If you look at the front page of any major online sportsbook, you will generally see the usual suspects front and center. Depending upon the time of year, most of the highlighted wagering opportunities will feature the four main North American sports leagues - the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. You will also likely see action on European and international soccer displayed prominently, as well as NCAA football and basketball. These are the big money makers in the industry, and get the most attention from the oddsmakers.
Can Lesser Known Lead To More Coin?
But what about the sports that fall through the cracks, or aren't as popular as the above-mentioned games? Well, if you take your time to look around, you will find that with most sportsbooks, you can also wager on golf, on auto racing, on UFC and boxing, on rugby, even volleyball. And don't forget horse racing. It may not maintain the mainstream popularity it once did, but the sport continues to draw plenty of action from bettors.
The bottom line is there's money to be made in wagering on these lesser-known sports, if you are willing to make the commitment and put in the time to learn all there is to know about these games. And if you are a bookmaker at a major online sportsbook, which are you devoting more time to study and set the lines for - the NFL or the Aviva Rugby Premiership? You know the answer to that one, and this is why with a little schooling on these sports that fly under the radar, your bank account can soar.
Auto Racing
Whether it's NASCAR, IndyCar or Formula One, you will find action available on every race of the season. Between individual races or future bets on who will will the championship, there are plenty of opportunities to make money here. In Formula One, you can also wager on which car owner will capture the manufacturers title. IndyCar is as wide open as its ever been, so the chances of hitting on a longshot to win each week are strong. And with as many as 43 cars starting a NASCAR event, think of the odds you can get on a driver.
Small School College Sports
There's lots of money being wagered on NCAA football and basketball, but if you check the schedules, you will see that there are dozens of games being played at any given time. While the Michigans, Alabamas, Dukes and North Carolinas get plenty of attention, there are second-tier conferences also in action, and the chance of finding a solid betting line on some of these games is more likely than with games involving national powers.
There are more than 100 Division I football schools and some 300 Division I basketball schools. That's a lot of odds to lay. You know a decent line to bet is going to sneak through somewhere. Say you went to a MAC school like Kent State, Toledo or Ball State? Why not take advantage of the knowledge you gained of that conference to bet on those games? It could pay huge dividends in the long run.
Golf
The majors draw more than their fair share of betting action, but there are PGA, LPGA, Champions Tour and European Tour events every week, and hundreds of golfers in play, just hunting for their next, or maybe their first victory. With so many golfers to choose from, if you can pick the winner of a tournament, you are going to cash in a handsome winner's cheque, just like the player who captures the event. Doing your homework and knowing which golfers are hot, or which ones are familiar with a particular course, can lead to a payday.
Tennis
What makes racquet sports appealing from a wagering standpoint is that there are so many ways to bet on tennis. You can lay a future bet on who will win the tournament, or you can place individual bets on any singles or doubles event slated for that day's competition. With so many matches, especially in the early rounds of a tournament, chances are strong that a solid betting line will fall your way, if you have the patience to shop around and study up on the various sportsbooks.
Combat Sports
Whether it's in the ring or inside the octagon, wagering opportunities abound. Each fight card has a main event, and that's the one that figures to draw the majority of the betting action. But it's the undercard where money can be made by the savvy bettor. Generally, these fighters are less experienced and own a resume with a much smaller track record, making the chances of an upset much more probable. Look for bad matchups, like a wild puncher in against a skilled technician, or last-minute replacements due to injury.
WNBA
Nowhere near as popular as its male counterpart, the WNBA nonetheless features the top female basketball players on the planet, so you know the games will be hotly contested. And you understand that this league isn't often going to be a priority with the oddsmakers, so good bets should be available. And with just a dozen teams in the league, it isn't going to require a vast amount of homework to get to know the players and the teams and where to place your wagers.
Horse Racing
The sport of kings may no longer wear its crown, but it still offers a virutally unlimited supply of wagering opportunities. Tracks across the world are in action every day, and you will find racing offered from around the globe at the vast majority of major sportsbooks. Here's a simple formula to employ betting on the races. Each rider and trainer's winning percentages are listed next to their names in each race. Simply add up the percentages and bet whichever horse has the highest combo between its rider and trainer.
British Sports
Rugby, cricket, snooker, they are all offered for wagering purposes at most sportsbooks. Cricket offers wagering on international and domestic competitions. Snooker goes as far as to permit live betting on each frame of a match. England's Aviva Premiership rugby union has just 12 teams, so like the WNBA can be learned quickly. And with various international competitions affecting lineups, this can also impact the odds on a match. Being aware of factors like this can make you a winner when betting rugby.
eSports
The newest craze in betting, E Sports wagering offers bets on both sporting and non-sporting competitions being held around the globe as players compete in international tournaments, many with six-figure prize payouts. If you are someone who is into E Sports, you already have a leg up when it comes to betting on these events, so why not put your knowledge to work for you?
