons are sure to provide plenty of excitement and sports betting opportunities in many football markets at high odds available from reputable Asian bookmakers.
