What Sports Get the Most Punters?

Sports betting is a popular pastime among many. With the popularity of sports being what it is, it shouldn’t surprise us to learn that billions go into wagering on these games, annually. But, what many may want to know is; what sports get the most punters? In this article, we’ll answer that exact question.

Football

Football (or soccer) was originally codified in the 1800s, at least in the form that we recognize today. Prior to the Victorian era, there were plenty of kick ball games dating back to the ancient world. However, it is football that managed to become the most popular sport of all time.

Currently, there are over 3 billion people following games, rooting for sports clubs, and buying merchandise. Many of these people also like to bet on football. With online sportsbooks, betting on football is easier than it has ever been.

Cricket

With over 2 billion fans around the world, cricket is among the top three most popular sports, behind only basketball and football. However, in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc., it is the dominant sport, with almost no competition.

Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise some of you to learn that, in these countries, cricket is the favorite betting sport. In India alone, millions go into cricket wagers every year. If we look at the numbers worldwide, we could easily see that cricket is one of the most attractive sports to bet on.

Basketball

The second biggest sport in the world, basketball is, of course, a popular choice when betting online. The biggest basketball tournaments are the EuroBasket and the National Basketball Association playoffs. These events bring in bettors from all over the world, including Asia, Africa, and South America. 

Basketball is also particularly popular in Eastern and South-eastern Europe, and in plenty of countries in that region (Serbia, Montenegro, etc.) In these places, basketball is the absolute, most popular, and favorite sport to watch and bet on. 

Golf

Some may be surprised to find golf on this list. But, the truth is that golf is actually an incredibly popular sport to bet on, for good reason. Unlike cricket, basketball, and football, golf is a year-round sport. That means that a major tournament is occurring at any point during the year. Obviously, it also means that punters can wager year-round, rather than seasonally.

This factor has elevated the popularity of golf to incredible heights, not just at online sportsbooks, but among fandoms in general. While many might be put-off by the slow nature of golf, to some it is precisely that slow nature that attracts them to the sport. Not to mention, it is also one of the few games that anyone can play for fun, as it requires very little exertion, at least on an amateur level. 

Honorable Mentions

There are quite a few popular sports that we missed out on. That is why, we’d like to bring up volleyball, tennis, horse racing, and even darts as sports that are popular to bet on, but we simply did not have time to cover. All of these have a pretty healthy following online and offline, and get millions of euros in wagers every year.