Table tennis from Ukraine and Russia: How to watch, how to bet, odds, point spreads

Are you ready for the competitive world of table tennis betting? If you’ve seen Balls of Fury at least eight times, and always wondered what the line was on Forrest Gump during his tour of China, you’re in luck!

Betting on table tennis has never been easier at DraftKings Sportsbook, so let’s check out how, when, and where you can wager on a game that is remarkably similar to the one you played in summer camp as a kid.

And remember: it’s always table tennis, and never ping-pong. You’ll expose yourself as an outsider if you use the latter.

Where is table tennis played?

Besides your basement or the nearest community center, professional table tennis players participate in tournaments and tours around the world.

For this example, we’ll focus on Ukraine’s TT-Cup and Russia’s Setka Cup. But there are other places like Moscow Liga Pro, Moscow Liga Pro for women, and many countries across East Asia. The sport is hugely popular in China, with many of the world’s best players hailing from sport academies there.

The biggest and best tournaments are run directly by the International Table Tennis Federation. But most of the bigger tournaments have been suspended or rescheduled due to coronavirus, so the ones were showing here are mostly lower-level tournaments with European players, with not many Asian players participating. Most of the highest-ranked players in the world are from the Far East.

How is the game scored?

The winner of the match is the first player to win three games. Each game is played to 11 and players must win by at least two points. The players change who is serving every two points.

Is there a line?

There is! You can bet on how many games it will take a player to win a match, with an over/under available. There is also point spread betting is just like in football or basketball where you wager on how many points a player will be victorious in each game.

DraftKings Sportsbook has lines available for leagues across the globe:

Of course there is money line wagering as well. And just like you can bet on a race to listed points: you can also wager on who will win the first point of a game, or the second point of a game, etc. If you think a player is particularly tough to stop with his serve, this might be the play for you.

I need immediate satisfaction. Is there in-game betting?

Of course! Just like in regular tennis, you can bet on who is going to win the next point, the total number of points in a game, and more. There’s also in-game money line action available, so the odds will move based on the current action, and all you’ll need to do is pick the winner of the match in real time. It is worth noting in-game betting is not available in New Jersey.

How can I watch?

Live streaming of the TT cup can be found here, and live streaming of the Setka Cup can be found here. You can also go back and watch previous matches on these websites for free if you’re looking to do some scouting ahead of the matchups on deck each day.

Table tennis is a fun and fast-paced sport, and though the camera angles and production values aren’t huge when watching, you can still see the talent and athleticism of the athletes. Give it a — spin — and hopefully enjoy some action!

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