It is a sport if an event helps connect people and foster a sense of community amongst individuals and groups. Sports in the UK play a crucial role in society by contributing to the economy and providing jobs and income to its citizens.
Additionally, sports betting has spurred numerous individuals’ interest in sports, with many betting companies springing up. Bettors can wager on one of the largest bookmakers in the UK and earn money when done right.
In an interview with InterPress Service, Tim Harrison, a betting expert with BetZillion, identified the most popular sports in the UK that bettors may wager on.
Most Popular Sports in the UK to Wager on
There are various sports bettors can place their bets on in the UK. Here are the most popular ones:
- Football
- Tennis
- Cricket
- Horse racing
- Boxing
Football
Football isn’t just the most popular in the UK but globally, providing a system to accommodate numerous teams. 20 best teams from the United Kingdom compete in the Premier League, the country’s highest English football level, from August through May. Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea are a few of the famous football clubs competing in the English Premier League.
The Premier League, the top-flight football, is followed closely by the English Championship, with League One and League two below the rank. Also, a governing body known as the Football Association oversees every aspect of professional and amateur football in the country.
Furthermore, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup are the most popular football championships in the United Kingdom.
One crucial thing to reference in football being the most popular sport is that it garners a lot of punters jumping on English football games week in and week out. As a result, betting sites in the UK provide enough betting markets to choose from.
Football is a dominant force in the sports betting industry as there’s hardly a bookmaker that won’t provide bettors with thousands of football games and betting options.
Notable names in English football are:
- Wayne Rooney,
- David Beckham,
- Alan Shearer,
- Bobby Charlton,
- Rio Ferdinand,
- John Terry,
- Steven Gerrard,
- Frank Lampard,
- and Paul Scholes.
Tennis
It shouldn’t be surprising that Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the United Kingdom. The nation hosts the Wimbledon Championship, arguably the world’s most famous tennis event. Wimbledon is one of the four tennis Grand Slams in the world, with the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open being the three others.
Popular Tennis Star Andy Murray comes to mind when you’re asked to name a tennis player in the nation. The 35-year-old has won three Grand Slam Titles and two Olympic Gold Medals, placing him among the great.
Another critical thing to note is that there has been a noticeable increase in Tennis betting since the advent of live betting, with UK bettors now taking advantage of the numerous tennis markets available.
A few notable names in the British tennis scene are:
- Fred Perry,
- Sue Baker,
- Roger Taylor,
- Johanna Konta,
- Greg Rusedski,
- Emma Raducanu,
- and Katie Swan.
Murray won the 2016 Olympics.
Cricket
Cricket is one of the most loved sports, originating in South-East England. UK bettors have access to a wide selection of cricket betting sites that provide a variety of exciting betting markets and bonuses.
There are thousands of cricket teams throughout the UK and more than 20 cricket clubs. Also, the first-class county championship of the UK is the oldest cricket competition in the world, with its first edition in 1890.
Sussex, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire, Kent, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Middlesex, and Surrey were the eight clubs involved in the maiden edition before its expansion to 18 clubs.
The England Cricket team has made four appearances in the World Cups, winning just one in the 2019 edition. They also finished as runners-up in 2004 and 2013 at the ICC Champions Trophy.
A few of the greats produced by this sport are:
- Len Hutton,
- Sir Ian Botham,
- Bob Willis,
- James Anderson,
- Sir Alastair Cook,
- Sir Jack Hobbs,
- and Alan Knott.
Horse Racing
Horse Racing is a prominent sport in the United Kingdom, with various events set aside to entertain its citizens and generate income to help boost the economy through these events.
The Royal Ascot, Cheltenham Festival, Grand National, Epsom Derby, and Ladbrokes trophy are the important Horse racing events in the UK. Also, the thoroughbred breed of Horse can be traced to England.
So, there’s no way you’d talk about Horse racing without mentioning the United Kingdom because they are more like Siamese twins.
Furthermore, betting and Horse racing has been inseparable since their emergence in Britain. UK bookies, in recent times, have also provided different wagering options for bettors who enjoy betting on Horse racing.
A typical Royal Ascot Horse Racing goes like this:
Boxing
Boxing is a popular sport in the Uk, with a proud history dating back to the 18th century.
Among the legendary fights at Wembley, the biggest stadium in England is, Muhammad Ali vs Henry Cooper in 1963 and Frank Bruno vs Oliver McCall in 1995. Recently, Tyson Fury defeated Dillian Whyte in front of 94,000 people at Wembley Stadium, the biggest attendance the venue has ever seen. It is an indication of how big the sport is in the UK.
Betting on Boxing matches also made it quite popular with most betting sites in the UK, enabling bettors to wager on various options like the fight winner, fight length, method of victory, and so on.
A few notable names in English Boxing are:
- Tyson Fury,
- Anthony Joshua,
- Dillian Whyte,
- Josh Taylor,
- Lennox Lewis,
- Ricky Hatton,
- and Ken Buchanan.
Verdict
Sports have been an essential aspect of the UK community, with many sporting events held in this nation. Bettors are also eager to jump on these sporting events, hence the emergence of various UK bookmakers. This guide listed a few of the most popular sports bettors can wager on in the UK.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.