Online sportsbooks have become the primary way that most punters wager. In the 1990s, online bookies first appeared. However, they truly reached the pinnacle of their success in the 2010s. In 2018, the United States legalized online sportsbooks on a federal level, elevating the industry to new heights.
Nowadays, you can find plenty of reliable and safe sportsbooks. One example would be Novibet, where you can find a plethora of sports to choose from, some excellent odds, and even a number of bonuses that boost your chances. However, what are the most popular sports that you can wage on? In this article, we attempt to answer this question.
Football/Soccer
The rapid rise of football (or soccer for US readers) is unparalleled. The game, in its current incarnation, first appeared in the 1800s. In just over a decade, it became Europe’s favorite sport. Today, football has 3 billion followers around the world, and is unmatched in terms of popularity.
Understandably, the success of football has generated a lively and vibrant betting culture. The most popular competitions to bet on are the five great European leagues. They would be the following:
- The English Premier League
- The Italian Serie A
- The French Ligue 1
- The Spanish La Liga
- The German Bundesliga
Apart from these five leagues, which happen on an annual level, the World Cup is the most beloved, watched, and wagered on football tournament in the world. The Cup takes place every four years, and is, by far, the most popular sporting event in the world.
Basketball
Basketball is only second to football in terms of international popularity. Currently, over 2 billion people identify basketball as a sport they watch, and millions name it as their absolute favorite. The game was created by Canadian-American physician and educator, James Naismith in the 19th century, and it quickly became popular worldwide.
Today, the National Basketball Association and the FIBA are the two most popular basketball organization. Games held by these organizations attract a huge audience from all over the world, with the FIBA World Cup and the NBA Finals being the two most watched basketball events in the world.
Horse Racing
The history of horse racing is long and quite fascinating. It first began in the ancient world, when we first domesticated horses. Chariot racings were quite popular throughout history, especially in Ancient Egypt and Rome, where they were the most watched sport.
However, throughout history, the popularity of the sport has waxed and waned. Until the 19th century, when the Victorians re-discovered horse racing, and began holding some of the most impressive horse races in history.
Pretty soon, the sport was endowed with new life, becoming one of the most popular sports to wager on. Today, this fact remains true. From the American Triple Crown, to the English Royal Ascot, to the numerous Irish horse racing events, and the Dubai Derby, horse racing remains a big draw at many sportsbooks.
Conclusion
Though these three sports are among the most popular, there are plenty of other games that you could bet on. The following are the honorable mentions that we could not get to in this article:
- Volleyball
- Cricket
- Tennis
- Golf
- E-Sports
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