In both the online and offline realms of sports betting, the numbers are massive, with some of the largest betting companies claiming millions of global customers across various sports and betting markets like Point Spreads betting. Sports betting accounts for roughly 40% of the global gambling industry, including lotteries, casinos, poker and other types of amusement.
Almost all sports now allow betting, and new categories such as esports are witnessing the biggest development in terms of player participation, audience and betting. However, a few titans have always accounted for most of the global sports betting business. While figures vary by country, these are the most popular sports to wager on:
Football
Football (or soccer in certain countries) is the most popular and biggest sport globally, so it’s no wonder it ranks first. Horse racing was once the most popular, but in-game betting and early cash-outs have made football betting a monster. It’s estimated that over £1 billion is bet on football in the United Kingdom yearly. Due to the numerous unregulated markets, collecting specific estimates for the global market is impossible.
Horse Racing
Horse racing has long been connected with gambling, and it was the most popular activity in which to gamble. Horse races are among the most important events, and with high prize money comes massive crowds and bettors.Each year, horse racing betting is estimated to be worth more than £100 billion. Surprisingly, Japan dominates the market, followed by the UK and Australia.
Tennis
Tennis is the world’s third most popular sport for betting, which may surprise some. Tennis is a particularly high-frequency betting sport due to the vast amount of options. Live betting began with bets on who would win a set; today, you may bet on who’ll win each game.
Tennis draws also make it an easy low-odds bet; for example, Federer or Nadal may face an outsider in the first few rounds, and given that they’ve dominated the sport for decades, they don’t often lose to outsiders. Live betting, on the other hand, has been a major contributor to the massive rise in tennis betting.
American Football
With the legalization of online gambling in the United States, American Football is poised to be a massive sports betting winner. The NFL and its championship game, the Super Bowl, are watched and bet on by people worldwide, and the betting industry can only grow from here.
Final Words
These are among the most popular wagering sports worldwide. If you’re betting for the first time, select a sport you enjoy and follow regularly. Your knowledge of your favorite sports is beneficial as additional insight into the game. You can also use various sources to inform your betting actions to increase your chances of winning.