You can play sports; you can watch sports and then you can bet on them! When it comes to placing bets, certain sports often end up at the bottom of the pecking order, for some reason or another. We are here to bring such underrated sports to the limelight.
Football definitely doesn't fall into this category! Sure, right now you're probably watching and enjoying the World Cup matches in all their glory. But we're thinking ahead of time and want you to be covered once this major sports event is over, lest you suffer from a terrible case of the World Cup blues. Plus, once you've taken a look at this list of underrated sports you might even want to place a bet on a game you think looks promising. There are loads of operators offering a healthy selection of promotional offers - including sites offering free UK bets, for you to not only enjoy the match, but potentially cash in on a win!
Let's get down to business. Here are just four of many other sports that are not given their due credit.
#1. Fencing
A fast-paced sport where two sword-wielding players are set against each other to score as many 'hits' or 'touches' on each other as they can. A 'bout' consists of a number of hits (usually from five to 15) and the first player to score that number wins the bout. Three weapons are involved in this combative sport: the sabre, the épée and the foil.
Although fencing is not as mainstream as football, it is decidedly one of the most enduring sports, rooted in Renaissance swordplay. Since then, it has made its way into the many heroic legends, stories and myths that you might be familiar with. For instance, the sword was the main weapon of Japanese Samurais, which for them also symbolised their soul.
#2. Rugby
Let's start with the basics – rugby is different from American football - although the two are often confused by laypeople. What sets the two apart is mainly this: the decisive factor in rugby is the progress of the player and not the ball. The objective of the opposing team is to obstruct the attacking team by tackling and trying to retain the ball, moving the ball up the field in 'phases of play'. The ball can never be passed forwards but players can run forwards with the ball or kick the ball forward to chase it down. A match lasts 80 minutes.
#3. Badminton
A swift hit by the racket propels the shuttle to the other side of the court where the opponent is ready to hit it back again towards the player who threw it. Badminton involves this series of hasty exchanges, where the main goal of the player is to defend their side of the court by keeping the shuttle in the air and landing it on the opponent's side of the court.
This is arguably the world's fastest racket game, requiring strength, agility, balance and sharp reflexes. Well, badminton is definitely much more than tennis' poor cousin! A possible reason why badminton is less mainstream than its counterpart is that it receives less financial backup.
#4. Golf
On the other hand, the reason why golf tends to fly under the radar is probably the game's slow-paced tempo. Watching this sport might not give you the same rush as when you're watching a football or volleyball match; there is less action to watch, less adrenaline involved. But if you know what you're looking for when you're watching it, being a golf spectator can be equally thrilling.
Players might not be moving as much, but their brain would definitely be on fire, making calculations and weighing the best strategy to use to get a hole in one. The whole point of golf is to get your ball into the hole in as few shots as possible. Therefore, scoring works by recording the number of strokes of each player and then adding them up after each round to obtain the final score.
Three Underestimated Betting Tips
After shedding light on some underrated sports, we are flagging these underestimated tips which are fundamental to any sports betting:Research Your Teams
- their history
- their current performance
- whether their schedule is tight or easy
Pro tip: don't simply bet on your favourite team. In fact it's better to avoid this completely because being emotionally attached often stunts your objectivity and the likelihood of making a winning bet.
Data, data, data
- about anything related to the game
- to help you spot trends
- for better predictions
Pro tip: always use reputable sources. You may even want to consider using an expert or customized sportsbook when placing your bets. These usually provide more specialized information than a usual betting company.
Beta Apps are your Friend
- they help you track sports betting trends
- identify most popular bets and bet types
- allow you to scope out uncommon but profitable bets.
Pro Tip: more advanced apps can help you with devising a sports betting strategy that is based on your personal risk appetite and investment.
