Kabaddi Betting: A Full Guide to Betting on Kabaddi (2023)

Kabaddi Betting in India

After cricket and football, if there’s a sport that commands as much attention and respect from Indian sports buffs, it is kabaddi.

Kabaddi is a contact sport that traces its origins to India and, was for a long time, limited to the Indian subcontinent only. It also happens to be Bangladesh’s national sport, and this is despite cricket and online cricket betting in Bangladesh being so popular.

Unlike ‘The Gentleman’s Game’ that was birthed and raised by the English, kabaddi has a stamp of Indian-ness to it, having first begun amid rural settings in the state of Tamil Nadu. Over the years, kabaddi has become increasingly popular, with countries as foreign to the sport as South Korea, Canada, and Australia taking part in the Kabaddi World Cup, an event conducted by the International Kabaddi Federation.

Did You Know?

While it goes by the name ‘kabaddi’ in most parts of the world, a few countries have chosen to name it differently. For instance, in Bangladesh, you’d find the locals referring to a sport known as Ha-du-du, which is only a slight variation of the original kabbadi. In the Maldives, it is called Baibalaa.

• Of all the seven Men’s Kabaddi World Cups (circle style) so far, India has won six of them.
• Pakistan won for the first time in 2020, defeating India in the final 43-41.
• Pakistan has been the runner-up on four occasions (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), while Canada, England, and India, on one occasion each (2011, 2016, and 2020, respectively).

Kabaddi Betting With Parimatch

The popularity of kabbadi in India cannot be argued with. This has resulted in a burgeoning demand for well-designed kabaddi betting sites offering high odds, user-safety, and an easy UI. And, in Parimatch, punters have a reliable and trustworthy bookie providing markets for the Pro Kabaddi League, the Kabaddi World Cup, and other championships.

In all honesty, kabaddi betting sites, despite the sport’s popularity, are not yet as easily found as the best cricket betting sites India. However, Parimatch is one of those bookies that delivers on its promises, and is undoubtedly an excellent choice when it comes to the most competitive kabaddi betting odds and multiple betting markets.

(Source: (Parimatch)

Headquartered in Cyprus and regulated by the Curaçao Government, Parimatch is one of the best India horse racing betting sites as well. So, if you are into equestrian sports, you should definitely check out their horse race betting section.

(Source: Parimatch)

How to Play Kabaddi

If you're new to kabaddi betting, it would help if you familiarised yourself with some basic rules of the sport itself. With that in mind:

What’s the Objective?

The objective of the game is to score more points than the opponent within the stipulated time. Each team will attempt to score either by attacking (going for a raid) or defending (when a player from the rival team comes to raid). While defending, players will try to wrestle the opponent raider to the ground, preventing him from reaching his end of the court until he is out of breath.

How Does the Scoring Work?

Scoring is relatively simple. A team bags one point for each player (from the rival camp) who is taken out of the game. Taking out an opponent can be done in two ways:

• While raiding: The raider touches a rival and gets back to his part of the court successfully, in one breath.
• While defending: The team manages to avert a successful raid by defending and wrestling the raider to the ground, thwarting his efforts at getting back to his part of the court.
• The raider can earn an extra bonus point if he successfully touches the ‘bonus line’ in his opponent’s half.

How is the Winner Declared?

At the end of the game, the team to score the most points is declared the winner. In case both sides end up with the same number of points, the match is deemed a draw.

Rules of Kabaddi

• Each team consists of a maximum of 12 players, with only seven allowed to take the field at any point in time.
• Matches are categorised into weight and age categories. This is because of the physical nature of the sport.
• The match is divided into two 20-minute halves, with a half-time of five minutes.
• A coin toss decides which team goes for the first raid.
• To win a point while raiding, the raider must inhale once and immediately run into the other half to tag members of the rival team before returning to his part of the court again. For a raid to be successful, it has to be completed in one breath.
• To prove that a raid has been executed in a single breath, the raider must keep on chanting ‘kabaddi’ continuously until he’s back in his part of the court. Failure to do this would automatically deem that raid unsuccessful and award one point to the opposition.
• Each team will take turns to raid and defend.

Kabaddi: Standard Style vs Circle Style

There are two variants of kabaddi worth knowing: standard and circle style. Of course, there are a few similarities, including the 40-minute duration of a match and the 30-second limit to complete a raid. In both formats, a raider has to keep chanting the ‘kabaddi’ cant for the entire length of the raid.

The primary differences between the two are the playing field, the number of players allowed on the court, and the scoring system. As if that wasn’t enough, there are four subtypes of the circle style of kabaddi: Punjabi, Saunchi, Lambi, and Goongi.

In the table below, we look at the key differences between the standard style and the circle style:

Playing fieldRectangular IKF kabaddi mats, measuring 13m x 10m; the baulk line is at 3.75mCircular field with a radius of 22m

Kabaddi Betting Markets

Below, we have listed some of the most valuable kabaddi betting markets and the recommended bookies for each one. Remember, it is better to keep things simple if you're just starting out.

Once you learn more about the sport and have picked up a few useful kabaddi betting tips, you can then go ahead and try out more complex markets as well as live kabaddi betting.

• Match Winner

This is one of the most straightforward wagers on kabaddi. You bet on either side to win the match or the game to finish in a draw. Usually, the home team is denoted by ‘1’, the ‘away’ team by ‘2’, and a draw by ‘x’. Before betting on this market, we suggest looking into the teams’ recent form and their H2H stats. This will give you a better shot at winning so that you can beef up your bankroll and place other wagers.

Recommended kabaddi betting sites: 1xBet | Parimatch

• Top Raider

In kabaddi, a team on the offensive sends a ‘raider’ who has to touch his opponents in their side of the court and then return to his half of the field without being tackled – all of it in one breath while chanting the ‘kabaddi’ cant. Suppose you are betting on this market in the Pro Kabaddi League. In that case, it is wise to stick to proven performers (read top raiders) like Rahul Chaudhari, Pardeep Narwal, Anup Kumar, or Deepak Hooda.

While you might not expect huge odds, you'll still have a good chance of landing a winning bet. And, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, go for the dark horses – raiders who have the potential but may not have necessarily set the court on fire with their raiding abilities. Having said that, remember the flip side – a higher degree of volatility will then come into play.

Recommended kabaddi betting site: 10CRIC

• Top Tackles

A team can also bag points by successfully tackling a rival raider. Again, much like when wagering on the Top Raider market, it is imperative for you to consider which tacklers have been in red-hot form. Suppose you are wagering on the Pro Kabaddi League. Go for proven performers like Manjeet Chhillar, Ravinder Pahal, Surjeet Singh, and Fazel Atrachali, who figure among the top 10 tacklers at the PKL across all seasons.

Recommended kabaddi betting sites: 10CRIC | Parimatch

• Team to Score 15 Points in 1st Half

Kabaddi is typically a high-scoring sport. However, if both the teams are defence-heavy and pack some of the best tacklers, it could end up being a closely contested affair. This market is usually available for the Pro Kabaddi League only, considering PKL games are generally ‘point fests’.

This market only requires a simple ‘yes/no’ decision. You just need to predict whether a team can score 15 points in the first half. That said, don’t mistake ‘simple’ for ‘easy’, as this market is better left to more advanced punters who know the ins and outs of a team’s style of play.

Recommended kabaddi betting sites: 10CRIC | Parimatch

•  Outright Winner

This market is usually abuzz with action before the Pro Kabaddi season gets underway. Here, you need to accurately predict which team would be the eventual champion at the end of a particular kabaddi tournament – the Pro Kabaddi League or the Kabaddi World Cup, for instance.

Nearly all kabaddi betting sites should have this market; at the very least, for the above-mentioned Pro Kabaddi League and the Kabaddi World Cup.

Kabaddi Betting Tips

We have listed our top five kabaddi betting tips below in order to help you back a winning selection. But, you read on any further, remember that in order to profit significantly from sports betting in India, you'll need to study the sport itself. This means not only learning the rules, but also following the match (or the tournament) you want to wager on.

That out of the way, let’s start:

1. Know Your Markets

Firstly, get to know the popular kabaddi betting markets available, especially those we have listed in the previous section. The more you follow the sport, the more you'll learn about the different teams and players’ style of play. This knowledge is invaluable, particularly for wagering on the various layer markets and/or on the match winner.

Pro kabaddi betting tip: Markets usually change quickly, and you do not want to miss out on handsome kabaddi betting odds. We suggest you download a mobile betting app, which can help you track markets when you’re on the move. Moreover, it is so much more convenient than having to sit in front of your desk-bound device all day. Our picks for a kabaddi betting app would be those offered by 10CRIC or Parimatch.

• Study and Compare the Odds Available

Serious about kabaddi betting? Try and get the most competitive kabaddi betting odds. Sure, high odds won’t guarantee success, but settling with average odds will only generate modest returns, and that’s no fun.

Pro kabaddi betting tip: Take some time to compare odds with multiple bookies. Shop around – don’t commit to the first bookie you come across.

• Step into the Stat-o-Sphere

Suppose you are betting on the Match Winner market. Before you get to it, you should have a good understanding of the form of the two teams heading into the match, as well as their recent head-to-head records. Remember, stats don’t lie. While past performance is never indicative of the future, it can still give you you an idea of a team's quality, and help you make the right decisions.

Pro kabaddi betting tip: Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by all the information out there online. Instead, develop your own understanding of the game. Remember, even the best kabaddi betting tips will come to nought if you don’t follow the sport.

• Back the Underdogs

More often than not, kabaddi betting odds will depend on the kind of interest a match generates. While the favourites will carry lower odds, the weaker team (at least, on paper) will have higher odds on them. Any usual Sunday, and you’d back the stronger outfit without giving it much of a thought. But remember, sporting legends are scripted by dark horses that outwit the stronger side on a given day.

Sure, there is almost some kind of romanticism associated with backing the underdogs. After all, everybody wants to see a David take down a Goliath. But, in sports betting, rooting for the underdog can be a wise move financially. It tends to generate the most bang for your buck.

Pro kabaddi betting tip: Betting on the dark horse is as tempting as it is risky. You cannot afford to be impulsive here; if you wish to bet on the underdogs, ensure there’s adequate reason and logic to it.

• Manage Your Money

The cardinal sin of sports betting is to go overboard. Don’t let wins or losses get to you – stuck to a pre-defined budget. Bear in mind that winning sprees or lucky streaks don't last forever, so practise self-discipline and manage your money responsibly.

Pro kabaddi betting tip: The urge to bet everything you have in one go often creeps up. After all, it only takes one overzealous friend to egg you on to bet as if there’s no tomorrow. But your financial wellbeing is in your hands, and you shouldn't let your emotions override reason. Keep a cool head and gamble responsibly.

Live Kabaddi Betting

Things change fast in a kabaddi match. A successful raid and a tackle are extremely common, happening almost with every attempt by the players to do so. The more you watch the game, the more you’ll understand how different the sport is from cricket or football (where it can sometimes take forever to score that one goal or get that important wicket).

And that is precisely why you should get into in-play kabaddi betting. Watch the game on TV while you place your bets. The better you read a team (or a player’s) style of play, the better you'll become at predicting possible match outcomes, and the easier it gets to back a profitable selection.

Check out our list of the best in-play betting sites to make the most of live kabaddi betting, and learn the best ways of wagering as the match unfolds in front of you.

Our pick? Parimatch. This bookie offers one of the better in-play betting features, with the live scoreboard only adding to the convenience. While live kabaddi betting odds can change rapidly, the Parimatch team is quick to swing into action mode, updating the prices in real-time so that you can bet on the latest odds and win sizeable returns.

Kabaddi Live Streaming

If you want to try in-play kabaddi betting, you'll also want to stream the match live so you can place informed wagers as the match plays out. While you can always do that on TV, a bookie that offers live streaming has, needless to say, a jewel in their crown.

We cannot say with certainty which kabaddi betting site would support live streaming. That’s because streaming rights of kabaddi are difficult to obtain. Your best bet is bet365, considering it has an excellent live streaming feature that covers a wide range of sports. Also, head over to our list of the best live streaming sites available to see if any strike your fancy.

Top Kabaddi Tournaments

We hope that we've given you a good idea of the best kabaddi betting sites and markets that are out there. Stated below are some of the biggest kabaddi tournaments for you to wager on.

• Vivo Pro Kabaddi League

The Vivo Pro Kabaddi League is definitely the world’s biggest kabaddi tournament, attracting spectators in enormous numbers. The first edition was broadcast on TV in 2014, while 2019 marked the seventh and the latest edition. In 2020, the league unfortunately had to be called off because of the global pandemic.

Organised by Mashal Sports, the Pro Kabaddi League has 12 teams in the fray, gunning for the title. The league, a mix of Indian and overseas players, is extremely popular, and a testimony to that is pro kabaddi betting, which has been embraced by punters worldwide.

Best kabaddi betting sites for Pro Kabaddi League: 10CRIC|Parimatch| 1xBet

• Kabaddi World Cup (Circle Style)

This is the blue-ribbon competition in kabaddi. Administered by the Government of Punjab, this international competition has had seven editions, with six of them (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016) won by India. However, the latter lost the latest chapter in 2020 to their arch-rivals, Pakistan, in a riveting final.

Still, India is the dominant force here, and is arguably the most sensible choice for kabaddi betting. Riding on its success, the women’s World Cup started in 2012 and has had four editions as of the time of writing (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016). India has been the impregnable force there as well, reigning supreme on all occasions.

• Dubai Kabaddi Masters

In 2018, an all-new international kabaddi tournament was hosted in the UAE. Six teams competed in the first Dubai Kabaddi Masters, including India, Iran, Pakistan, Argentina, South Korea, and Kenya. This week-long tournament saw India coming out on top yet again, defeating Iran in the final 44-26.

As of now, we don’t have a date for the next edition of the Kabaddi Masters, so keep checking the official website for any news.

Kabaddi Betting FAQs

What are the two different forms of kabaddi?

There are two broad forms of kabaddi style: standard and circle style. In the former, you have seven players a side (with five reserves in each team), slugging it out on a rectangular field. The match is divided into two halves of 20 minutes each.

The circle style, on the other hand, is played on a circular court with a radius of 22 meters. Eight players per side are allowed to take the field, with no weight limit.

What are the best kabaddi betting sites?

Off the cuff, we’d rank Parimatch, Dafabet, and 10CRIC as the best kabaddi betting sites. That said, we suggest you don’t limit yourself to these. The other bookies listed at the top of this article are equally good when it comes to offering various kabaddi betting markets and competitive kabaddi betting odds.

Where can I find the best kabaddi betting odds?

It is difficult for us to put a finger on just the one kabaddi betting site that offers the best odds. Bookies like Parimatch, 22Bet, and ComeOn! typically offer the most competitive odds. But again, we’d advise shopping around for the best prices before settling for a bookie. You could land handsome kabaddi betting odds if you devote just a little time and patience.

Where can I play fantasy kabaddi?

Fantasy kabaddi betting is where you can make your own teams before the start of a match, and then compete with others for cash and other prizes. Dream11 is, without a doubt, the best in India when it comes to fantasy kabaddi and a range of different sports. You only need to select an upcoming match, create your team, and join a cash contest (or a free one as well) to join the fun.

If you are an avid fan of fantasy cricket, check out our Dream11 fantasy cricket guide.

What are the most popular tournaments for kabaddi betting?

For starters, there’s the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League in India and the Super Kabaddi League in Pakistan (modelled along the lines of its Indian counterpart). These two aside, you have the Kabaddi World Cup, which is the blue riband of all kabaddi tournaments in the world, and the Kabaddi Masters.

You should be able to find competitive kabaddi betting odds for all the four tournaments at the bookies mentioned in this article.

Can I use the Indian Rupee for kabaddi betting?

Of course. Most of the bookies mentioned here, if not all, accept bets in the Indian currency (INR). Once you sign up with a site, you can easily select your preferred currency and then deposit money using some of the most secure and zero-hassle betting payment methods.

Can I enjoy kabaddi betting on mobile?

Absolutely. Most of the bookies we’ve compiled here have dedicated betting apps as well. That said, even if your preferred kabaddi betting site doesn’t have an app of its own, you can still place bets on your mobile, considering almost every bookmaker has a mobile-optimised version of its desktop website.

We would single out 10CRIC and Parimatch as having two of the best apps for kabaddi betting. To learn more, take a look at our detailed guide to the best cricket betting apps in India.

What should I look for in a kabaddi betting site?

Any bookmaker worth your time should offer at least a few of the following features:

• More than one kabaddi betting market
• Competitive kabaddi betting odds
• Welcome bonuses, kabaddi betting offers
• Easy and safe banking options
• 24×7 Customer support
• Kabaddi betting tips would be an added plus
• 24×7 Customer support
• Kabaddi betting tips would be an added bonus

Bet on Kabaddi live at Parimatch!

CricketBettingAdvice Final Say

As a sport, kabaddi is fast, physical, and thrilling – definitely not for the faint of heart. Betting on it only adds to the excitement!

Here at CricketBettingAdvice, we've done our best to bring you a list of the best kabaddi betting sites in India. However, considering the sport is not as well known outside the Indian subcontinent, it can be challenging to find multiple markets, unlike something as widespread as football betting, for instance. Usually, you will get the typical bets, but not a lot beyond that.

That said, if you stick to the kabaddi betting tips that we’ve explained here and take your time to find competitive kabaddi betting odds, you should be able to back a winner and enjoy some hefty winnings.

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