Betting on Muay Thai

World class fighters within the Muay Thai scene including 23-year-old Antonie Pinto were in attendance. The Frenchman has won 117 out of 152 matches throughout his career, while Thailand's Sudsakorn Sor Klinnmee, with 225 wins in 263 matches, also made an appearance.

The event has been taking place since 2010 and already has a huge following, which is indicative of the growing popularity of Muay Thai itself. The martial art originated in Thailand and has been practised since the era of King Naresuan in 1560 CE. It involves using 'eight limbs,' including the fists, elbows, knees and shins, making it a full contact sport.

The fighting principles of Muay Thai put it in the same bracket as UFC, which uses mixed martial arts and attracts a 2.3 million viewing following. Within this, sports betting sites make a huge profit year on year, as the world of sports betting grows and the martial art becomes more popular.

With so many viewers watching and betting on UFC, it begs the question as to why more spectators do not have a bet on Muay Thai fighting. Geography could indeed be one issue – with the majority of the sport's events taking place and being screened in Thailand, there is a potentially smaller betting market which is usually targeted towards Western viewers.

Despite gambling being completely illegal in Thailand, the sport carries its own form of betting, which is hugely popular amongst spectators. Audience members use a series of hand gestures to convey their betting intentions.

A bet on the favorite, for example, will be indicated by the spectator putting his hand facing downwards. Alternatively, a bet on the underdog will be characterized by a palm facing upwards. This form of 'mime' betting is one of the only legal bets in Thailand, and is widely used in the Lumpinee Stadium, known by locals as the 'Mecca of Muay Thai.'

With this type of betting becoming more popular each day, it is now perhaps time for popular sports betting sites to tailor their bets towards the sport of Muay Thai. The sport is already beginning to achieve global recognition, and with sports betting getting over obstacles such as legislation in the modern day, it could just be a matter of time before spectators the world over are putting their money on tournaments or fights all over the world