I guess it all depends on the scenario and the personal preference 
I used ODBC for R...but used JDBC for Power Builder 
PowerBuilder - The new kid on Developer Center's block
But keep in mind that ODBC/JDBC allows you to connect R to SAP HANA...but you need an R Server to connect SAP HANA to R... When SAP HANA met R - First kiss
Greetings,
Blag.
Development Culture.