Biggest Betting Markets Around the World
Sports betting in general is incredibly popular these days, and increasingly so, thanks to online and mobile wagering opportunities. It’s more convenient, you have more options and you can do more research with the touch of a button, before you part with any of your hard-earned cash. But what are the most popular markets of all, in this popular pastime?
Globally, the most popular sport on earth to play, watch and bet on is Football, or, if you live in America, Soccer. Every single country has a team to back with nationalistic pride, and there are games running at every hour of every day thanks to the leagues that exist all over the world. Going a little more specifically, there are some other favourites among different countries.
USA’s Most Popular Bets
American Football is the most commonly bet-upon sport in North America by quite a long way. Sunday is a day dedicated to the National Football League for many US citizens, and the Super Bowl is treated as a national holiday. Each game in a season has a significant impact in American Football, which is not the case in several other sports, and more weight on a game usually means more action and exciting punts. And of course, it could be considered unpatriotic not to.
Best Bets in the UK
Across the pond from America, the most popular sport to bet on in England is, indeed, Football, followed by Tennis. Horse Racing, Darts and Snooker are also favorite markets. As with American Football in the USA, the sports that are most popular among punters in England are the ones that have become part of their culture. The number of events and the volume of data available on each rider and steed make Horse Racing bets even more appealing, and the sport is heavily funded by sports betting in Great Britain.
**Europe Loves Football and Tennis **
Just as in the UK, Football is the most popular sport in Europe to bet on, and the second-most popular is Tennis. Some speculate that the increased interest in Tennis wagers is down to the in-play betting action on these games; they seem to work better and be more exciting and engaging in this format.
Favorite** Markets in Asia**
For many of the countries that were colonized or influenced by the British empire, Cricket is a source of national pride and fascination and Cricket stars are treated like gods. It’s incredibly popular to watch and wager on Cricket matches in Pakistan, India and other countries in Asia.
First-ranked among Asians for sports betting is, however, not Cricket but Football. There’s a lot of enthusiasm even for events that don’t concern Asia at all, which fits with the fact that online sports betting is so preferred to land-based punting around the continent.
Africa’s Top Markets
Cricket betting is incredibly popular in countries such as South Africa, which have also been influenced by British colonizers, but like their Asian counterparts these countries enjoy Football betting even more. Horse racing betting has also developed into a major industry in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and other countries on the continent.
The Markets that Australians Bet on Most
Cricket, Rugby and yes, Football, all have national pastime status among Australians, for playing, watching and punting. Once again, the importance of specific sports to a culture is reflected in how much interest the nation shows in betting on their games. As more Australian stars like Andrew Bogut, Ben Simmons, Andrew Dellavedova and Patty Mills make their name in the American National Basketball Association, this sport and these games have attracted a lot more betting attention down under too.
