The added layer of anticipation from placing a sports bet and the potential for a winning payout can increase your 🐓enjoyment of watching matches and ev💃ents. With such a wide range of sports to choose from, you're spoiled for choice when you fancy a flutter. Buckle up as we walk you through the best sports to bet on, and recommend the top operators for each one.
Introducing Our List of Best Sports for Betting
Maximise your betting experience by having a punt on sports that gauge your interest. With sports events happening🌳 year-round, you can always dip into major tournaments with a calculated punt whi🍌le gaining insights into sports and their strategies.
Let's have a look�﷽� at what we consider to be the 10 best sports for betting.
1. Football — Nets Vast Choice of Markets
Football is the most popular sp꧂ort in the world, both to watch and bet on. Although backing your favourite team seems the obvious bet as you possess knowledge about them, your bets should always be calculated. The biggest mistakes football punters make is not knowing about the opposition, and placing a wager by following their heart or relying on gut instinct.
The football market is colossal, with leading bookmakers offering vast variety and many providing livestreaming for top games, which makes it the best sport to bet on globally. It is wise to scrutinise the stats of teams, head coaches, players and even referees before placing any pre-match bets.
Opting for in-play punts will save you from havi🐭ng to research any data because you can watch how the match unfolds over 90 minutes, and respond with a bet. The bookies will flash up graphics and st🅺ats as the game progresses to help steer you towards making a choice of what to place a stake on.
We provide a wide selection of statistics on clubs, players and referees, which include data-driven predictions, courtesy of Kickform.com.
- High limits for football bets
- Perfect for in-play betting
- Team sport, so a less risky bet than individual sports
- Overwhelming choice of football markets
Notable Markets
1X2: This final result bet allows you back a single team t꧟o either win or draw their match, with three possible outcomes — 1 for a home team win, X for a draw and 2 for an away team victory.
Both Teams To Score (BTTS): These bets are unique to football, and are based on both tಌeams findin🐷g the back of the net during a game.
Over/Under Goals: Total goals is the most popular Over/Under football betting market, and bookmakers offer predetermined figures for you to have a flutter on — Over/Under 1.5 goals, 2.5 goals, and 3.5 goals.
TPP’s Recommendation for Football Betting
bet365 is on the ball for football betting with constantly generous prices for a vast selection of markets. There are Bet Builders and an ACCA Boost (up to 100%) available for certain top-club games and internationals. Among their outstanding features for football matches are their livestreaming options and impressive bet365 Match Live service, which displa꧃ys real-time graphics and stats to help mꦺake in-play betting straightforward.
2. Horse Racing — Optimism To Back Outsiders
Most horse races tend to be tight, and there are usually upsets. This makes it exciting to b♓et on, yet trickier to predict a winner. As there are plenty of betting option♌s and fast outcomes, horse racing is suitable for both beginners and seasoned punters who can enjoy livestreaming from top bookmakers.
Beginners tend to bet on individual races by picking a horse to pass the finishing line first. Advanced bettors will place a stake on multiple races and/or outcomes. Our team of reliable horse racing tipsters provide you with knowledgeable insights with their horse racing betting tips.
Before having a flutter, taꦕke into consideration the weather conditions on race day and vital information about the horse — age, form, weight, and favoured distance. T﷽he secret to success is to learn bankroll management, and only place a wager when you have a strong conviction from studying stats and utilising your knowledge of the horses, jockeys, trainers, and tracks.
- Diverse wagering markets
- Long-shot horses can win races
- Swift betting outcomes
- Calculated bets require research
Notable Markets
Forecast Bet: Pr𓂃edicting the horses to finish as winner and runner-up.
Trixie: Comprises three selec꧙tions and four bets — three doubles and a treble. A minimum of two selections must win ♛to guarantee a return.
Yankee: Comb🐻ination of four selections and 11 bets — six doubles, four trebles, and a four-fold. A minimum of two selections must win to guarantee you a return.
TPP’s Recommendation for Horse Racing Betting
Ladbrokes offers the best markets and some uniq🃏✅ue options for UK and Irish horse racing. This includes Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am on the day of the race. If the starting price is bigger than your odds, then the operator pays out at the higher odds. There is a plethora of betting markets to have a punt on, including each way, race winner, winning distance, and winning jockey.
3. Tennis — Serves Up Shock Results
Tennis always springs up some surprises as it is an individual sport, and each tournament will have vocal courtside fans rooting for their favourites. Researching stats — especially head-to-head data and the type of surface that suits each player — is important before placing any tennis bets, and you may unearth an ൲underdog with generous odds to🔴 place a punt.
Take advantage of livestr🌼eaming from numerous tournaments for in-play betting on individual games, when the momentum could swing from one player to another. There are always plenty of markets widely available.
If choosi♕ng an Outright Winner seems risky, you can always bet on who will reach the final at lower odds. This type of wager will maintain your interest in the tournament — unlessꦫ you pick a player who loses before the final.
- High volume of data and stats to analyse
- Ideal for in-play betting
- Top players are often handed byes at some events
- Unpredictable results
Notable Markets
Match Betting/Match Result: Pick a match winner from the two 🦹opponents. It is best to first check out their head-to-head results.
Set Betting: There are two different formats♕ for set betting, namely the outcome of the number of sets contested and a wager on a player to win a specific set (referred to as a Set Winner bet).
Tournament Winner: Placing a bet on an Outright Winner will see t꧑he odds dramatically alter as a tournament𝔍 progresses.
TPP’s Recommendation for Tennis Betting
BetVictor is one of the best places to bet on sports. It is really an ace throughout the tennis season for fabulous odds and a vast array of tennis markets.🐷 The bookie nets interest in the four Grand Slam events, with Wimbledon attracting the most attention. It regularly offers enhanced odds, courtesy of their Bet Boost, for certain tournaments. BetVictor provides tennis livestreaming, enhanced accumulators and Trending Bets that indicate when prices are changing.
4. Cricket — Substantial All-Rounder
Cricket is a complex sport with numerous betting markets aside from an Outright match, Test series, or ꧃tournament winner. A Completed Match bet is about making a wager on whether the game will be completed on that day, or if it will end in no resul♚t, which happens when enough overs don't get bowled to provide a full match. This isn't the same as a tie, where they get the same number of runs.
The Over/Under markets, Most Run Out🌳s, Team of Top🤪 Bowler, and Team of Top Batman are popular team punts. Backing who will win the coin toss is more of a gamble, with a 50/50 chance of winning.
Betting on individual players gets you thinking differently about cricket as a player-centric sport instead of team-based. Backing the top batsman (most runs), top bowler (most wickets), Man of the Match winner, and the highest opening partnership are popular wagers. These markets require a keen eye for the fine details and make cricket arguably the best sport to bet on.
- Extensive markets, many with generous odds
- Plenty of in-play options
- Quick outcomes for T20 league matches
- Test matches can be too long to follow
Notable Markets
TPP’s Recommendation for Cricket Betting
Betway is a premier operator when it comes to offering a great range of betting markets on ☂cricket, whether an international competition or a domestic game in England. There are always great offers available on Betway, such as free bets on top of excellent cricket betting odd🌱s for pre-match, outrights, and in-play.
5. Rugby — Tackles Trio of Formats
Rugby is increasing in popularity, both as a spectator sport and among bettors.𓃲 Both Rugby League (13 players in a team) and Rugby Union (15 players) have similar formats over the 80-minute matches, but there will be different points for conversions, drop goals, penalty kicks, and tries. There is also Rugby Sevens (seven players), with punters interested in the Hong Kong Sevens and World Rugby Seven Series.
Like any team sport, there are plenty of betting markets for rugby. It is rare for games to finish in a draw, as it is a high-scoring and intense game that is ꧋iꦯdeal for Over/Under betting.
Tournaments, like the Six Nations and the World Cup, are when occasional bettors teꦏnd to use their heart rather than their head to place a stake on the Outright Winner, Team To Score First Try, and Top Try Scorer.
- Action is easy to follow
- Numerous international games and tournaments
- Wide range of markets
- Fast pace makes stats tricky to use effectively
Notable Markets
Anytime Try Scorer: Picking a player to score a try during the ma🌊tch. A low odds, low-ri🅘sk wager.
First Try Scorer: Backing which player will cross the try line first, which can offer reasonably higher o🔯dds as it is tricky to predict.
Half-Time/Full Time: A single be🦹t on two outcomes, which team will be leading at half-𝓰time and which side is the winner at the final whistle.
TPP’s Recommendation for Rugby Betting
A huge array of interesting rugby betting markets and consistently favourable odds are delivered with aplomb from sportingbet. The🧔ir standout feature for the oval ball game is the intricate details and insights provided for each match, courtesy of stats and live updates.
6. Greyhounds — Fast Out of the Trap
Greyhound racing brims with excitement, and the final result is determined in a matter of seconds after the race starts. Placing a wager on the winner is the ultimate dog betting market✃, but stats should be studied to make an informed wager.
You can also choose a combination forecast of the first two dogs home in a race. If you are chasing higher odds, then you need to select the correct order of the greyhounds to finish f🎃irst and second. While it's possible to back a greyhound each-way in every race, bookies usually only pay out at a quarter of the odds on the dog that finishes runner-up.
It is advisable to research the running style, speed, stamina, and pre-race stats for each greyhound, as well as their favoured traps. There are early pacers (who break fast from the start), middling pace (dogs that avoid initial traffic before going hell for leather🧸), and the stayers (who have strong endurance).
- Combination bets
- Rapid final result
- Straightforward stats to study
- The trap number will always influence a race result
Notable Markets
Odd/Even Trap: B🅷et on the winne💮r coming from an odd or even trap number is a 50/50 gamble.
Tricast: Havꩲing a flutter on a trio of dogs for a one-two-three fin♌ish in any order.
Place Insurance: This is when you get your stake back if the greyho🃏und you picked finishes second or third.
TPP’s Recommendation for Greyhounds Betting
As Coral sponsors numerous dog tracks, it is no surprise that they offer highly competitive fixed-odd prices for greyhound races. Coral provides a vast variety of greyhound betting markets with daily meetings in the UK on 💝top of global dog races, which include Australia and Ireland. If Coral has the odds for a UK dog race, then they will provide livestreaming.
7. Martial Arts — Punching Chance on Fights
Martial arts betting covers a variety of combat sports suc꧙h as boxing, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, kickboxing, Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, and wrestling. Thorough research on strengths, weaknesses, and recent performances of fighters alongside strategic betting should pay dividends.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights are extremely popular with punters, and the UFC has a co🌠nstant flow of combat fights if you fancy a flutter. Just a single error can change the course of the contest, which makeಞs these fights unpredictable.
Boxing matches are usually high-profile, so betting tends to be about big rivalries, comeback fights, and title battles. It is advisable to study how fighters 🎃behave at their press events and weigh-ins. Also consider that the decisions by judges can make or break a close fight.
- Can be some erratic results
- Quick outcome
- Wide range of data and stats available
- General lack of livestreaming
Notable Markets
Method of Victory: Betting on the way 🍌a fight꧅er triumphs, because with combat sports there are always plenty of methods to register a win.
Outright Winner: Backing whichඣ fighter will succeed, although odds will be low for the favourite.
Round Betting: Choosing which round the fight will come🥀 to a✤ conclusion.
TPP’s Recommendation for Martial Arts Betting
The Pools💦 deliver the knockout punch to many online sportsbook rivals for fight nights, including Bet Boosts. Offers consistently competitive odds and superb coverage for a plethora of martial arts betting markets, including🌜 superb MMA/UFC options.
8. Esports — Ultimate for Skill & Strategy
Esports betting is one of the fastest growing ways to b♎et on sports, and perfect if you fancy a flutter on the 🀅adrenaline-fuelled arena of games. Incredible feats of skill and strategy have attracted a whole new legion of fans to sports betting.
Professional gamers compete in lucrative esports tournaments wi🐎th prize pools that can run into multi-millions and billions wagered on the outcome.
It's best to initially stick to familiar esports games that offer cutting-edge action and value bets. The interest in betting options is tailo๊red towards 5v5 gameplay events, which i🐎nclude Dota 2, Overwatch 2, and Valorant.
- Generous odds up for grabs
- High entertainment value
- Vast range of events and markets
- Selecting the winning team is tricky
Notable Markets
Fantasy Betting: Picking a ♛roster and gaini🎀ng points based on different achievements.
First Blood/Kill Betting: Predicting which team will draw the first blood or mಞa꧒ke the initial kill.
Map Winner Betting: Choosing which team will win a specified map, r꧒ather t෴han winning the whole match.
TPP’s Recommendation for Esports Betting
Parimatch offers a competitive selection of esports betting options and esports markets — esports games, first person shoot ‘em up games, and real-time strategy/battle arena type games. A 𒀰key feature of Parimatch is that you can pick from your choice of odds formats to bet on esports that includes American, British, European, Hong Kong, Indonesian, and Malaysian.
9. Golf — Teeing up the Tournaments
Golf offers numerous betting strategies, including head-to-head match-ups and the outright tournament winner. As so many players are chasiꩲng top honours, there are significantly long prices available and the opportunity for an outsider to triumph.
The slow pace of the game allows you time to scrutinise the readily available stats from bookies (players form, c✱ourse history, and head-to-head) as golf really is a data-driven sport, and you'll want to▨ identify value bets.
In-play wagers are perfect for golf tournaments as they are generally competed over days, with the winner not decided until the las♏t round has been completed.
- Long odds and big potential payouts
- Odds can change dramatically as tournaments progresses
- Wide variety of betting markets
- Large fields in tournaments can make it difficult to pick a winner
Notable Markets
Leader After the First Round: Wagering on the player who will lead the tournament after the first round, which tends to off🅷er good odds.
Outright Winner: Betting on either the winner of a specific day or 🔥the overall tournament champion, with odds usually beinಞg favourable.
Top Finish: Backing the top finish markets offers different variations, such as top 5🎐, top 10, and top 20.
TPP’s Recommendation for Golf Betting
bwin golf betting markets 𝓀are vast, and this bookie heavily promotes Outright bets on the winner of tournaments, alongside their wealth of in-play offerings. You can place a wager on smaller events (such as PGA) and the elite events. The scope of their boosts and specials gives them an advantage over rival operators.
10. American Football — On the Ball for Long-Term Bets
The much-hyped, razzamatazz of the annual NFL Super Bowl is the epitome of A♊merican Football. Yet, College Football and the Canadian Football League (CFL) also feature with top online sportsbooks.
Leading up to the Super Bowl, held every February, there are months of NFL bets on offer with Outrights proving particularly popular for individual matches and long-term punts. Many bets are the perfect way to get you invested in the entire series ♊of NFL games rather than only one contest.
⭕There is much👍 more to NFL betting than just backing a team to win. As the NFL is a highly tactical league, the bookies provide punters with extensive stats to display vital information on players, teams, head coaches, and form. NFL match betting is ideal for newcomers to the sport, because itꩲ is a straightforward punt on which team will win a game.
- Copious stats to scrutinise
- Extensive markets with broad appeal
- Long-term bets maintain punters interest
- Can be short odds for favourite team
Notable Markets
NFL Match Winner: A wager on one team to win is easy, as draws are scarce until the playoffs. Bookmakers offer an NFL match bet of overti💙me when the teams are level after regular time.
NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP): Placing a long-te💮rm gamble on who wi𓃲ns the MVP at the end of the season.
NFL Highest Points Scored: Betting on a player to finis🦩h wi꧂th the most points from a match, most likely to be a quarterback or a wide receiver.
TPP’s Recommendation for American Football Betting
Matchbook is a betting exchange. This operator puts you in control to set favourable odds and play directly against others in the NFL sports markets, which feature impressive cash-out ꩲand in-play options.
There are exceptionally good Podca💧st Tips for NFL betting, and their customer support is top-notch despite not being available 24/7.
What Makes a Sport the Best To Bet on?
Sports demand a global appeal, bringing excitement to supporters and bettors. Watching t💦he action unfold through livestreaming offers you the edge to identify critical moments during a match to place a w🌟ager.
Here are some essential elements we look for wꦫhen it comes༺ to strategy and objective for sports betting:
Availability
Some bookies cover niche markets, while others stick to the more mainstream sports. If you ♕have knowledge of some lesser-known sports and fancy a flutter, it is advisable to sign up with an operator who can maintain your interest in these by offering suitabl♋e betting options.
Market Variety
You can place numerous other types of sports bets aside from the outright winner. Bookmakers get creative with their markets to pro𝕴vid♐e punters with new ways of understanding their favourite sports and to satisfy the needs of the most demanding bettors.
Odds Quality
A comparison of betting odds is imperative♌ to enhance your potential payouts from having a wager. Unless you are choosing to back an outsider, then long-term bets on team sports like American Football, cricket, and football can all prove highly profitable. The uncertainty of who can triumph makes golf, greyhounds, and horse racing an intriguing punt.
Research
Smart bets, outside in-play wagers, are only possible if you undert🦹ake research. Stats are a terrific tool for making calculated bets, and top bookmakers provide excellent insights through graphics, trends, and detail꧂ed data. Keep up to date about any sports events in respect of injuries, tactics and, of course, the weather conditions.
Promotional Opportunities for Sports Betting
Top bookmakers will constantly be trying to attract new players through a bonus and promo. We have exclusive betting offers with our trusted partners of leading online sportsbooks. Always check the wagering requirements in the terms and conditions before you sign up for any free bets or betting promo codes.
These are the most popular betting offers:
You place an accumulator of at least two markets to receive a cash boost to any potential winnings.
You trigger bonus bets after wager✨ing a specific amount with your first bet.
Your deposit is matched by the bookmakerꦆ to place a larger bet.
Promo that automatically pays out your bet asඣ though it was a winning wager.
When the bookie offers you unique odds as a promotional offer.
When you are of😼fered betting credit, which will go into your bet🔯ting account.
When you are offered money back from your stake, whic♒h will be a partial or full refun💝d of your losing bet.
One-time promotion only available to a new customer. You can claim welcome offers from various sports♐books.
What Makes a Specific Sport Right for You?
Determining which sports are best suited to you depends on a wealth of factors. You must decide whe෴ther you want to b꧙ack adrenaline-pumping sports like football and rugby or can patiently wait for the final result over a long period of time for outcomes from golf and tennis.
All sports tend to ✅offer markets for both short-term and long-term bets. You should also consider whether you feel comfortable with volatile odds or more predictable odds, which depends on whether you are a cautious bettor.
ꦦ Here are some useful questions to guide you:
What sport(s) are you most knowledgeable about?
Being a fan of a certain 🔯player and/or team has an obvious flaw of bias, but the positive aspect is you are armed with knowledge. You need to do your research about the opposition to make an informed punt. To make your betting experience enjoyable, it is advisable to kick off with straight🎉forward markets.
What sport(s) are you most passionate about?
Sports betting should gauge your interest and be about enjoying your favourites꧙, which will ultimately increa🐟se the entertainment value by placing a punt on the outcome.
Are you seeking high profits?
If you are chasing the big bucks of sports that can reap a high profit margin, then you should consider sports that offer higher odds and potential payouts. The winning odds will always play a big p𝄹art in your success.
What kinds of markets interest you?
Different sports naturally have different kinds of markets, and there i💎s generally a vast varie😼ty to tailor your bets.
Local or international events?
You will wish to know whether the ♒operator covers your favoured sports in the local and/or international arena.
How much does livestreaming matter to you?
Many leading bookies often offer livestreaming on some sports, with some Pay Per View options🌜 for other sports. With livestreaming, operators will most likely display graphics and stats, saving you time from scrutinising data yourself. Many sports are also televised, giving you the chance to engage in live betting as the actio❀n unfolds.
How To Choose the Best Sport for You To Bet on
Before you dip into sports betting and pick the best sport to place a wager, it is impo🔴rtant to determine what your short-t🐽erm and long-term goals are.
You may wish to make extra money, feel influenced because friends are gambling, or simply feel that having a flutter will hike up the enjoyment of sports betting — especially through livestrea🌳ming.
Factors to consider before placing a bet🔴 include the available markets for certain sports, the popularity, offers, insights, and stats, as well as livestreaming for in-♚play wagers.
The Importance of Stats for Sports Betting
In-depth data is readily available from b🐬ookmakers for most spor♛ts. The goal of online sportsbooks is to come up with accurate predictions to make a healthy profit.
Bookies build algorithms by combining betting transaction data, historic match stats, and statistical analysis. With access to most of this information, this has become a real game-changer for bettors. Properly poring over vital statistics and employing the knowledge from them to make calculated betting decisions increases your chances of scoring a winning bet. It also can eliminate any personal bias towards any favouri♈te plﷺayers or teams.
Our football data available on TPP Stats Hub is a valuable tool to analyse performance stats. Mix in your personal knowledge about individual players, teams, head coaches, and officials to enhance your chances of success.
Are Some Sports Easier To Predict Than Others?
The unpredictability of sports is partly wha💟t makes it so exci🎉ting. Although some sports and their markets are highly complex, it it is the quality of the bet itself, rather than the sport, that ultimately determines your success.
Team sports can be more predictable due to the varied strengths and weaknesses🌞 of individual players, whereas sports like golf and tenniꦇs tend to be less predictable.
We suggest focusing on specific markets for particular sports to make betting enjoyable and entertaining. It is also advisable to formulate a solid sports betting strategy to identify market opportunities.
Out of Your Comfort Zone: Betting on Multiple Sports
Feel free to explore different bets and sports once you are faꩵmiliar and confident with what each wager means for your favoured sports betting. To potentially earn higher payouts, cautious bettors may wish to gradually increase the size of their stake, whereas confident punters could try their luck on an Accumulator or Bet Builder.
When you venture out of your comfort zone for sports betting, any favourable odds can sway your selection process. Always queℱstion your pick if your preferred b🎶et is an outsider and there is no evidence to suggest that your wager is nothing more than a long-shot gamble.
The smartest bets devised will be down to knowledge, research and strategy rather than a gut instinct. These factors play a k✤ey role in how you shou🔥ld choose the sport to bet on.
The PuntersPage Final Say
Successful sports betting requires knowledge, skill, and strategy, but above all, enjoyment should be your top priority. A well-placed bet adds to the experience and creates a personal investment in the outcome of a match. Whether you prefer regularly backing heavy favourites or using logic to uncover promising markets and attractive odds 🅠from leading bookmakers, the choice is yours.
FAQs
Mainstream sports are always available to bet on, with numerous niche sport✨s also offered.
Foꦉotball is the number one sport in the world to watch and place a wager on. Explore sports you're passionate about to place a bet on.
Team sports are t𒈔h▨e easiest sports to bet on for an outright winner.
If you have successfully backed the correct final outcome, then you will win your sports bet. Sports can be unpredictable, however, doing your stats res꧙earch beforehand will help youᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ make more informed bets and increase your chances of winning.
Bookmakers vary according to the sports that you wish to bet on, but bet365 is arguably the🐼 world’s leading online gambling company.
Online sportsbooks offer intuitive apps that are rich in features, however, kwiff is the only betting app where your odds could dramatically improve thanks to ♑their supercharged od♋ds.