Since the year 2024 has left us largely without sports, many sports betters lost their chance to practice their favorite hobby. Betting on sports goes hand in hand with being a fan of a certain league, cup, or another kind of competition. Supporting and backing your claim and sporting knowledge with some money is centuries old, as people all over the globe have enjoyed competing in how well they know individual players as well as teams.
Since the spread of COVID-19 around the world, all kinds of football, basketball, hockey, baseball, tennis, and the rest of sports events came to a halt. Although many of them are back now as new seasons started, albeit later than usual, not all teams are complete as many players are in quarantine and self-isolation. This means that certain leagues are not nearly as balanced as they once were, leaving the betters with limited options on what to play.
In such circumstances, many are wondering what else they can bet on in such an absence of major sports. Luckily, there are quite a few quality alternatives in this diverse world.
In this article, we will reveal to you the best things to bet on while the most popular sporting events make their long-awaited, triumphant return. In case you wish to learn more about this, make sure to visit casinofy.com where you can find all sorts of casino-style games, as well as other things to play and bet on.
1. Temperature
Although it sounds pointless or even weird, betting on temperature is a real possibility and quite an easy way to make some extra money. It can also be quite fun especially if you are naturally good at predicting it, which some people are. Results are evident and clear instantly, and you will always know that nobody can scam you because it is nature after all. You can either bet on the temperature being lower or higher than a certain amount of degrees. Simple yet effective. In addition, you can raise the stakes and pick an exact temperature for an exact time of day. This is very hard to guess but awards the most money. As it is so easy, it is a great pastime while you wait for more concrete things to return.
2. Elections
This has long been a very popular thing people bet on, largely because it is a very important thing for the country and government in question. For example, the democratic debate between the now-president Joe Biden and his rival at the time Bernie Sanders was very popular and had numerous polls. Of course, the major event in this form of betting is the US Presidential Elections, with the recently over the battle between Biden and Donald Trump beating all previous records. It is a great opportunity for thrill-seekers and those who enjoy wagering money based on their beliefs. Apart from betting on the winner, many casino odds focus on the percentage in always-competitive states that candidates battle for the hardest.
3. Horse Racing
While it is one of the most popular things to bet on in the world, it is largely done by wealthier people who attend the glamorous horse racing events. The stakes are high, and the prizes for the racers even higher. The sport has always been an exclusive collection of events attended by the rich and powerful, who often bet on their own horses raced by the best jockeys in the world. Of course, then, casinos have gone in on the action and now allow regular people to bet on the races like any other sport. Pick a horse you want and bet on its outcome. Remember however that it is very hard and unpredictable, even more so than other sporting events.
4. TV Ratings
Similarly to temperature, when you think about it, betting on television ratings may seem odd or pointless at first. However, it will make sense to you, just bear with us. In 2024, the ratings climbed considerably across the board since more people are watching TV while being stuck at home. Now, since sports are not on, or are there but in a very limited amount, they have to watch other things. This is exactly what you can bet on. During their last airings, popular TV series, mostly comedies, have averaged their highest viewers ever, often beating their original numbers. This is something to bet on then, right? It may take you some time to find the best place to do so, but there are some quality services out there on the web.
5. Esports
Now we have hit the mother lode. If you know anything about video games, you are probably familiar with the whole esports phenomenon that has taken the world by storm in recent years. The ratings and revenue that competitive video games have started generating are unreal. The whole gaming industry is now worth more than any other branch of entertainment, making it the absolute best thing to bet on in the absence of traditional sports. Even more so, it is a legitimate candidate for betters when all of them return too.
Games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2, Fortnite, and World of Warcraft are among the leaders in this field, with millions of players playing at any given moment. When there is a competition involved, most of them stop and tune in to one of the streaming services to watch professional players go at it and win millions of dollars in prizes. Gaming has become a legitimate profession, which means you can support your favorite players and their teams throughout the year. Not only that, but you can put money where your knowledge is and back up your fan status with a wager or two. Sports channels have branched out and now broadcast gaming events and conventions, so do not be surprised if you turn on the TV and see video games on ESPN, FOX, or any other channel that usually deals with sports.
6. Virtual Sports and Simulations
While they are hard to win since randomness and luck play a big role, and the fact the algorithms behind them do not allow frequent prizes, simulations, and virtual versions of sports and casino games, as well as bingos, are a legitimate option. Do not expect to win big here, however, as you cannot do much other than press one of the few buttons to spin the game and play. No skill is involved, making these the least favorite and favorable things to replace actual sports.