Everyone is already aware that football is the most popular sport in the world. There are currently over 3 billion fans that follow the game with a passion. What most may not know is that football is also the most popular sport to bet on across the world. Of course, some may have deduced this based on its popularity. But, there is also a ton of data backing this up.
The popularity of football as a betting sport begs the question; what are the most popular football competitions to wager on? With the massive increase in people’s willingness to bet online, the success of football betting has only grown further. It has also given a lot of researchers the ability to pinpoint exactly which competitions get the most money from bets.
The FIFA World Cup
Was there any doubt that the FIFA World Cup would make the number one spot? The tournament is held every four years and features the national teams of countries from all over the world. Just because of that alone, the betting public is massively increased. However, the wide appeal of the FIFA World Cup goes beyond its diversity.
The Cup is also one of the most prestigious football tournaments. There isn’t a fan of the sport alive who doesn’t have, at least, a passing interest in the World Cup championship. Some of the greatest players have honed their talents playing against each other at this incredible tournament, and it remains a huge deal to this day.
UEFA European Championship
The UEFA European Championship has been played since 1960, and currently involves 24 teams from all over Europe. The one-month long tournament is the top-tier of football played in Europe, and it is the way that the continental champion is determined.
As football betting is incredibly popular in Europe, and the countries within the European Union are some of the most lax about online betting laws, the UEFA European Championship is, of course, a huge success. That isn’t to say that it is only Europeans who wager on the tournament. It is actually quite popular in Africa and North America as well.
The European Domestic Leagues
Finally, no list of most popular football competitions would be complete without mentioning the domestic European Leagues that dominate football. Contested by some of the most popular clubs in the world, the “Big Five” of Europe are as follows:
- Premier League: The English domestic league, featuring clubs like Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal, all three of which have a huge following worldwide.
- La Liga: The Spanish domestic league, primarily dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona, the two most popular clubs in the world.
- Bundesliga: Bayern Munich dominates the German League.
- Serie A: Italy’s domestic league, featuring names like Inter Milan and Juventus.
- Ligue 1: France’s Ligue 1 is the stomping ground of Paris Saint-Germain, and home to Kylian Mbappe, who many consider the next super star of football.
With so many star players and incredible clubs, is it any surprise that the five domestic leagues are so popular among punters? The Premier League alone sees billions of Euros wagered on its games. If we were to pull all the money spent on the five leagues together, they would certainly outperform the World Cup.
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