Unusual Sports Betting Markets Worth Exploring

The US sports betting industry has enjoyed significant growth as states choose to amend existing legislation to allow in-person and online markets to flourish. Despite this growth, consumers are still relatively limited in what they can bet on with state-licensed operators.

This has seen the rise of offshore betting operators that offer a wide range of casino games and sports betting markets to explore, such as Golden Panda. This alternative to state-licensed operations is typically licensed in external jurisdictions and can offer improved bonuses, a variety of payment methods, and a secure way of placing a wager.

The most popular sports betting markets in the US include football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, tennis, and golf, but there are some less common sports that offer some interesting markets too.

Darts

When you think of sports betting, you might automatically think of the athletes involved as being tall, chiselled, and in peak physical condition. However, this is not the case in darts. More often seen as a barroom game to be enjoyed socially, darts is surprisingly a fun spectator sport.

Dart players are not known for their athletic prowess, but if you have ever tried to throw a dart accurately from a distance of almost 8 feet you will understand the skill involved. Popular Darts betting markets include outright match or tournament betting, as well as props betting on how a match might go or how a player might perform.

Dog Racing

The general population will be more used to pet dogs that take up most of the couch, enjoy walks around the block, or love nothing more than a trip to the dog park where they can run free and get their zoomies out of their system.

However, the dog racing market is huge and trained dogs (typically greyhounds) can offer a fast and exciting alternative to horse racing. Greyhounds can reach a top speed of around 45 miles per hour, and they follow a mechanical lure around a track.

Figure Skating

Fans of more elegant disciplines can find markets for figure skating, and this type of gambling is especially popular during the Winter Olympics. 

The most popular figure skating betting market is the outright winner of a competition. For greater odds, gamblers can also place a wager on the total points they think competitors will be awarded.

Cornhole

Cornhole is a popular back garden sport that is perfect for summer get-togethers and barbecues. The relaxed nature of the game, combined with precision-based skill makes it a fun and addictive game to play.

It might seem strange that there are betting markets for throwing small bags of corn kernels into a wooden board from 35 feet, but it is one of the most enjoyable spectator sports.

Players take turns pitching their corn bag, scoring 3 points for getting it into the hole and 1 point for landing it on the platform. Competitors are also awarded 3 points for knocking other bags that land on the platform into the hole, no matter who they belong to.

The object of the game is to reach 21 points, and the high scorer cancels the competitor’s points in that round. The excitement comes from how often the lead changes hands in each round based on the accuracy of their throws.

Chariot Racing

Horse racing is popular all around the world, but races can often be long and uneventful. Chariot, or harness racing is a fascinating alternative that requires skilled drivers to control the carts and horses. 

This exciting and fast-paced betting market also adds a level of danger and is like watching something from ancient Rome when Gladiators went to battle.