Sports betting has always been an aspect of our entertainment. For as long as humans have been around, we’ve been competing in athletic tournaments. As long as we’ve been competing, we’ve also been betting on the outcome.
Today, betting is a lot different than it has ever been. For one thing, betting can occur online. With the improvements made in digital technology, sports betting websites are more popular and more successful than ever before. Naturally, this also means that more people are betting than ever before.
But, what are the sports that attract the most punters? In this article, we will go over the most popular betting sports in the world, and talk very briefly about why they are so popular. Without further ado, let us delve into it.
Football/Soccer
Football, or soccer, is the most popular sport in the world by far. There are currently over 3 billion fans who follow it with fervor and passion. Naturally, that means it will be big at sportsbooks. Football is, by far, the most popular betting sport nowadays, and it is hard to believe that this fact will change in the near future.
Cricket
A lot of people don’t view cricket as a popular sport. However, with 2 billion fans worldwide, it is easily in the top three most successful games. The sport is especially popular in India, and many of the surrounding nations. Of course, England is big on cricket as well, as it is their national sport. Sportsbooks cover cricket with respect and thoroughness.
Basketball
With just over 2 billion fans, basketball has recently surpassed cricket as the second most popular sport in the world. We largely have the National Basketball Association and FIBA to thank for that. Of course, as we said with football and cricket, the more fans, the more bettors. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to learn that basketball is one of the most popular betting sports in the world.
Golf
Golf may not be the most popular sport in the world. But it is one of the most popular sports to bet on. The reason is simple; much like tennis, golf is a year-round sport. This means that betting on golf is possible no matter what the season is. At any point during the year, some big-name golf tournament is occurring, meaning at any point during the year, a punter could wager on golf.
Boxing
The most popular combat sport in the world, boxing remains the king of pay-per-view events. All of the most sold pay-per-view events are boxing matches, with Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor remaining one of the most sold TV events ever. Naturally, the sport attracts a ton of punters, many of which have also crossed over into MMA. And speaking of which…
MMA
Mixed martial arts is the combat sport of the 21st century. While it has been around since the 20th century, it was only recently that it attained mainstream appeal. This has also elevated its success at bookshops. MMA betting is now bigger than ever, and it is easily one of the most popular sports to wager on.
