Sports betting is one of the oldest pastimes, especially among fans of athletic competition. But as the industry around sports changes, so too does the betting market. Digital technology dominates the 21st century. It plays just as big a role in sports as it does in betting. Online sportsbooks are now most people’s primary platforms for placing wagers on the popular athletic events.
But what are the most popular sports to bet on in the 21st century? Believe it or not, online sportsbooks have had a profound impact on the industry that we all know and love. In this article, we are going to talk about what the most popular sports to bet on are, especially when it comes to novibet.ie and similar betting platforms.
Football
Football is going to be most people’s first choice. It is not all that surprising considering that the game has a following exceeding three billion fans worldwide. With such a massive backing, it shouldn’t come as a shock that football takes the cake at sportsbooks. What may surprise many is to learn how the online betting platforms have elevated football betting by introducing new and exciting ways to place bets.
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is one of the fastest-growing sports betting markets, and we would be remiss if we did not bring it up in this text. Combat sports have been a core part of human history. But it wasn’t until recently that the “MMA mania” took modern society. Some of the biggest names in the industry led to the Ultimate Fighting Championship becoming most people’s go-to pick for betting.
Basketball and Cricket
Some may be confused as to why we’ve grouped cricket and basketball. The two sports seemingly don’t share much in common. But the truth is that online sportsbooks have noticed a very curious trend. These two sports are constantly competing for the number two most popular spot. It is not surprising, considering both have close to two billion fans around the world. At times, cricket gets a lot more wagers, while other times, basketball is the star of the show.
Tennis and Golf
We once again may surprise some by grouping tennis and golf. Apart from their status as a single-player sport, these two don’t seem to have much in common. But the truth is that they also share a status as “year-round” sports. That means that at any point during the year, there is a tournament in golf or tennis. That is why these two sports have skyrocketed in terms of betting popularity.
Non-Sports Bets
Believe it or not, not everything is about sports betting at online sportsbooks. Many betting platforms offer betting options outside athletic competition. For example, you can now wager on competitive video game tournaments or the World Wrestling Federation events. There are also betting markets for reality television programs and music competitions, which do quite well. It is even possible to place bets on the American presidential elections whenever they roll around.

