REVEALED: 11 biggest betting events around the world

Major sporting spectacles draw in incredible interest and viewership figures, which often leads to them being the most wagered events in the world.

It could be sports fans huddling round the TV to watch the World Cup final or punters going through the list of runners in the Grand National and picking their best bet based on their favourite colour.

Check out the best UK bookmakers to claim free bets worth up to £850!

Audiences are captivated by these big sporting events and billions are spent betting on the outcomes.

But what are the biggest events people are wagering on? And what are the events you should be betting on? Here at FIRST, we’ve put together a list of the most popular sporting spectacles.

Football: World Cup

The FIFA World Cup is the world's biggest sporting event and you don’t need to be a football fan to appreciate the spectacle on show.

It takes place every four years as nations around the globe battle for the biggest prize in football.

There will be 48 teams taking part in the World Cup starting from the 2026 edition in Canada, Mexico and the United States - and billions are wagered on every tournament. 

Sports betting trends show acca betting can be a very lucrative option on these larger events too.  

Horse racing: The Grand National

The Grand National, which takes place every year at Aintree racecourse, is a huge betting event in the UK, with a large portion of the nation having a bet, even if it's based on picking a horse because they like the name of the jockey's colours!

A report from Entain, who owns the likes of Ladbrokes, Coral, Bwin and Sportingbet, showed that the Grand National was the most popular betting event of 2024 ahead of every Euro 2024 match including the final between England and Spain.

Regular punters and casual bettors get involved, with 82% of stakes placed on the 2024 Grand National being £5 or less.

It’s worth noting that the Cheltenham Gold Cup is also hugely popular, however, nothing comes close to the Grand National.

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games is the second biggest sporting event in the world (unless you don't like football then it's first!).

The games switch between summer and winter editions every two years, however, the summer games are more popular.

There are so many sports on offer and the 2024 Paris Olympics saw double the betting volume of the Tokyo games four years prior.

The top five wagered sports in Paris were: Basketball, football, tennis, volleyball and handball.

American Football: Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event in America and every February a worldwide audience tunes in, some for the game and some for the glamourous half-time show and commercials!

Billions is wagered every year on the Super Bowl as two NFL sides battle it out to be the best team that season and the famous Vince Lombardi Trophy. 

You can back regular markets but niche options are also offered, including which way the coin toss goes, the length of the American national anthem or what colour Gatorade is poured on the winning coach.

Football: Champions League

The UEFA Champions League is the biggest prize in club football as teams face off to be crowned the best team in Europe.

The Champions League final is one of the most bet-on football matches every year and it attracts interest from all around the world.

Horse racing: The Kentucky Derby

The UK has the Grand National and America's version is the Kentucky Derby.

It's the most prestigious horse race in the United States, which was first run back in 1875, with over $210 million wagered on the 2024 edition.

It's the first leg of the American ‘Triple Crown’ and the nation goes wild for the two minutes of action in Louisville, Kentucky.

Basketball: March Madness

March Madness is the NCAA college basketball tournament which lasts from - you guessed it - March until early April every year.

American basketball fans can't get enough of it and the betting frenzy is unmatched in the US, as the $3 billion wagered on the 2025 tournament shows!

Punters will often do brackets which predict who will progress into the final four and who will win the championship, with millions of people trying to predict the outcomes of all the games.

68 men's and 68 women's teams take part in the end of season elimination-format tournament.

Golf: The Masters

The US Masters takes place every April with many having a bet on the first golf major of the year.

The picturesque course and views at the Augusta National Golf Club draw in both golf fans and casuals every year as the best players in the world battle it out for the famous green jacket.

The US Masters was sixth on the most bet-on sporting events of 2024.

Tennis grand slams

Tennis' four grand slam tournaments of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon Championships and the US Open attract major betting interest.

There are a large number of matches and the year-round schedule allows punters frequent chances to choose their best bets.

If you know your tennis and understand whether certain players are better on grass, clay and hard courts you could land a few winners!

Boxing matches

Big boxing fights draw in huge betting numbers. Whether it's elite fighters putting it all on the line for a world title or Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson, there's interest.

Paul vs Tyson was actually the only boxing match in the top 50 most-backed sporting events of 2024.

Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor was also another high-profile event and it's estimated that the 2017 showdown was the most heavily wagered fight ever.

Cricket: World Cup

Cricket is a hugely popular sport around the world and the betting activity usually spikes around the Cricket World Cup.

It's held every four years with a large portion of the interest coming from the likes of India and Australia.

To learn more about responsible gambling, visit our responsible gambling in sports betting page which also offers resources and advice on where to seek help if needed.