Sports betting is by far the most popular form of gambling in Ireland, more than 60% of bettors turning to online bookies to place a bet on the current sporting events.
The Irish are not only frequent bettors of popular, mainstream sports but of their native, lesser-known sports, too. Football and rugby may have their place in Irish betting, but these sports are joined by Gaelic football and hurling to make up some of the most popular sporting events in the country.
Below we’ll take a look at some of the most popular sports chosen by Irish betting fans looking to place a sports bet at their favourite sportsbooks.
Football
It should come as no surprise that football is the most popular sport in Ireland for sports betting.
The 11-a-side game is the most popular sport globally and with more than 1 billion fans following the Premier League, the Irish are not alone in their love for the sport.
The Irish national squad will be playing in the UEFA Nations League in 2022 with their group, Group B1 in League B, made up of Ukraine, Armenia and Scotland. The competition is expected to be one of the top betting events of the year for Irish football fans.
Boxing and MMA
Boxing and MMA have always been popular in Ireland with a heavy fanbase of the physical sports in the country - a fact only emphasised by the country's exports.
Perhaps the biggest MMA superstar of all time, Conor McGregor, calls Dublin home. The proud Irishman makes no secret of his upbringing, displaying the flag and walking out to traditional music on every possible occasion.
Growing up in Crumlin, McGregor was quick to make his Irish heritage known in the UFC scene, bringing a wealth of attention to the county in the fight scene. His performances not only earned him a “notorious” reputation but his home country one, too.
Gaelic football
One of the lesser-known sports bet on by the Irish is Gaelic football, a 15-a-side team game sharing commonalities between both football and rugby.
The aim of the game is to score by either punching or kicking the ball into the opposing team's goal to earn points.
Gaelic football was first played in 1885 and has continued to be a popular sport in Ireland since its original inception.
Hurling
Another game of ancient Gaelic origin is hurling - a team game that shares a number of similarities with Gaelic football.
The aim of the game is for players to use the ash wood stick, named the hurley, to hit a small ball through the opponent's goal.
The game is typically only found in Ireland, although there are some international interests with Argentina, Australia and South Africa holding their own variations.
Where do Irish people place bets online?
The takeaway
It should come as no surprise that football is the most popular sport for placing sports bets in Ireland with a huge global following.
However, there are a handful of Gaelic sports that do prove popular among Irish betting fans with both hurling and Gaelic football chosen as two of the most popular. Bettors are able to find these sports, alongside countless others, in the betting markets at Boylesports.
With a bet £10, get £20 welcome offer for new players - Boylesports is not only the favourite independent bookmaker in the country, but it’s also one of the most generous, too.
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