Viktor Axelsen v Koki Watanabe Badminton Betting Picks

Badminton world number one Viktor Axelsen is in action this week as the Malaysia Masters badminton tournament is set to begin. The tournament starts on May 22 and is being held at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur. Axelsen takes on Japan's Koki Watanabe in the opening round and is determined to win this tournament for the first time since 2018.

What? Malaysia Masters 2024 Badminton Round One
Where? Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur
When? May 22, 2024

Below are the Malaysia Masters badminton betting odds from three of the best sports betting sites.

Malaysia Masters Badminton
Viktor Axelsen	-2000	-2000	-2000
Koki Watanabe	+750	+750	+750

Odds are subject to change.

Viktor Axelsen

The Dane is the favorite to win the tournament but he will be slightly disappointed with his year so far. Axelsen has not won a tournament since winning the World Tour at the end of 2023.

Axelsen started the year with a semi-final defeat against Yu Qi Shi. In March, he suffered a shock round of 16 loss in the French Open to world number 23 Tzu Wei Wang. Next, he lost the All England Open quarter-final against Anthony Ginting. In April he made it to the semi-final of the European Championship before losing to Toma Popov. Most recently, he lost the Thomas Cup play-offs against Tien Chen Chou.

It is fair to say that Axelsen is due a tournament win and the Malaysia Masters is a perfect opportunity for him. He will be expected to beat the world number 21, Watanabe and the win could propel him on to win the whole tournament.

Axelsen was forced to withdraw from the 2023 Malaysia Masters due to injury so this could add an extra incentive for him to win the tournament.

Koki Watanabe

The 25 year old from Japan made the play-offs in the Thomas Cup but lost heavily to number 37, Jun Hao Leong. His most recent contest was an entertaining 3 set battle with Guang Zu Lu which he lost 2-1. This was in the Thailand Open. Back in November, Watanabe made an impressive run to the Korea Masters final but succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to his compatriot, Kento Momota. He beat the world number 31, 23 and 16 on his route to the final.

Watanabe began his badminton journey at the age of four, joining a badminton club inspired by his sister. He went on to dominate the Saitama school championships for three consecutive years in elementary school. At Saitamasakaechugakko Koto school, he clinched the singles title at the national junior championships and secured third place in doubles.

He was a key member of the national junior team, competing in the 2015 and 2016 Asia and World Junior Championships. In 2015, he earned a bronze medal in the World boys' singles and contributed to the team's bronze medals at the 2015 and 2016 Asian and 2016 World Junior Championships.

In 2018, Watanabe was the runner-up at the BWF Super 100 tournament Russian Open. Watanabe has steadily but surely been climbing the world rankings. With plenty of years left at the top, we are likely to see him break into the top ten sooner rather than later.

Prediction

This will be a win for Axelsen and the Dane will be aiming to win the whole tournament for the first time since his triumph back in 2018.

Betting Picks

Viktor Axelsen -12.5 To beat Koki Watanabe

-115

Bovada

Odds are subject to change.

You can read our Bovada sportsbook review to determine if it's the best site for you badminton bets.

Betting on Badminton

Badminton is a high-speed racket sport that requires quick reflexes. It provides an exciting opportunity for sports betting. Understanding the nuances of odds, different types of bets, and implementing effective strategies is crucial in badminton betting.

Malaysia Masters Badminton

The Malaysia Masters, established in 2009, is a prominent badminton tournament classified as a Super 500 event, previously known as a Grand Prix Gold. The prize pool has significantly increased to US$350,000 from its earlier amount of US$120,000.

Since 2018, the Badminton World Federation has designated the Malaysia Masters as one of the seven Super 500 events within its World Tour framework.

H.S. Prannoy from India is the current champion after winning the 2023 edition.

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