Sports as a form of entertainment is very diverse and rich. While there may exist sports that are planetary famous and which are played by hundreds of millions of people, there are also many smaller and less popular ones that are only known and enjoyed in a few countries, or even a single country. Whatever the case may be across multiple disciplines and geographical reasons, one thing is certain. Sports are capable of uniting the planet better than anything else, which is always evident when there is a big competition taking place and when fans of opposing themes have their arguments.
A Historically Loved Activity
Source: en.wikipedia.org
However, there is one more thing that unites all sports, something that does not have to do anything with the actual athletes, clubs, teams, or the games. And yet, it helps the fans and enthusiasts enjoy their favorite sporting events even more. That of course is sports betting, or sports wagering as it is also popular. Betting on the outcome of sports has been a popular form of entertainment for centuries, perhaps even millenniums. Considering the fact that ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians all enjoyed many disciplines and feats of strength that can be considered sporting events, we can assume that putting money where one’s mouth is and wagering on the winner has always been a thing.
Modern Sports Wagering
Source: freepik.com
As civilizations and the society as a whole advanced and changed over the thousands of years, so did the sport and the betting with them. Fast forward to the 21st century and sports gambling is a hugely popular and successful industry that keeps getting bigger than what anyone has ever hoped for. But there has always been an issue with betting on sports and it comes in the form of one’s (in)ability to predict the right outcome and win money. This is what betting is all about, employing luck and a little bit of knowledge in an effort to win some money on the side. But how can one be sure what to pick with their bets and more importantly, can it even be predicted? Are there even sports that are harder to predict than others, and if so, which ones are they? This is the question that we are answering in the article right here and now. If you like betting on sports and want to win more often than you do now, keep reading. You will learn what sports are the easiest and what are the hardest to predict and why. When you are ready to continue gambling, make sure to do so by using this list.
Football
Source: freepik.com
The old saying goes that anything can happen in a game of football, which is arguably true. There have been numerous scenarios where the favorite loses a game, where a lucky moment decides the championship, and where strange and unreal situations change the course of the match. The number of goals can never be accurately predicted no matter what the odds are saying and how well a team has been playing. Football is simply too unpredictable at times, enough to make it one of the hardest to bet on. Still though, it is by far the most popular sport to place bets on, especially in Europe, Africa, and South America. The number of leagues, cups, and national competitions as well as the many different betting options make it so. But when it comes to predicting the outcome, nobody can be sure. The players who are football bettors usually spend hours exploring the latest news so that their bets are more accurate, but even that does not guarantee a thing.
Tennis
Source: pixabay.com
Some would say that tennis is a straightforward and easy sport to bet on when compared to other sports, especially team sports. Two players play against each other either to two or three sets.
The point system is simple, the rules are simple, so it should be simple to win a bet on, right? Well, not so much, especially when you are betting on the two players from the top 10 or so on the ATP or WTA rankings. Grand Slams are always full of surprises, and it is often the case for one of the favorites to get beaten early on. Sometimes, the quarterfinals and semifinals are more interesting and more neck and neck than the finals. Who can predict the final winner, or even the finalists, in such a scenario? On top of this, there is an unwritten rule that a young breakout star appears every once in a while and sweeps the floor with the competition. But when will they appear next and will they actually do it? Tennis is simply too unpredictable despite the bettor actually having a 50-50 chance.
Basketball
Source: freepik.com
Unlike some other team sports, basketball does not always have clear favorites. Despite an NBA team being the defending champions, they can lose to one of the worst teams the next season.
And it is similar in most leagues and countries. The rosters change, the coaching staff changes, there are injuries and load management absences. The coach can decide who to play and who to sit, as well as who gets how many minutes, and the bettors cannot know any of this prior to watching the game. If the star of the team has an off night, their team is in serious trouble. But not always.
Sometimes, the bench players come through and it is the next man up until the main scorer gets back to form. Basketball referees have been increasingly questionable with their decisions in the last few years, so who’s to say they will not toss somebody out for no reason or change their foul call criteria? Home court advantage, a matchup that does not favor one team despite them having better individuals, and tanking to score a higher draft pick… Nobody can navigate so much and expect a big payday when betting on basketball, whether it is the winner of the matchup or the +/- bet.
