The global sports betting market is one of the biggest monetary forces behind the sports teams we all know and love. The sponsorship deals are easy to see on kits and stadiums alike, with global betting companies looking to take advantage of advertising and deals with sports associations. The betting world props up the sporting world but without the big sporting events there would be no sports betting. We are going to have a look at the best events for big bettors and have a look at which events are the most punter friendly.
Kentucky Derby/Grand National
Horse racing is a goldmine for big bettors and is traditionally steeped in gambling fans. The Kentucky Derby is the US answer to the Grand National. The stands in Louisville account for 150,000 attendees and millions watch this race on live TV. As with any large horse racing event, this event has a huge history, loads of tradition, and attracts lots of punters. Allegedly, worth over $200 million, the ‘greatest two minutes in sport’ is a big bettors paradise, and if you pick the right horse you will be in for a lovely return.
Similarly, the big British horse racing event is the Grand National. Hosted at the Aintree track, this race is famous for not only horse racing aficionados but also your granny, your big cousin, your sister’s boyfriend, and your nieces. One of the biggest betting events of the year for British bookmakers, this race captures gambling from family sweepstakes to hardened big bettors who have studied the race prior. With viewing figures regularly over 500 million worldwide and bets placed with bookies and online sites such as Timeform, amounting to more than $300 million some years, this race is a surefire event for any big bettor.
World Cup
The biggest sport in the world has the biggest sporting event in the world every 4 years. The World Cup attracts people from almost every country in the world. Football, whose popularity dominates any other both through participation and viewing figures, is not surprisingly the world’s favorite sport to bet on. Just more than two-thirds of global gambling revenues are from football, and the World Cup is the creme de la creme of this sport. It is estimated during the 2018 Russian World Cup that there was around £40 billion profit for punters. With so many games and the chances of big upsets, this competition drags in novices and seasoned veterans alike to gamble the odds.
Superbowl
Football is the world’s top sport, except in one country. American Football leads in the USA. The Superbowl, the championship final game, is considered by many (albeit mostly in America) to be the pinnacle of the sporting calendar every year. Despite my personal grievances at this claim, the betting industry does reflect it. The 2018 final set a new record for betting on the singular game with over $4.5 billion being wagered – and this only counts Americans betting, the figure is thought to be way more than that worldwide. Highly anticipated, audaciously over the top and super ‘American’ the Superbowl is a huge date in any sports fan calendar and the betting industry knows. Its hard to name another one-off sporting event bigger than the Superbowl, and the game itself attracts the novice bettors looking for a lucky one-time win gambling alongside the hardcore, big bettors.
