Betting Guides > Best Sports To Bet On
Best Sports betting
We will say all our considerations boil down to which we think you will enjoy the most. With that in mind, here is our top ten list of the best sports to bet on.
Sports Betting Football
In terms of what is the best sport to bet on, where else could we possibly start? Football is the sport that has captured the hearts of fans throughout the world and is one of the most popular globally to watch and bet on. This popularity has benefited from a betting perspective too with the number of competing operators out there vying for your attention meaning there are consistently great odds on major events from your top operators.
Besides, it is likely the sport with the most promotions, it must either be that or our second entry, and a mix between great odds and fabulous bonus offers means you often get fantastic deals. Plus, football betting is also home to some of the most interesting markets in betting, thanks to its deep, strategic nature.
Pros
Incredibly broadly available
Extremely competitive odds
Home to some of our favorite betting markets
Cons
The amount of choice may be overwhelming to some
Notable Markets
Double Chance: There are three key options in To Win (also known as 1X2) markets, these include either team winning, or a draw. This market allows you to select two instead of one of those options, drastically changing your chances.
First Goalscorer: Exactly what it sounds like, pick which player scores first to win. A great way to inject excitement into the opening minutes.
Both Teams To Score: No idea what team to back? No problem, this is one of many markets where you bet on what kind of match will occur, rather than a winner.
Sports Betting “Horse Racing”
Although this and the number one pick may be quite different sports they have so much in common. For starters, they are both far and away from the most popular sports in the world, and once again that comes with great odds for horse racing betting. Perhaps even more so with horse racing thanks to the prominence of the BOG promotions, which is unique to these types of races and is a huge strategic advantage.
Away from strategy though this will just always feel like the purest form of sports betting for many, and therefore the best sport for betting, with widely available live coverage making you feel like you’re right there near the starting line. Of course, the number of competitors makes horse racing very different from many others on this list of best sports to bet on. But the equally epic number of great markets make the most of those possibilities, turning that into a big positive.
Pros
One of the most popular sports to bet on
Huge live streaming availability
Unique and vital promotions
Cons
The smartest bets require intense research
Notable markets
To Win: Pick the winner of the race. Couldn’t be simpler
To Place: Expands your winning possibility with your pick winning if it makes the top three (or more through some promotions)
Forecast Bet: Predict both the top two horses in the exact order, an incredible test of skill.
Tennis
Back to the one-on-one (or two-on-two) competitions now with Tennis, the best sport to bet on and which many consider being the most exciting sport in the world. Well, at least the biggest tennis fans think that. And we find it hard to disagree when you are heading to the final flurry of a world-class contest, there’s little else that can match its action-packed ferocity. Having a bet on such a contest just further sweetens the deal, with you being able to bet on every point, set, and game. While not quite as popular as our top two picks, you can get some sensational odds-on big events like Wimbledon, and quite often, live streaming of some amazing contests can be enjoyed as licensing isn’t quite as ferocious as many sports.
Pros
Some amazing live coverage available
Markets expertly break down game across different segments
Even more exciting pumped into an already thrilling game
Cons
Remains not to everybody’s tastes
Notable Markets
Handicap betting: Big tournaments often see mismatched players, a perfect chance for a market to even out that difference through one or more game handicaps
First Set Winner: Simple choice who will win the opening set or any individual set, this one breaks the game down into its elements.
Total Games Betting: Also known as over/under, predict how many games you think the match will go, no need to pick a winner here!
Cricket
If you’re looking for a sport to sink your teeth into then there’s nothing like cricket to lose yourself in. Not only is this an incredibly deep and strategic game, but it also comes in several different forms from test cricket to Twenty20 on the best cricket betting sites, meaning you can pretty much choose what kind of cricket you want to enjoy. A terrific selection of well thought out and creative cricket markets further make you consider the game from all kinds of different angles, with the best betting sites out there ensuring that they provide all the updates and detail you need across long matches. Cricket betting does exactly what all the best sports for betting should do and that is to improve the experience of the sport, whether you win or lose.
Pros
Unmatched depth
Incredibly clever selection of markets
Enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the game
Cons
May simply go on too long for some
Notable markets
Innings Runs: Great example of rich stat-based markets, this is where you predict the number of runs in the first innings alone.
Team Of Top Bowler: Pick the team you think will be the one the bowler who takes the most wickets in the game will play for, you win even if the team goes on to lose.
Coin Toss Winner: Just to show off the diversity, pick the winner of the game’s opening coin toss.
Rugby
It is telling that while Rugby isn’t popular all over the world, the countries that do take it up to have an incredible passion for it. We think that there’s a unique mix of depth of tactics mixed with an immediacy and physicality that manages to find a fascinating balance. It also makes it distinct from a betting perspective because you can enjoy both more thoughtful markets suitable for experts, while newcomers still can go with their heart and pick something simple at the best rugby betting sites. It is also a high-scoring game so there’s plenty of opportunities when it comes to over and under markets as well. We only wish live streaming were more commonly available and it may be even higher on our list.
Pros
Action-packed yet thought-provoking
Sensational international tournaments to bet on
Loads of great over/under markets
Cons
Doesn’t have the coverage of some sports
Notable markets
Tournament Top Scorer: The high-scoring nature of the game leads to some very lively top scorer leader boards across a tournament or season.
Winning Margin: Again, the big numbers lead to interesting markets, don’t just pick who wins, but by how much they win.
Team To Score The First Try: Points can come early in Rugby, making this a nerve-shredding market
Boxing
For most of the others, we can base our betting calendar around events that take place every year or once every few years according to schedule. Boxing though is a little bit different, this is all about the big money events. You never know when the one is going to happen, and that means the best can culminate in sports spectacular and betting extravaganza like few others.
These types of events often mean lots of great dedicated promotions for operators trying to stand out from the rest. And not only that, but it’s a pretty unique sport to bet on, because of how distinctive the sport is itself. Live streaming is generally not available for such fights but there’s no doubt that the best boxing betting sites can help give that PPV a big fight night feel.
Pros
Huge betting events
Dedicated fight promotions
Unique ruleset and betting markets
Cons
Betting opportunities just not as common
Notable Markets
Method Of Victory: You can bet on how the fight ends, via decision or knockout, as well as who wins.
Round Group Betting: Choose not who wins, but when the fight ends.
Go The Distance: If you think the fight is going to be an epic, you can bet on it to go all the way.
MMA/UFC
We mentioned in our con of boxing that there aren’t always the events to bet on. MMA is like a perfect compromise in that regard, they have the huge fights, the big events, the competitive odds, the promotional opportunities, but they also have a schedule and planned fight cards so that you can enjoy the best combat athletes in the world in a more regular betting basis.
Plus, this more scheduled nature means that the smart better can spend that time considering the cards and doing their research before putting their money down on the best UFC betting sites. This is one sport where the bets benefit from passionate fans.
Pros
Better schedule than boxing
Still retains big fight benefits
Logical booking means investment across multiple fights
Cons
High PPV costs
Notable markets
Method of victory: This is the first time we have double dipped in notable markets, but we couldn’t resist thanks to the addition of a submission victory.
First Round Victory: MMA fights can end very early should one fighter dominate, if you see that happening, this is the market for you.
Draw No Bet: Remove the option of a draw meaning if neither man walks out a winner, it’s like the bet never happened.
E-Sports
It’s not with any disrespect that we lump all of esports together here, instead, it’s because there are so many different amazing games to choose from if we were to take them on their individual betting merits, we think we’d need a whole new article just to do them justice. From CS: GO to League of Legends, with plenty in between, the diversity you’ll find at the best esports betting sites is simply sensational.
Instead, we’ll simply say that esports, in general, reflects an entirely new school of betting with incredible feats of skill and strategy the likes of which the sporting world has never seen. It has opened up sports betting to a whole legion of new fans, there are even sites purely dedicated to these games. Not only that, but things are still in their infancy, and we expect even more markets and better odds in the future. Already though there is a diverse selection and widely available live streaming.
Pros
A whole selection of amazing games to bet on
Live streaming widely available
Brought whole new fans to the sporting/betting world
Cons
Odds can be less competitive than some more established sports
Notable markets
Map Winner: Instead of betting on a team to win the whole game, instead bet on them winning an individual map. Kind of like an esport version of first-half betting.
First Blood: In first-person shooters, pick who you think will pick off the first kill and get yourself immediately invested into the contest.
Skins Betting: In games like CS:GO and Dota 2, you can actually bet using virtual in-game goods instead of cash.
NBA
Perhaps because America has a more complicated history with online gaming than their European counterparts, we don’t always think their sports get the respect in the betting community that they deserve. Nowhere is this truer than with betting on the NBA.
Basketball at its highest level is a lightning-fast burst of pure betting excitement. Everything happens in a few key minutes and that’s what makes this such a great option for different live and prop bets as well as such an enjoyable sporting experience in general. Also, the teams being so well established and playing each other so often means that this is a dream for those gamblers who love to pour over the stats and really get invested in the game.
Pros
Great live betting
Teams regularly play with each other
Often very close games
Cons
Licensing rights generally means no live streaming
Notable Markets
Race To 30 Points: 30 is just an example of the many markets which see whichever team gets to a number of points be the winner of that market even if they don’t win the game.
Quarter Winner: Create a game within a game by only betting on an individual quarter
Conference Winner: Pick who will win either the East or West conference, great to combine with an overall finals winner.
American Football
Much like Rugby, the sport that many consider being its international equivalent, American Football offers a wonderful mix of high-octane action and strategic depth.
This makes for an awesome betting experience with markets to suit pretty much anyone interested.
Plus, it also has betting benefits similar to the NBA in how well the teams know each other and their rich history between each other.
Combine that with one of the biggest sporting events anywhere in the world in the Superbowl and you have a fabulous betting combo.
Better still, bookmakers in Europe also appear to be waking up to the potential of NFL betting and are backing it with quality odds and promotions.
Pros
Great Superbowl coverage
Plenty of interesting and unique markets
Great to see this American juggernaut get recognition in the betting community
Cons
Still doesn’t have the coverage it deserves on certain European sites.
Notable Markets
NFL Draft Specials: Bet on the future of the sport through the NFL Draft betting picks
Superbowl Winner: The ultimate winner, the king of the mountaintop, the champion. Pick them here and find a great reason to be invested in the whole thing.
Over/Under Points: A big scoring game always makes for interesting Over/Under markets, none more so than American Football. Here you predict the number of points in total at the final whistle.
