As the lockdown in the United States continues to slowly ease following months of uncertainty, the world of sport is seemingly on the path to recovery. But, one area of sport which struggled heavily during the pandemic has been the sports betting market. And, without the help of the booming online betting presence and the work done by the state of Florida, which was determined to maintain some kind of sporting activity, the market would have been almost empty.
Having to settle for what they can get
For Americans, sport flows through their blood so when the suspension of most sporting activities came into being at the start of the pandemic, there was much panic. With horse racing and WWE the two forms of live sport doing the rounds in the States, sports betting was, naturally, focused on these.
The absence of American football, ice hockey, soccer, baseball and basketball meant that bookmakers had to come up with diverse markets to try and keep some interest. With the major sports all returning in the next few months or so, betting markets will get back to normal soon. Soccer, for example, is scheduled for July, so look ahead to that date by checking out www.toponlinecasinos.co.za or look out for NHL, NBA and NFL parlays and picks in the upcoming weeks also.
Why Florida was, and is, vital for betting markets
With the Sunshine State now on Stage Two of its phased reopening, it appears as though life will resume some kind of normality. But, during lockdown, Florida held the key for the sports betting markets. Governor Ron DeSantis was an early advocate for maintaining professional sports leagues, by outlining them as “essential workplaces”.
DeSantis gave Vince McMahon – a staunch supporter of continuing with live sport – the green light to go ahead with his Wrestlemania 36 and Money in the Bank as the rest of the sporting world sat back in envy. Those events were taken on the road by McMahon to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando as punters wagered incredible amounts of money.
Kansas City was supposed to be the next host for WWE’s Backlash programme on June 14. That, however, has moved to Orlando once more as the Sunshine State flexes its muscles in its bid to become the number one sporting host in the States. As such, the sports betting markets will be able to take advantage of Florida’s brashness and cash in.
Horse racing proved its mettle
Whilst WWE was the forerunner in the States, sports betting firms like Francaisonlinecasinos were helped out by the once-maligned sport of horse racing. Little more than in the peripheral for most Americans, horse racing has continued its calendar and is even maintaining its commitments to the Triple Crown – albeit in a reformed fashion.
Races are still being held on a consistent basis, providing punters with a multitude of opportunities to watch and wager on live sport.
With horse racing barely affected by the lockdown, some critics have questioned how it has been able to escape the all-encompassing suspension of other sports. But, operating a racetrack without spectators does not require many people. And, with online betting at the forefront of the betting machine in the present day, the sport has enjoyed precedence in this area – in fact, 90% of the world’s betting pool comes from off-track betting, giving the sports betting market a great boon in troubling times.
