If you’re a fan of racket sports, you might think you know them all – tennis, badminton, squash, and maybe even pickleball. But have you ever heard of padel? This exciting, fast-paced game is taking the world by storm, quickly becoming one of the most popular racket sports in many countries, and now it’s officially a part of the OddsMatrix Sports Data Feeds offering.
So, what exactly is padel? It’s a racket sport played on an enclosed court about half the size of a tennis court. The court has glass walls and a lower net than a tennis net. Padel is usually played in doubles, with each team trying to hit the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court. But here’s the twist – you can also use the walls to play the ball, just like in racquetball. This makes for exciting rallies and tricky shots that keep players on their toes.
Padel is a great sport for all ages and skill levels. It’s easy to pick up the basics, but it takes time and practice to master the advanced techniques. It’s also a great workout, as it combines the cardio of tennis with the agility of racquetball. Plus, playing doubles means you get to socialize and work together with a partner.
One of the reasons padel is becoming so popular is that it’s a very accessible sport. Players don’t need a lot of equipment to play – just a racket and some balls. Plus, because the court is enclosed, they don’t have to worry about chasing balls all over the place like it usually happens in tennis. As a result, courts are popping up worldwide, many clubs offer lessons for beginners, and the padel betting scene is also seeing exponential growth.
But it’s not just the accessibility driving padel’s popularity. It’s also a fun, social sport that’s perfect for groups. And when a sport ticks all of these boxes, it also becomes a great sports betting pretender.
Many players enjoy the game’s social aspect, whether it’s playing with friends, meeting new people at the club, or competing with other people with their predictions by placing bets on various competitions. Also, thanks to padel being relatively new to many areas, engaging with this sport is a great way to be part of a growing community of enthusiasts.
Padel is perfect for those who are looking for a fun, fast-paced, and social racket sport that has taken the world by storm.
Padel originated in Mexico in 1969. The sport was invented by Enrique Corcuera, who wanted to create a game that could be played on the small courtyards of his homes in Acapulco.
The sport quickly gained popularity in Mexico, and from there, it spread to other Latin American countries, such as Argentina, where it became particularly popular. In the 1970s, padel began to make its way to Europe, with Spain being one of the first countries to adopt it.
Padel gained massive traction in Spain, becoming popular quickly. By the 1990s, it became one of the country’s most popular sports.
The sport retained many similarities to its older brother, tennis, with some distinct differences:
Court Size: Padel courts are smaller than tennis courts. A padel court is 10 meters wide and 20 meters long, while a tennis court is 23.77 meters long and 8.23 meters wide for singles and 10.97 for doubles.
Walls: Padel courts have walls around the entire court, which can be used to play the ball. In tennis, there are no walls, and the ball must be hit over the net and within the boundaries of the court. This change adds an extra dimension to the gameplay.
Rackets: Padel rackets are smaller and more lightweight than tennis rackets, with a maximum size of 45.5 cm long and 26 cm wide. They also have holes in the surface, increasing the ball’s spin.
Serving: In padel, the serve is underhand. The ball must bounce once on the ground before being hit, which is opposite to tennis, where the serve is overhand, and the ball must be hit without touching the ground first.
According to the International Padel Federation (FIP), over 25 million people are playing padel in 90+ countries, with the sport being particularly popular in Spain, Argentina, Mexico, and other Latin American countries.
In Spain, considered the birthplace of padel, the number of padel courts has grown from around 1,000 in 2000 to over 20,000 in 2022. The country now has over 6 million registered players, making it the second most popular sport in the country after football. Next comes Argentina, which currently has over 2 million players.
In addition to its growing popularity among recreational players, padel has also gained recognition as a professional sport. The World Padel Tour (WPT), which is the main professional padel circuit, has seen a significant increase in viewership and sponsorship deals in recent years, with the prize money for top tournaments reaching over €100,000.
Overall, it is safe to say that padel has grown significantly in popularity over the recent years, with the sport now being played by millions of people around the world and gaining recognition as a professional sport.
With padel’s popularity growth and its new-found recognition as a professional sport, the betting scene also caught up with the newly discovered gem. Padel betting has gained a lot of traction in recent years. Although still a niche market and fairly new, the padel betting market is on its way to reaching the industry’s top dogs, such as football, basketball, and tennis.
Since padel betting is still a relatively new form of sports betting, the number of markets available for padel matches can vary depending on the sportsbook or betting platform you use.
If you choose the OddsMatrix Sports Data Feeds, you will always have access to the most sought-after and prevalent padel betting markets to entertain your players.
OddsMatrix is always looking to provide its customers with the latest betting markets and sports that are trending in the industry. We are currently offering the following padel betting markets, with more to come:
Game Score: bettors can place wagers on the exact score of each game played during a padel match. In this market, bettors predict the exact number of games that each team will win in a given set or in the entire match.
Game To Deuce: bettors can wager on whether a particular game will be tied at 40-40, which is also known as a “deuce.” If the game does reach deuce, the bettor who placed a bet on “Game to Deuce” will win the bet.
Home Away: This market allows bettors to wager on which team will win a particular set or the entire match. The “home” team is the team that is listed first on the match schedule, whilst the “away” team is the team listed second.
Odd/Even: bookmaker sets a total number of games or points to be played in a match or set, and bettors can place wagers on whether the total will be an odd or even number.
Point Winner: This market allows bettors to wager on which team will win the next point. Each point’s outcome can significantly impact the match, making this a fun and exciting way to bet on padel.d/Even
Total Points: This market allows bettors to wager on the total number of points that will be played in a particular set or the entire match. The bookmaker sets a total number of points, and bettors can place wagers on whether the total will be over or under that number.
Padel is a fast, fun, and inclusive racket sport that requires quick reflexes, precision, and teamwork, making it the perfect candidate for sports betting fans. Since it is now part of the OddsMatrix Sports Data Feeds offering, our customers can satisfy the padel itch by providing the top padel tournaments and betting markets to sports betting enthusiasts.
Padel is a dynamic, exciting, and accessible racket sport that demands quick reflexes, accuracy, and cooperation from players, making it an ideal sport for enthusiasts of sports betting. With the inclusion of padel in the OddsMatrix Sports Data Feeds offering, our customers can provide coverage of the top padel tournaments and betting markets.
Whether you’re a seasoned fan or new to the sport, you can explore a wide range of padel betting options to find the perfect one for you. With its growing popularity, the sport offers an exciting opportunity for sports betting enthusiasts to add some extra thrill to their game.
