We are living through an event that still seems quite surreal to many people. The cancelation or postponement of several sporting events left fans depressed. The disappointment was doubled for those who like to bet on sports as they had nothing to bet on. Or did they?
Let us just say that betting entered some unchartered territory during the last year, with some rather peculiar events getting bettors excited. And maybe these strange betting trends will persist well beyond the pandemic.
Foreign sports
When little sport was available to watch or bet on, sports gambling options on events happening beyond American borders took on greater significance. People suddenly developed an interest in matches being played in far-flung countries where sports events were still permitted.
They could soon quote the odds of winning for obscure basketball, baseball, and soccer teams from distant lands. Some bettors found this an intriguing challenge as it required an internet deep-dive to find the information they needed to base their bets on. Many even had to learn about new sports since betting on Eastern European table tennis in countries like Ukraine became popular.
Politics
Politics might be a game, but it is certainly not a sport. However, with little else to bet on, people turned to the outcome of primaries and elections to place their bets. Things got a little tense in the run-up to the 2020 Presidential elections, and most bettors went with their pick when placing wagers. It seems that politics betting is loyalty-based, with few bettors opting for their preferred candidates when placing bets.
Betting facilities growing the business had no qualms about adapting to the new situation, accepting bets on senatorial and congressional votes. Those who bet on a run-off in Georgia’s senatorial race made a pretty penny on that wager.
Weather
Did you know that it is possible to bet on the upcoming weather in major cities and make some money from doing so? Weather betting is a new trend, with gamblers betting on weather conditions on an over or under basis. Seasoned weather watchers have found this a lucrative money-maker and insist that weather betting becomes a staple in operators’ offerings.
Pundits cannot wait to see if the betting market will return to normal after COVID-19 or whether the pandemic created an entirely new market for gamblers who made some bizarre New Year resolutions about their betting habits.
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