Which are the most popular sports for betting in Austria?

Being an Alpine country, it’s no surprise that Austrians love winter sports. However, betting companies attract the attention of fans from a wide range of sports and do not always reflect what people like to play. With that in mind, this article will take a closer look at Betting in Austria and which sports Austrians like to stake their predictions on.

Football

Football is the biggest sport in the world. Particularly in Europe, football is loved above all else – particularly watching football. Austria is home to many world-class football facilities too, producing top talents like David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer. Unsurprisingly, when a sport is watched by millions in a country, it garners the most bets.

It does help that there is a global betting culture around football, which as we will find out isn’t the case for all sports. There is always something to bet on, particularly during the current Qatar World Cup, and with the Premier League and German Bundesliga also being closely followed in Austria – at any point in a given day there is a game going on which can be wagered.

Ice hockey

Whilst many consider ice hockey to be played more by North Americans, it’s actually incredibly popular in Austria. Stadiums are frequently packed out to watch the ICE Hockey League, as 11 teams across Austria and its neighboring countries compete with one another. Women’s ice hockey is also growing in popularity, too, and the betting markets are increasingly fulfilling more demand for betting on these league games.

Alpine skiing

In a country full of mountains, it’s no surprise that alpine skiing is so popular in Austria. Not just with Austrians themselves, but holidaymakers and competitors from around the world flock to the stunning Austrian slopes. And, it’s not just participating in the sport that is popular, but locals will watch the international downhill skiing events in their numbers. Plus, this is a popular time of year with skiers from around the world to visit, creating a buzzing atmosphere.

Despite being one of the most popular sports in Austria, the betting market for skiing was fairly minimal – it was never a sport closely tied to gambling, unlike football. However, due to it becoming more televised and growing in popularity outside of Austria, betting is becoming more and more common.

Motorsports

Something many people are unaware of is Austria’s rich history in motorsports. With the likes of Kiki Lauda and many other world-class Forumla 1 drivers, Austria is a respected country within the sport – even hosting the Austrian Grand Prix during July each year in Styria. With such an event that is wretched globally, the betting market is vast if not sporadic. However, other motorsports events also have their own betting markets, but the Grand Prix takes the number one spot.

Tennis

Like most European countries, Austria participates, watches, and bets on a wide range of sports. Beyond the list above, tennis is a huge sport in which there are incredible facilities and players being generated. Tennis is perhaps played more in Austria per capita than in other countries more closely connected to tennis, like England. Therefore, it likely generates more bets per capita too, particularly during the four grand slams.