Sports Betting Alternatives to Keep You Sane

The coronavirus crisis has decimated the world of sports betting, with virtually zero events still taking place in any part of the world.

Many events have been postponed or cancelled altogether, with both Euro 2020 and the Olympics having been pushed back a year, while the 2020 Grand National was called off.

Sports betting companies are struggling to keep their heads above water as a result, while their customers might be forced to look elsewhere in order to get their fix and try to stay sane.

Here are some of the best sports betting alternatives to consider during this period of lockdown.

Learn how to play online poker

Most online gambling tends to revolve around sports betting, but poker is one of the major alternatives. While major poker tournaments have been suspended due to the coronavirus, online play is able to continue the same as ever.

Hours of legal fun

Online poker can be played with friends and family, so it can be a good social event too. With the lockdown conditions likely to be extended for some time, an online poker night could be a great way to keep in touch with your loved ones while playing a competitive card game.

And if you feel you are good enough to enter tournaments, you might win some cash too! Unlike some casino games like roulette that are almost completely down to luck, poker is a skill game. While winning does depend on how the cards fall, your decisions play a key part as well.

Play football-themed slots

Another betting option to think about while sports betting is effectively suspended is to play football-themed slot games. Some of these are actually very entertaining and might help you to forget about the lack of action on the pitch for a short time.

Look out for these popular football themed slots

There is often no need to deposit money to play games like these as they are available to play for free, so you do not have to risk any of your cash. And if you do want to play for real money, make sure you get the best welcome bonuses that are on offer right now.

Shoot! and Football Mania are two of the best football-themed slots out there right now. Others to consider having go on include Football Star and Football Carnival.

Most online casinos have a few football-themed games to pick from. There are usually slots based on other sports like tennis and cricket too, so there is plenty of choice if you opt to go down this road.

Gamble on virtual sports

There are still some sports running in certain countries, but many people are opting to gamble on virtual sports during the lockdown. Most online bookmakers have a virtual sports section with a few different options, which can include football and tennis.

The downside of betting on a virtual sport is it does not quite provide the same rush as having a wager on a real sport, but for some it will prove a good enough short-term alternative for now.

Last weekend, the virtual Grand National stood in for the cancelled real thing and raised an amazing £2.6 million for NHS Charities Together. The horse that won the race was Potters Corner, an 18-1 shot that held off the two-time winner Tiger Roll, the pre-race favourite.

Millions of people tuned in to the live ITV broadcast of the virtual race. This shows there is a high level of demand for this kind of alternative to fill in the gap until real sport returns to our screens. This was far from the first computer-simulated horse race, though, as these were actually shown all the way back in 1967 when the UK had an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Take up betting on eSports

In a similar vein, eSports betting could be set for a boost in popularity during the lockdown. Millions of people love to both play and watch eSports but betting on them is still in its infancy.

Some bookmakers are yet to open up their own eSports betting markets, though the lack of real live sport right now might encourage them to add some sooner rather than later. At some bookmakers, eSports now makes up around 35 per cent of the wagers they are accepting.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2 and League of Legends are among the top games for eSports betting, though some major tournaments have been cancelled due to the virus.

While eSports betting has been seen to be quite niche until now, the coronavirus crisis might just provide the conditions needed for this growing sports betting alternative to become mainstream.

Anyone who is brand new to watching or betting on the major eSports might find them to be impenetrable, however. The return of live sport simply cannot come quickly enough.