Is boxing still the golden boy of bettors?
Boxing has always been a popular sport to keep an eye on. This is especially true in Ireland, where boxing has always enjoyed a large following. This is no surprise when you think of the great fighters to come out of Ireland over the years, such as Wayne McCullough and Barry McGuigan. Of course, the sport is also followed in huge numbers globally for the action, drama and bone-crunching bouts it delivers. The many interesting personalities which dominate boxing also help it to retain its appeal as a top sport.
It is not just watching the boxing action that many fans enjoy though. Lots of people in Ireland and around the world also love to bet on how it will unfold. This brings extra excitement to any bout and can also allow you to win money if you make the right call. As a result, boxing has long been one of the top sports for people in the UK to bet on. When finding out more about sports betting for beginners, you can be sure that boxing will get a mention somewhere!
Of course, boxing is not without competition as the golden boy of betting. There are some other well-known and well-followed sports which are challenging this status. But which sports might these be?
Football
Perhaps the leading challenger to boxing’s top dog status in sports betting is football. This is hugely popular throughout the UK and is thought to have around 4bn followers globally. The English Premier League is one of the highest profile leagues around and top sides like Manchester City and Chelsea regularly challenge in competitions like the UEFA Champions League. The range of markets to bet on, plus the accessibility of football betting, has led to the sport remaining popular to bet on over the years. There are also plenty of games to bet on each day around the world and most people find football betting easy to understand.
Horse racing
Another old classic of the sports betting world, which is as strong as ever, is horse racing. Next to boxing, horse racing is a sport that is very close to most people’s hearts in Ireland. It is also well followed throughout the entire UK. It is a top sports betting option because it is easy to understand, comes with decent odds — especially on outsiders — and is also simple to find on most sportsbooks. There are also some fabulous festivals which take place annually, including the Aintree Grand National and York Ebor Festival, to bet on. In addition, the thrill of watching a horse race unfold almost provides as much excitement as seeing two fighters battle it out in the ring.
Cricket
Another sport which is champing at the bit to become the top choice for bettors is cricket. There are around 18 professional clubs in the UK’s domestic leagues, providing plenty of matches to wager on when the season is in progress. The English national side is a major force in world cricket, which provides people with plenty of international games to bet on. To top this off, there are some high-profile international domestic competitions, such as the Indian Premier League, to give bettors even more choice. Betting on cricket is also popular because it lends itself to a range of in-play betting strategies.
Tennis
It might sound strange to mention tennis as a rival to boxing, but this is a sport which is increasingly popular with bettors recently. It might only hit the headlines when a big tournament like Wimbledon is in progress, but it regularly makes billions in betting revenue per annum. So, why do so many people like to bet on tennis now? A major reason is that it is quite predictable in terms of results, which can make it easier to profit from. As with cricket, tennis is also perfect for in-play betting and comes with a range of fun, quirky bets to make.
Boxing still a major sport for bettors
While the above sports might be challenging boxing, its status as the golden boy for bettors remains undiminished for now. With plenty of big bouts being announced all the time, such as Craig O’Brien’s upcoming Matchroom fight, to pique fans’ interest and top fighters signing sponsorship deals with online casinos/sportsbooks, it retains a high media presence to catch bettors attention.
