As sports betting becomes bigger and more popular in the UK, more people are willing to get in on the action. If you’re wondering which fandoms have the largest pull, here are the biggest sports betting markets in the United Kingdom that are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
1. Football
This should come as no surprise. Football has been the most popular sport in the UK for decades, so it’s only logical that the sports betting markets for football are also at the top of the food chain. Though many countries have extremely passionate, competitive, and dedicated fans of the sport, few, if any, rival the energy that UK fans feel. Read more here for further information about sports betting markets and UK Football.
People all over the world engage in football betting markets for a variety of reasons, all of which are present in the UK as well. For some, it’s a way to show the love they have for a team, having so much faith in their guaranteed victory that they are willing to bet money. For others, it can be a simple way to spice up their sports. And of course, a little extra cash can always come in handy, especially with the rising prices of sports tickets lately.
2. Cricket
Though it’s not terribly popular in other parts of the world, Cricket has always been huge in Britain. Judging by how big the betting market is for this sport, that’s not going to be changing anytime soon.Part of the reason cricket has such a great betting market is due to the variety of betting options that are available. Cricket betting gives bettors a lot more freedom thanks to this huge variety of betting types.
There are standard betting options, like match bets and series winners, but there are also several in-play options, like batsman runs or over & under totals. This variety keeps people coming back for more, which is why cricket has such a huge betting market in the UK.
3. Horse Racing
The United Kingdom is home to many of the biggest horse racing competitions, festivals, and sporting events the world has ever seen. The fact that the United Kingdom also has the world’s biggest horse racing betting market is of no surprise.
The horse racing betting market is unique in that people can not only bet on the horses but the jockeys as well. A horse rider’s overall performance can be just as exciting to bet on as which horse will cross the finish line first.
Because the sport is simpler than something like football, the barrier of entry for betting is lower, which ends up attracting more people. Horse races being much faster than cricket or football matches is another favourable aspect—one quick loss can immediately lead to one quick win.
4. Darts
Even if you don’t think of darts as a particularly competitive sport, the UK sure does. Darts is accessible, easy to follow, and easy to learn. This makes it not only a great game to play when at the pub but a great game to watch as well. As a result, the betting market for darts has exploded over the past few years, with more people caring about tournament outcomes and sportsbooks.
Since darts is a game all about precision, the betting market reflects that. The riskiest and bravest of darts sports bettors love betting not only on who will win but what the exact scores will be. This makes the darts betting market especially enticing for bettors who love to be as precise as possible. With an edge like that, it makes sense that this betting market has grown so much.
5. Tennis
With Wimbledon being one of the biggest summer sport events, Tennis holds a great importance in the UK, which in turn means equal popularity amongst sports betting fans. With UK live TV coverage of other events like the Australian, French and US open, the sport remains popular even when Wimbledon is over.
With a combination of betting types that reflect singles and doubles, fans of tennis betting have a lot of options to choose from.
6. Golf
The UK is home to many golf courses, so naturally, golf is a big sport for Brits. It’s also a much more technical and sophisticated game than some people give it credit for, which is reflected in how golf betting operates. You must know golfing terminology to bet effectively on this sport, which is why this betting market tends to attract diehard fans.
Golf betting allows you to bet on entire matches or just the current round. This makes it a great choice for short-term and long-term betting, allowing you to adapt based on your knowledge and confidence.
7. Rugby
When talking about sports associated with the UK, it’s almost impossible to forget the Rugby Union. Though the better market isn’t as large as tennis or football, its influence on the overall betting market can’t be ignored.
Rugby Union betting often operates on betting who will reach a certain score first. Though rugby isn’t a type of race, popular betting options tend to treat it that way.
8. Boxing
The boxing betting market is the most unique on this list. While boxing matches don’t happen as often as the other sports, it specializes in massive annual events and matches that send shockwaves through the betting community. The amount of money spent on boxing matches, relative to how few matches there actually are, is astonishing.
Because boxing matches are considered rare, this makes them more valuable. This compels people to place their bets as they see it as a rare opportunity. Even people who don’t normally follow the betting market are prone to placing a few wagers on the boxing match of the year.