JL4 Sabong Hand Signals: How the Kristo Reads the Pit
Sabong hand signals belong to the licensed cockpit, since e-sabong has been suspended since 2022: bettors use them to tell the kristo which side they back and in what denomination.
- JL4 Llamado Dehado
- Llamado dehado are terms from the licensed cockpit, since e-sabong has been suspended since 2022: the llamado is the favoured bird and the dehado is the underdog.
- JL4 PD 449 Cockfighting Law, Section by Section
- The PD 449 cockfighting law of 9 May 1974 is what traditional cockfights still run under while e-sabong stays suspended since 2022.
- JL4 Answers Is E-Sabong Legal
- E-sabong is not legal to offer or bet on: operations were suspended nationwide on 3 May 2022, and Executive Order No. 9 of 28 December 2022 directs that the suspension continue.
- JL4 Sabong Arena
- A sabong arena is the licensed cockpit of PD 449, the one lawful place for a cockfight now that e-sabong has been suspended since 2022.
- JL4 Explains What Is Tupada
- What is tupada in everyday use: a cockfight held outside a licensed cockpit or outside the allowed days, unlawful under PD 449 just as online sabong has been suspended since 2022.
Sabong hand signals belong to the live cockpit, and that cockpit sits under a clear legal frame. E-sabong operations were suspended nationwide on 3 May 2022, and Executive Order No. 9, signed by President Marcos on 28 December 2022, directed the continued suspension, with traditional licensed cockfights left outside it. Our sabong Philippines culture and law overview gives the full context, and this page only describes gestures.
Seven sabong hand signals at a glance
The table lists the widely known conventions in general terms. It gives no amounts, because each cockpit sets its own, and the kristo teaches regulars by example.
| # | Signal | What it generally communicates | Who makes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fingers pointed up | A wager in one denomination band | Bettor |
| 2 | Fingers held sideways | A wager in a second denomination band | Bettor |
| 3 | Fingers pointed down | A wager in a third denomination band | Bettor |
| 4 | A wave toward the meron side | The bettor backs meron | Bettor |
| 5 | A wave or point toward the wala side | The bettor backs wala | Bettor |
| 6 | A pointed finger from the kristo to a bettor | The wager has been matched | Kristo |
| 7 | A raised hand to catch the kristo’s eye | The bettor wants to place a wager | Bettor |
The table has seven rows, and each cockpit decides which band a finger position stands for.
How the kristo reads the pit
The kristo is the bet caller who signals wagers across the crowd. The kristo works through a simple sequence:
- Reads the denomination from the fingers.
- Reads the side from the wave or point.
- Points to another bettor who takes the other side.
In PD 449’s vocabulary the nearest role is the bet taker or promoter, who calls and takes care of bets before the cockfight begins.
Section 4 describes the bet taker as the person who then distributes won bets to the winners after deducting a commission. The referee, the sentenciador, announces the result, and our page on the PD 449 cockfighting law sets out every role in the decree.
Why sabong hand signals vary by cockpit
Conventions differ because the language grew locally, in cockpits with their own regulars and their own customs. The same finger position can stand for a different band in another town. A newcomer learns by watching the kristo, never by guessing.
- Watch several fights before reading any signal as fixed.
- Notice which fingers the regulars show and how the kristo answers.
- Ask the cockpit’s staff, not a stranger, what a gesture means.
Hand signals, meron and wala
Meron and wala are the two sides the signals refer to, and they connect to the favourite and underdog labels covered on our llamado and dehado page.
| Word | What it names | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Meron | One side of the ring | Which bird is the favourite |
| Wala | The other side of the ring | Which bird is the underdog |
Signals do not move online
The signals only work face to face across a pit. Betting on a live cockfight from a screen is exactly what Executive Order No. 9 suspends, and our page on the e-sabong suspension of 2022 lists the red flags of a site that ignores it.
| Setting | Signals | Executive Order No. 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Live licensed cockpit | Used face to face | Traditional licensed cockfights are not covered by the suspension |
| Online or off-cockpit betting | Not applicable | Suspended under Section 1(b) |
Players must be 21 or older, and this page is no encouragement to bet. If wagering ever stops being fun, the responsible play rules explain how to set limits and where to get help.
FAQ
What are sabong hand signals?
They are the gestures a bettor makes across the cockpit so the bet caller, the kristo, can read the side and the size of a wager without a word. The seven in the table are the widely known conventions.
Are the signals the same in every cockpit?
No. Conventions vary by cockpit and by region, and regulars learn them by watching the kristo at work. Treat the table as a general reading aid, not a rulebook.
Who is the kristo?
The kristo is the bet caller who signals wagers across the pit with hand gestures and matches the two sides. PD 449 does not use the word; its closest role is the bet taker or promoter, who calls and takes care of bets.
Can I use these signals to bet online?
No. Hand signals belong to the live cockpit. Executive Order No. 9 suspends online, remote and off-cockpit betting on live cockfights.