Sports betting, online or offline, has become hugely popular in recent years. It makes up around 30 to 40% of the global gambling market and is expected to generate approximately $140.26bn by 2028!
It’s easy to see why – it combines the thrill of the game with the delight of earning plenty of cash.
For more in-depth information, go to BetFromAfrica.com, which is a casino portal focusing on the most popular options on the Kenyan market in the last 20 years (bet365), to find out about the most popular sports to bet on globally.
What are the most popular sports to bet on globally?
Football
It is thought that globally, over $1bn is spent on football bets per year, making it the most popular sport to bet on. There are only a few countries where football isn’t number one – these include the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The great thing about betting on football is there are so many options. Of course, you can bet on which team you think will win, but you can also bet on many more factors, such as who will score the first goal, how many goals will be scored overall, how many penalties will be issued, how many corners will be taken and so on.
You can also place an accumulator bet. This is where your bet is made up of multiple predictions and all of them need to be fulfilled in order for you to win.
Horse racing
Horse racing used to be number one until football took over. But it’s still a popular sport to bet on. It is one of the UK’s favourite traditional sports, but bookmakers from around the globe now offer bets on races taking place all over the world.
It is best to bet on horse races when you are watching them live, to soak up the atmosphere. But it can also be fun to watch from the comfort of your own home. Many people take an interest in placing bets on the horses without even watching the races at all.
Tennis
Globally, tennis is the third most popular sport to bet on and similarly to football, there are many elements you can choose from.
The most popular bet is called a moneyline bet. This is where you are betting on who is going to win. However, if you’re particularly interested in the sport and have the knowledge to predict other outcomes, there are different bets you can place, such as game spread, set spread and over/under bets.
Tennis is usually widely broadcast, so you can pretty much watch all of the big tennis events from anywhere in the world.
Golf
It is hard to know why golf isn’t a more popular option in sports betting. The sport has lots of players (78 players on a course at any one time) and multiple betting options. The big golfing tournaments usually run over three to four days, but unfortunately, they don’t happen as regularly as some of the other big sporting events. But with so many odds and variable outcomes, they can be great fun and extremely profitable.
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is an American football league that has been popular within the USA for many years. However, in recent years, it has started to become very popular in the global betting market.
Worldwide, more people have begun watching NFL games, which has resulted in more people betting on them.
Rugby
There are many countries that play rugby, and this year (2021), 16 of them qualified for the Rugby World Cup. A huge event such as this is great news for any sports betting fan out there – check your money personality here to see whether betting is the right choice for you.
Boxing/MMA
Boxing is a very popular sport among the betting market and has been for years. You might think that you are only able to bet on who will win the fight overall. However, betting on boxing can be as varied as any other sport. You can bet on elements such as how many rounds will be fought, the method of victory, etc.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is still a relatively new sport in the grand scheme of things, but it is a definite up-and-comer that is growing in popularity by the day.
