The people of Ireland love to play casino games, but there is something that we are even more crazy about and this is betting on sports.
As a result, many a top online casino Ireland has made sure that they also offer their punters a sports betting section. But what are the most popular sports to bet on in the Emerald Isle? Well, this is what this article is going to take a closer look at.
Popular Sports to Bet on In Ireland
US Irish are spoiled when it comes to sports betting – there are many top sports betting sites that are happy to accept us and all of the top ones will provide us with a wide range of markets for many sports as well as competitive odds. It is always important to find competitive odds because it is the odds that dictate the type of profit that you will make if you manage to land a win.
Some of the most popular sports that we like to bet on include:
Football:
Whether it is watching, playing, or betting on a match, football is the sport that has regularly topped the list of sports that the people of Ireland love. Studies have shown that close to 5% of teenagers over the age of 15 play football, and this is increasing rapidly each year. Many people love to bet on this game because it is simple to understand, allows for a chance to make some decent winnings, and has a wide variety of betting options.
Gaelic football:
This is a national sport that almost everyone in Ireland has played at some stage in their life, be it as a child or an adult. It is estimated that around 30% of the country plays Gaelic football regularly, which gives you an idea as to just how popular it is. This is a good sport to bet on because the rules are easy to understand, so even novice sports betting can place wagers without hassle. Most sportsbooks that accept Irish punters will have some Gaelic football markets and odds, but the variety on offer will be nowhere close to the likes of football.
Hurling:
This is a sport that is not really known outside of the Emerald Isle, but the people of Ireland absolutely love. It is loved due to its fast pace – in fact, it is often referred to as the fastest sport on the planet. People love watching and betting on this exciting sport, and around 90% of sportsbooks that Irish bettors can open an account with will have some markets and odds for it – although, do not expect an abundance of options.
Rugby:
It is estimated that around 8% of Ireland’s population plays rugby, which makes it one of the country’s most popular sports. The fact that the Irish rugby team is doing so well at the moment and is ranked as the number one rugby team in the world is definitely helping to increase the popularity of the sport in Ireland. We even had plenty to cheer in the 2023 Six Nations as our boys brought home the Grand Slam. You will not find a sportsbook that accepts Irish punters that does not offer a nice variety of markets and competitive odds for this sport.
Golf:
From young to old, almost everyone in Ireland loves golf. The popularity can be put down to Rory McIlroy, who is one of the world’s best golfers – he has four majors to his name, which highlights just how good he is. Then there is Shane Lowry, who is also a very talented golfer in his own right. When there is a big golf event on such as the PGA Championship or The Masters, most of the country will be glued to it and will be putting down some wagers to make things even more interesting. As a result, most Irish sportsbooks will have a plethora of golf betting options.
Always Gamble Responsibly
No matter what sport it is that you like to bet on, it is always important that you gamble responsibly and do not bet outside of your means. In order to make sure that this is the case, we recommend that you always set a budget with an amount that you can afford to potentially lose. Winning can never be guaranteed when you are sports betting, so you have to be prepared for losing streaks.
In addition to setting up a budget, we recommend that you make use of deposit limits so that you will only be able to deposit a certain amount over a specified period of time. If you feel that your gambling has spiralled out of control, then there are plenty of professionals that you can talk to.