What are the Most Popular Sports to Bet on at Live Bookies?

Betting on sports is nothing new. In fact, the hobby has been active and alive for millennia. Evidence suggests that the ancients would wage on chariot races, boxing events, and more. Of course, while the fact that we wager hasn’t change, our methods have.

Online sportsbooks are now the primary way that many approach the betting industry. For good reason, as novibet.ie make the whole thing a lot simpler, and much more accessible. That being said, some may be asking what the most popular sports to bet on are.

We are here to answer that exact question. We’ve taken a look at some of the best online sportsbooks, and the top performing sports. With that in mind, we are going to share the top five most popular sports to wager on.

Football

Football, or soccer, is at the top of the list, no matter how you slice it. There are current more than 3 billion football fans worldwide. They tune in for all of the biggest competitions, and follow their favorite clubs. Naturally, a lot of them are also betting enthusiasts, who place exorbitant wagers.

Football also has some of the most popular events in the realm of sports. The FIFA World Cup is, bar-none, the biggest athletic competition, attracting fans from all over the world. It is also the most wagered on event in sports.

Cricket

Cricket was, for a long time, the second most popular sport in the world, with 2 billion fans and counting. In the betting circles, cricket has always had a passionate and dedicated fan base. To a point where fans were not satisfied with seasonal wagering.

Some passionate cricket fans came up with the SRL Cricket. The simulated reality league made it possible for betting enthusiasts to place wagers all year round, rather than just during the season proper.

Basketball

In the past few years, basketball’s popularity has surpassed cricket, though the two are at a constant competition. Having said that, cricket remains more popular on average in terms of betting. Still, basketball is the third most popular betting sport online, and in land-based casinos.

Especially noteworthy is the NBA, that not only attracts American fans, but also Canadians and Europeans. What is more, the NBA is gaining popularity in Africa as well, which has led to a surge in wagering.

Horse Racing

When people talk about the most popular sports in the world, most would not think to bring up horse racing. Indeed, as a watched sport it is not all that popular. However, when it comes to sportsbooks, horse racing is in the top five.

Boxing

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t at least bring up one combat sport. Between boxing and mixed martial arts, boxing remains the more popular of the two for now. However, the UFC has brought MMA to a mainstream audience, many of whom have joined online sportsbooks, and are placing bets on their favorite fighters.