Football (soccer) dominates global sportsbook betting due to its worldwide following and depth of markets. Basketball, tennis, American football, and horse racing are the next most popular. Esports has seen rapid growth, particularly among younger bettors. Sports combining frequent events, rich data, and large market depth offer the best opportunities for AI-assisted value betting.
Sportsbook gambling has been popular for many decades, but there's no denying that it has been through a significant journey in recent years, especially as mobile gambling has become such a big concept. We're exploring some popular sports for gambling in this guide.
Esports have given potential bettors a lot of new markets and potential games to watch or gamble on if they wish.
Betting on esports offers a different experience compared to traditional sports, with unique betting markets such as the first team to get a kill or win a round – this depends on the actual mechanics of the games in question and how they're played.
The structure of esports tournaments provides bettors with a wealth of potential chances to watch games and to place wagers if they wish – a lot of games are sometimes played in a short space of time at big Esports tournaments.
Valorant is one of the most popular games in the esports market and the viewership is growing, with over 1.6m viewers tuning in to the top events in 2024. A lot of people choose to bet on Valorant and can bet on either the tournament as a whole or the individual markets that the game crops up.
Fandoms for these kinds of esports also need to have their finger on the pulse of the details of the games, too, as they are constantly updated and added to. Developers may choose to roll out software updates that give potential new ways for people to play or just tweak some of the mechanics, and this can impact how the tournaments play out. A recent Valorant update has seen some significant alterations in the game:
Lots of games have a lot of different mechanics and different gaming modes, and this is one of the reasons why these modern games are proving popular with certain sportsbook gamblers, who may be looking for something different compared to traditional sports.
Statistically, soccer is the biggest sport in the world. Amazingly, over 50% of the world's population has some interest in soccer – way more than any other sport.
One reason for football's popularity in betting circles is the sheer number of matches played globally. With leagues and competitions in almost every country, bettors have a constant stream of games to wager on throughout the year. Soccer presents a lot of potential gambling markets and people are interested in the variation it provides across so many big competitions.
The appeal of football betting also lies in the variety of markets available. As well as the standard win/loss bet that a lot of people consider, people can choose to explore other aspects of the game and markets like the number of goals scored. Markets also revolve around individual player performances. The global appeal of football means that fans from all corners of the world are likely to have access to games they want to bet on, whether it's a local derby or an international tournament like the World Cup.
In all of these competitions, a lot of football statistics are generated and people are looking to AI models and predictions to try to understand more about the teams and consider what they think might happen in upcoming games.
A sport with a more American appeal (but plenty of people elsewhere tuning in). Basketball is another sport that has a fair amount of popularity. The fast-paced nature of the game is combined with high-scoring games and loads of individual markets which can make it an option for some bettors. Also, there are a lot of statistics for them to study if they want to pore over their research. The NBA is the most prominent basketball league, drawing attention from fans and bettors worldwide, with millions tuning in to watch the big NBA fixtures. However, other leagues and international competitions also attract a significant betting audience.
One of the main reasons basketball betting is popular is the diverse range of markets available. Bettors can place wagers on the outcome of a game but also outrights for the season and player-specific outcomes like rebounds and points scored.
Another huge sport that has a lot of history and a solid fanbase is horse racing, popular in loads of countries around the world.
The appeal of horse racing betting also lies in the tradition associated with major events like the Grand National or the Kentucky Derby where loads of people tune in to watch. These events bring together not just bettors, but also fans who appreciate the spectacle of the sport.
There are sports besides these, of course – tennis is popular, and globally sports like cricket and rugby also have a very big following and markets available at sportsbooks. Some even offer streaming for events.
Esports is changing the way the industry works somewhat, with limitless games that can be played in huge arenas and with millions of fans tuning in.
These new spectacles have created sportsbook markets people wouldn't have dreamed of years ago.
Football (soccer) is by far the most popular sport to bet on worldwide, with over 50% of the global population having some interest in the game. Its global reach, continuous competitions across dozens of leagues, and extensive market depth — from match results to player props — make it the dominant sportsbook market by volume.
Esports betting is legal in many jurisdictions where sports betting is permitted, including the UK, much of Europe, and parts of the US. Regulations vary significantly by country and even by state or region. Bettors should always verify that their chosen platform is licensed and that esports wagering is explicitly permitted under local law before participating.
Tennis and football tend to produce the most predictable outcomes statistically, because consistent player and team form is well-documented and large historical datasets allow AI models to be trained accurately. Tennis in particular benefits from a 1v1 format with clear surface-specific performance patterns, making it one of the most AI-friendly sports for betting prediction.
Basketball's popularity in betting stems from its high-scoring, fast-paced nature, which creates a wide range of wagerable markets — from game totals and spreads to individual player props like points, rebounds, and assists. The NBA's global profile and rich statistical tradition also make it an ideal candidate for AI-driven predictive models.