Sports betting is a massive industry. Studies have shown that sports betting accounts for about 40% of the global gambling market. Reports suggest that sports betting fans wager more than half a trillion every year globally. The popularity has been dramatically boosted by technological innovations like mobile sports betting, which have made sports betting more accessible. With a smartphone, you can download the Betway app and enjoy sports betting on the go. In this regard, most online betting platforms ensure they have mobile access for their users.
Sports betting fans wager on nearly all the sports that exist, including newer sports like eSports. However, some sports are more popular than others in terms of betting volumes. Here are the dominating sports in the sports betting industry:
1. Soccer
Soccer is arguably the most popular sport globally. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is the most popular sport among sports bettors. Initially, horse racing was the most popular, but innovations such as cash-outs and live betting have made soccer more popular.
Reports suggest that over 1 billion GBP is wagered on soccer annually in the UK alone! When you consider other soccer-loving lands, the numbers soar to unimaginable levels. It is only in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand that soccer is not the number sport for betting.
2. Horse Racing
Horse racing used to be the top sport in the sports betting industry. But, it was knocked off its perch by soccer. Nonetheless, it remains a global giant in the world of sports betting. It mainly benefits from the fact that horse racing is perhaps the oldest form of sports betting.
Japan, Australia, and the UK are the biggest horse racing markets. Other regions around the world have also joined horse racing betting because of its big viewership and big-time bettors.
3. Tennis
Surprising, right? Tennis is the third most popular sport in sports betting globally. Betting on tennis became more popular thanks to the introduction of live in-play betting, allowing bettors to wager on who will bet on who wins a set.
Moreover, the combinations available also make the sport a very high-frequency wagering sport. In this regard, live betting has been a significant factor in making tennis a bigger betting game.
4. Golf
Golf has emerged as a big force in the betting industry recently. The game has 78 players playing at any time and a wide range of betting formats. As a result, it is not challenging to think of why it is trendy among betting fans.
Additionally, golf events last three to four days, meaning there is a myriad of opportunities for you to wager on. There are also many options with golf betting than other sports, making it a game of interest for sports bettors on top betting platforms like Betway.
5. NFL
The NFL is the biggest betting sport in the USA. It has benefited significantly from the legalization of online betting in the USA. People from all over the world watch and wager on NFL events. The Super Bowl is undoubtedly the most wagered NFL event.
The only reason it is at number five is that it is predominantly in the USA. Nonetheless, it is a big enough sport that attracts significant betting volumes.
