Most legal US sportsbooks, including those in Maryland, now offer real money betting on top table tennis leagues and competitions. Table tennis leagues in China, Russia, Ukraine, and Germany attract the biggest talent and make for an exciting betting experience.
But those aren’t the only table tennis betting options. See below for a full walkthrough of table tennis betting and what to look for before placing your bets.
Best sites to bet on table tennis in Maryland
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Why bet on table tennis?
If you’re already a fan of table tennis and follow most of the top leagues, you’ll have an edge in betting on it. The sport is still not that popular on a grand scale, and the lack of detailed information can create a scenario where oddsmakers miss something, allowing you to cash in on their mistakes.
Another reason is that table tennis is a global sport, meaning that no matter what time it is, you’ll find plenty of live matches to bet on. There are many competitions in China, Russia, Western Europe, and the rest of the world, so whether it’s day or night, table tennis matches are bound to be live at almost any moment.
Lastly, table tennis is a dynamic competition where the score can shift rapidly. This can create plenty of interesting proposition bets.
Basic rules of table tennis
Table tennis is a relatively simple sport, so even if you don’t know the exact rules of the game, you’ll still get the hang of how betting on it works. Nevertheless, being familiar with the rules will give you an advantage, so here’s a quick overview of how a typical table tennis match works.
A match is played as best-of-three, or best-of-five, games depending on the competition format. Each game is played to 11 points. A player must have a two-point advantage to win the game. If the score is 11-10, the player in the lead still needs one more point to win the game.
Serves alternate between players every two points, with the only exception being when the score is 10-10, at which moment the serves begin alternating every point.
How to bet on table tennis
Now that you know the basic rules of table tennis, here are some of the most common table tennis bets:
- Moneyline: Wager on which player or team will win the match.
- Over/under: Wager on the total points by both sides in a match (e.g., over or under 75.5).
- Handicap: Same as the moneyline, only including a certain number of games or points given to one side as a handicap.
- First game: Place any of the bets mentioned above, but only for the first game of the match.
- Correct score: Predict the correct score of the match (3-0, 0-3, 3-1, 1-3, 3-2 or 2-3). You can also bet on the correct score after two and three games.
- Player totals: An over/under bet but only relating to individual sides.
- Odd/even: Wager on whether the total number of points will be odd or even.
- Futures betting: Predict the outright winner of a league or tournament.
Live betting on table tennis
Since table tennis matches are so dynamic, with the results changing quickly, they’re ideal for live betting. All the wagers that we mentioned above are available for live betting, in addition to current-game winner and points betting.
For example, if the score in the current game is 6-4, you can bet on who wins the 11th point. You can also bet on several points in advance or predict who will be the first to a certain number of points (race to 7, race to 8, etc.).
Since live table tennis betting is very time-sensitive, we advise that you use an MD sports betting app. This will allow you to carry your personal sportsbook in your pocket and never miss a single point.
Top table tennis leagues to bet on
Table tennis is played all around the globe but you’ll only see a few leagues on your local betting site. China has historically reigned supreme in table tennis, so it’s no wonder its Super League (CTTSL) is among the best national competitions globally and very popular among bettors.
The sport is also pretty big in Russia and Ukraine, so competitions like Liga Pro, Setka Cup and TT Cup are commonly seen in sportsbooks, as is the German Tischtennis Bundesliga.
Of course, you’ll also be able to find plenty of international competitions like the World Cup, ITTF World Tour, ITT Cup, European Championships, and the Olympics.
Top US table tennis stars
The United States hasn’t produced that many great table tennis players during the sport’s history, at least not compared to the major global powers in the sport. The highest-ranking American player is Kanak Jha, who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics at just 16 years old.
Lily Zhang and Yue Wu are the only two American women in the ITTF top 100. These two also play in doubles and are commonly ranked in the top 20 women’s doubles teams.
Betting on Olympic table tennis
Table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988. Unsurprisingly, China has dominated the competition with 53 medals, including 28 gold. Olympic table tennis features five events:
- Men’s singles
- Women’s singles
- Men’s doubles
- Women’s doubles
- Mixed doubles
The Tokyo Olympics, for example, will host 172 table tennis players from 24 nations, with six athletes from the United States. The Olympic competition is one of the most popular table tennis tournaments in the world and an event that gets many people watching the sport for the first time.
Most sportsbooks that offer table tennis betting will have a variety of wagers for the Olympics every four years. Maryland gambling regulations may restrict betting on Olympic table tennis so check with your local sportsbooks to see if odds can be offered.
Where do I find table tennis results, scores, and info?
You can find table tennis scores on any live score service, like Flash Score, Scoreboard, and Sofa Score. If you wish to see more detailed info about event schedules, rankings and news, the official ITTF website is as good a place as any.
For table tennis highlights and discussions, you should visit the table tennis subreddit or look for videos on YouTube channels.
Sportsbook rules for table tennis betting
Before you place your first bet on an online sportsbook, it’s a good idea to understand all the table tennis betting rules at the sportsbook. You can usually read about all the rules on the website’s terms and conditions page.
You might wonder what happens in the case of a suspended match. Well, you won’t be able to win your bet, but you won’t lose either. Instead, the sportsbook will void all bets for that match, and you’ll get your stake back.
If you placed a bet on the first set winner and got it right, you wouldn’t be able to claim the winnings immediately and would have to wait for the entire match to finish. This counts for all live bets and bets that involve parts of the match.
Another thing to pay attention to is the minimum bet limit. The minimum amount you’ll be able to wager on a single betting slip depends on the sportsbook, but it will usually be between $0.50 and $2. If you place table tennis bets using bonus bet credits, you’ll have to comply with the rules regarding minimum odds.
Are table tennis matches fair?
With so many leagues available on table tennis betting sites, the general concern among bettors is that not all are lawful and fair. The good news is that the gambling authorities in the US are quick to react to this. For example, New Jersey suspended all table tennis betting in the summer of 2020, although it lifted the ban soon after.
The general approach of US sportsbooks is only to offer betting on reputable leagues and competitions. While these events are not necessarily immune to fixed matches, they are mostly fair and safe for betting. The good news is that regulated sportsbooks are good at detecting suspect behavior and outing any potential cheating.
Start betting on table tennis online in Maryland
Once you locate the right sportsbook, you will need to create an account. If you wish to play on an app, you’ll find a download link for the app on the sportsbook site itself.
Alternatively, you can access the sportsbook site on your mobile browser. The registration process is the same regardless of the device you decide to use. Just fill out your personal details and follow instructions on how to activate your account. However, you will need to either download the app to play on your phone or you can access the sportsbook on a computer browser.
The betting site will likely have a welcome offer that may come in the form of a matching bonus on your first deposit or a bonus bet. You can claim this offer and extend your bankroll, but mind the terms and conditions that come with it.
Complete a deposit using one of the available banking options (credit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, checks, etc.). After you’ve made a deposit, scroll through the list of available sports until you find table tennis. Find the events that you’re interested in and start placing your bets.