The Republic of Ireland, it is fair to say, has become one of Europe’s most pro-betting nations. Having such a liberal and relaxed attitude to the sports betting industry means that the Irish bet on a wide variety of sports in huge numbers. In the following article, we are going to take a look at the major leading sports that the Irish love to bet on and see what big sporting events are coming up. So, read on to find out more.
Popular Sports to Bet on In Ireland
The fact that there are so many betting websites that Irish sports betting fans can open an account with is indicative of the gambling reputation that Irish people. Bookies are well aware that the Irish love to bet on a wide variety of sports, which is why any sportsbook that is serious about what they do will have no issues when it comes to accepting players from the Emerald Isle. There are now hundreds and hundreds of sportsbooks that are more than happy to offer a variety of markets, bonuses in the shape of free bets, and competitive odds to Irish sports bettors.
The Irish are happy to bet on any sport, but there are some sports that they prefer to place bets on more than others, and you can find out what these are if you read on.
Gaelic Football
Gaelic football is a mixture of rugby and football and is Ireland’s national sport. It is a sport that has been played in Ireland for several centuries and it is definitely the most popular sport. This can be seen from the fact that Gaelic football accounts for more than a third of the total sports attendance and that you will find more than 2,200 GAA clubs spread across the Emerald Isle.
The main Gaelic football event in Ireland is the All-Ireland Men’s Senior Football Championship and all betting operators that accept Irish gamblers with offer markets for every match. The top teams in the country have been competing in this tournament since 1887. Kerry is the team with the most success in this competition as they have won the title 37 times, but Dublin have dominated in recent years as they have won the title for the last five years.
Hurling
This is another sport that is native to the Emerald Isle and it accounts for a quarter of attendances at all live sport events. The game, which is played with a wooden stick and a ball, has been played in Ireland for more than 3,000 years. The aim of the game is to use the stick to get the ball between the opponents’ goal or over the crossbar.
Hurling is a very exhilarating and fast sport, which is why many Irish people love to bet on it using their online betting site account. The All-Ireland Championship is the main event, and it sees twelve of the best teams in the country compete for the right to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Kilkenny are the most successful team in this history of the Championship as they have won the title 36 times.
Horse Racing
When it comes to spectator sports in Ireland, horse racing is one of the most popular. Ireland has a very long history of horse racing and some of the world’s best horses and trainers have hailed from the Emerald Isle. The passion that the Irish have for horse racing can be seen when thousands travel over to England to watch the Cheltenham Festival.
Ireland has 26 racecourses, and the Ballybrit Racecourse, which goes back to 1869, is one of Ireland’s most iconic sporting venues. This is where the Galway Races take place in July every year. Other big races in the Irish horse racing calendar year include the Irish Champions Stakes, the Irish Derby, the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the Irish Grand National, and the Irish Oaks.
Football
Football is a very popular sport in Ireland, despite the fact that League of Ireland is not of the best quality and all the good players end up playing abroad in leagues such as the Premier League. The likes of Roy Keane, Seamus Coleman, Shay Given, John O’Shea, Paul McGrath, Dennis Irwin, and Robbie Keane are just some of the best Irish Players to have succeeded in England.
The League of Ireland came into being back in 1985 and there are twn teams that compete in it. Dundalk have won the title a record eight times, which included consecutive titles in 2018 and 2019. The international team has played at the European Championship and World Cup three times each, but they are going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment.
Rugby
This is another sport that is really popular in Ireland and this popularity can be put down to the success that the national rugby team has had over the years. Each year, the Irish rugby team competes in the 6 Nations, which is a tournament that sees them play against England, Scotland, Wales, France, and Italy. They have won it three times in the last eight years, and always seem to punch above their weight.
Therefore, it is little wonder why rugby has become one of the most popular sports in the country. Ireland have produced some quality players down the years such as Keith Wood, Brian O’Driscoll, Jonathan Sexton, Paul O’Connell and Conor Murray.
Other Sports Irish Sports Fans Enjoy Betting On
The sports that we have mentioned above are the main ones that the people of Ireland love to place bets on, but there are some other sports they really enjoy betting on, and we shall quickly take a look at these now.
Cricket: This is a sport that is growing in popularity in Ireland and the national team play in the three different formats of the game. With big hitters such as Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien, Ireland have had a number of successes in the shorter formats of the game.
Golf: There are more than 350 golf courses scattered across Ireland, so it should not come as a huge surprise to find out the Irish love to bet on golf. They have produced some great golfers over the years, with Rory McIlroy needing a win at the US Masters to claim a career grand slam.
Greyhound racing: This sport is pretty similar to horse racing, so it stands to reason that the Irish will also enjoy betting on too. If you know how to bet on horse racing, you can bet on greyhound racing as the markets available are pretty much the same. The best greyhound racing track in Ireland is Shelbourne Park, which is where the Irish Greyhound Derby is takes place.
MMA: This sport has increased in popularity over the last few years or so thanks to the huge success that Conor McGregor has had. He walks into the Octagon to the tune of “The Foggy Few”, which is sung by an Irish folk ballad. He is the first UFC fighter to hold titles in two different weight divisions at the same time.
Major Sporting Events Coming Up
Now that we have shown you the different sports that the Irish enjoy betting on at online betting sites, we are going to have a look at some major sports events that are coming up that are well worth betting on.
The Masters at Augusta National
The Masters is one of four major championships in golf, and it is scheduled to take place from the 8th-11th of April. Irish golf fans will be particularly interested in this tournament because it is the only one that Rory McIlroy needs to win in order to win all four major golf tournaments. He has failed a number of times, but golf fans all across the country will be egging him on once again. Many will probably put a bet on him to win as well.7
UEFA Euro 2020
As you can tell from the name, this event was meant to take place last year, but we do not need to explain why it has to be postponed. As a result, this prestigious football tournament has been scheduled to take place from the 11th of June until the 11th of July. Neither the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland international teams managed to qualify for this event, but that does not mean that Irish football fans will not tune in to watch and bet on the games being played. The Irish like to view quality football no matter who is playing it.
Cricket World Cup
This is another big sporting tournament that is happening this year and Irish cricket fans, unlike Irish football fans, will actually be able to support their team. This Irish have managed to qualify for this event which is scheduled to be played in October and November. They have not made it out of the Group Stage during the last four tournaments, so Irish cricket fans will be hoping that they make a better fist of things this time around.
