It may come as no surprise that soccer is the most bet upon sport worldwide with over USD800 billion in wagering per year but if you’re wondering which events draw the biggest betting interest, here are the top sports betting events:
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup only takes place every four years but with elite nations from all across the world taking part, it is one of the most watched events in sport, so it naturally attracts large volumes of wagering. The 2022 World Cup saw over $100 Billion wagered across a huge range of betting markets. Soccer attracts the largest amount of wagering across all sports, with competitions like the UEFA Champions League, Euros and English Premier League all driving big betting activity.
The Superbowl
The NFL is another huge betting sport, with around $75 billion wagered on NFL events each year and the biggest fixture of the season, the famous Super Bowl, generates around $23 billion in bets. In recent years, the Super Bowl has reached a more diverse audience, with top music artists like Rihanna and Eminem taking to the stage for half-time entertainment bringing music fans into the world of sport. There are non-sporting bets offered too so bettors don’t need to have sporting knowledge to have a fun wager, they can bet on the length of the national anthem, for example!
Kentucky Derby
Horse racing has stood the test of time and remains one of most popular sports for betting. The Kentucky Derby, held annually in Kentucky, is estimated to rack up $150 million in sports wagering. Given that the race lasts only around two minutes, it drives an insane amount of money for such a short amount of sporting action.
The Grand National
Another huge horse racing event on the sporting calendar is the Grand National held at Aintree, Liverpool. It is an event that is renowned for non-sports fans getting involved, with many bettors choosing horse names they like the sound of instead of reading form or researching any other data.
Around £250 million was wagered on the 2025 Grand National, with a 33/1 winner highlighting exactly why horse racing is such an exciting event, with big winning potential for the bettors who get lucky by placing bets with huge odds coming in.
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Other major sporting events that attract high wagering volumes include Wimbledon and the US Open, NBA Finals and the Masters. With more people using mobile betting to place bets on exciting sporting events, the sports betting industry is expected to continue to grow at pace as it attracts a broader audience of bettors.