Sumo
Why sumo, Japan's national sport, is attracting attention from around the world
Sumo is Japan's national sport, and a traditional and formal sport. It is strongly linked to Japanese religious ceremonies and history, and is attracting attention in other countries as well. It seems that Japan is not the only country that is fascinated by the power of the wrestlers who rush out like bullets and collide with each other at the call of "Hakkeyonokotta".
Sumo is won when the opponent wrestler is knocked out of the ring or knocked down (when the body other than the feet touches the ground), so it is easy to understand even for first-time viewers, and since all the wrestlers who participate are large in stature, you can be sure to see a powerful fight. There are wrestlers from Mongolia and Europe as well as Japan, and the sport is becoming more international.
The fact that Japanese culture is strongly reflected in the costumes of the wrestlers, such as their topknots and mawashi, and the respect for etiquette in the competition are also factors that make it easy to accept.
Main types of sumo betting
Sumo is a popular event among bookmakers. There are various types of betting available, from those for those who are knowledgeable about sumo to those for beginners.
- Match Winner
- The simplest way to bet is to predict which wrestler will win. In sumo, there is a ranking system called "banzuke," so you can easily find out which wrestlers are strong.
However, sumo also has a term called "bankuwase." This refers to a lower-ranked wrestler defeating a higher-ranked wrestler, and since there is a term like this, it's best to bet on the assumption that "bankuwase" has occurred. - Tournament Winner / Yusho Betting
- Sumo wrestling has a 15-day tournament called "XX basho" once every two months. This is a betting game where you predict who will win the tournament.
Most of the time, the winner is a high-ranking wrestler such as Yokozuna or Ozeki, but it is not uncommon for a wrestler ranked below Sekiwake to win. - Straight Bet
- Predict whether the target wrestler will win or lose on each date.
Sumo opponents are decided based on rankings and past wins and losses, so the opponent is only known on the day, so the bet is on "on what day the target wrestler will win or lose." - Over/Under Wins
- In sumo, the number of wins is called "wins (white stars)." This bet predicts whether the target wrestler will have more or less wins than a set number. Since a wrestler has one bout per day, the maximum number of wins is 15, but even for a yokozuna, this is rare.
If there is a wrestler you are paying attention to, this is a bet that allows you to enjoy making predictions even more. - Winning Technique Bet
- The technique that decides the outcome of a sumo match is called a "winning technique." There are 82 winning techniques that are determined by a formula. This betting involves predicting both the outcome and the winning technique.
Even if you guessed the winning wrestler, if you got the winning technique wrong, you will lose. It's a good idea to know the wrestlers' favorite techniques.
What to look for when betting on sumo wrestling
Because sumo is an individual match between wrestlers, information about the wrestlers is essential. In particular, whether or not they are injured is important information that directly affects the outcome of the match. It is not uncommon for wrestlers to miss matches due to the severity of their injuries. The severity of the injury can be predicted to some extent based on the state of the previous tournament and the state of the match.
The wrestler's past match results are also important data. Perhaps the compatibility is too bad, but there are times when a wrestler has a surprising number of losses to a particular wrestler. When it gets to that point, it is clearly reflected in the odds, but in cases of comparable ability, data on why he often wins and why he often loses is important.
If you are aiming for a big win, it may be a good idea to look for matches where an "upset" is likely to occur. Since wrestlers are fighting fiercely for 15 consecutive days, it is a world where fatigue and minor injuries are always present. It is said that the effects are particularly noticeable after the 10th day. Not missing even the smallest changes after the match will lead to a correct prediction of an upset.