Everything you should know about athletics betting
A Beginners’ Guide to Betting on Athletics
Athletics is one of the oldest sports in the world, having existed since the dawn of the Ancient Olympic Games. While it's not as popular as mainstream sports, athletics betting is commonplace in the gambling industry. However, athletics is a giant field of sports covering many disciplines. Therefore, many bettors, especially beginners, find it daunting.
Therefore, this guide explores everything you should know about athletics betting. Let’s dive right in!
Athletics Sports and Betting
Athletics is an umbrella term for a group of exciting sports that involve running, jumping, throwing, and walking. It is one of the oldest forms of sports, dating back to the Ancient Olympic Games when organized athletics first started around 776 BC.
Today, the World Athletics, the sport’s governing body, defines it into six disciplines: track and field, road running, cross country running, race walking, mountain running, and train running. These disciplines consist of over two dozen different events.
Athletics has a long tradition with the sports betting industry. And while it's less popular than other sports today, it has a massive betting market and offers several opportunities to bettors. You can read more here about platforms with the best odds for athletics betting.
Major Competitions & Events in Athletics
Athletics has major and minor tournaments and competitions taking place worldwide, attracting the attention of fans and bettors alike. The quadrennial Olympic Games is undoubtedly the pinnacle of Athletic events. But there are many other championships and competitions in the world of athletics. Some of the most prominent ones that attract attention in the sports betting scene include:
Athletic Betting Options
Like any other sport, athletics has several betting markets from which bettors can choose. However, since it doesn't get much attention in the betting industry, the bet types available are not as extensive as mainstream sports. But there's usually a lot of action during the most significant athletics events.
While there are different disciplines in athletics, the betting markets offered on these sports are usually based on the same principles. Let’s check out some of the most common markets available.
Event Winner Bets
This is the most common and most straightforward type of bet you will find during any athletics event. As the name suggests, it involves wagering an athlete to win their event. Sometimes, you may find each-way betting opportunities, which cover more bases for a wager.
Qualification Bets
Most major athletics events and competitions usually have a series of qualification rounds where athletes will compete to earn a place in the main event. Sports betting sites offer markets where you can bet on these qualification races. Here, you can wager on one or more athletes to qualify for the next round.
To Win a Medal Bets
One of the hallmarks of major athletics competitions like the Olympics is medals (Gold, Silver, and Bronze for the top three). So, bookmakers often offer markets that allow bettors to wager on which athletes will win medals during the competitions. It’s a pretty straightforward bet, and it doesn't matter what type of medal the athlete receives as long as they get one.
In major tournaments like the Olympics, bookmakers also offer the opportunity to bet on a specific country to win a medal rather than the individual athletes.
World Records Bets
World records are a big deal in the world of athletics for both athletes and fans alike. Though it doesn't happen often, world records are always up for grabs. So, sportsbooks also offer odds in this category. Here, you can bet on whether a new world record will be recorded during a given event. You can also bet on a specific athlete to etch their name in the annals of history by breaking a world record during their event. Some bookmakers also allow bettors to wager on an individual athlete to set a personal best during an event.
Bonuses and Promotions in Athletics Betting
One of the best parts of online sports betting today is bookmakers' bonuses and promotional offers. Any good athletic betting site will offer incentives to its players to encourage loyalty. The welcome bonus is the most popular among these, which usually comes in the form of free bets or a deposit match bonus. Other popular offers include cashback, odds boosts, free bets, and other bonuses. These bonus offers can be a great way to get extra value when betting on athletics.
Tips for Athletics Betting
Like any sports betting, athletics wagering goes beyond relying on luck. You must apply certain strategies to improve your winning chances when you bet on these events. Below are a few tips:
Conclusion
Although athletics is not the most popular option amongst punters nowadays, it still garners a lot of betting action. Several different athletics games take place regularly, from the Summer and Winter Olympics to the Diamond League and many others. Each of these events covers several disciplines, allowing you to explore countless betting opportunities.
