With the sports betting scene coming to a screeching halt in the United States, following the cancellation or suspension of all major tournaments and competitions, sportsbooks have had to start looking for alternative betting markets.
Which types of markets are sports betting groups offering, in lieu of sports itself?
Some, like Bovada, have started dabbling in the most mundane betting of all – lines on the weather. This wasn’t a very successful attempt, and it seems that weather bets are off for now.
While political betting isn’t quite legal in the United States, some operators have been offering a line or two on US Politics. However, looking across the pond, bookies are well versed in this type of market, and are going all out to attract bettors to these options.
European sportsbooks also regularly offer lines on reality shows and award shows such as the Oscars, and these markets are proving to be more popular than ever.
But what if players want to bet on sports? Are there any markets left?
The answer is yes, although the range is obviously not wide.
Some of the options are Australian Rules Football and Rugby, Turkish Super LIG Soccer, MLB Pennants, World Series and Super Bowl Futures, and boxing for the latter part of 2020. Also available is Mexican soccer, eSports, virtual horse races and chess.