Niche Sports Betting in the UK

Niche sports betting refers to wagering on sports that are less popular or mainstream compared to sports like football, basketball, or baseball. These sports often have a smaller but dedicated fanbase and can offer unique betting opportunities for those who are knowledgeable about them. Examples of niche sports you can bet on are: Gaelic Hurling, Padel tennis, Lacrosse, Ski Jumping, Water Polo, Futsal and Pesapallo.

TOP Niche (yet popular) Sports for Betting in the UK:

1. Darts: Darts is a popular niche sport in the UK with a dedicated following. There are many tournaments throughout the year that attract bettors.
2. Snooker: Snooker is another sport that has a significant following in the UK. The World Snooker Championship is a major event in the betting calendar.
3. Greyhound Racing: While not as popular as horse racing, greyhound racing still attracts a fair amount of betting interest in the UK.
4. Gaelic Sports: Gaelic football and hurling are traditional Irish sports that have a niche following in the UK. They offer unique betting opportunities.
5. Esports: While not a traditional sport, esports is growing in popularity and offers a wide range of betting opportunities. Games like League of Legends, Dota 2, and CS:GO are particularly popular for betting.
6. Chess: Although not typically associated with sports betting, there are markets available for major chess tournaments.

The Rising Opportunities in Niche Sports Betting in the UK

Remember, the key to successful betting, especially in niche sports, is knowledge. The more you know about the sport, the teams, the players, and the form, the better chance you have of making successful bets. Always gamble responsibly.

We all know the areas of sports betting that dominate the headlines and bet numbers; football and horse-racing primarily.

All betting apps in the UK will naturally have reams of markets on these sports, however, in the ever-changing world of live sport coverage, a plethora of technological developments means that some of the lesser-known sports and activities are now being shown live and, naturally, the demand for a wager on these events has also grown.

Platforms like YouTube and Twitter now stream live sports at the fraction of the cost, massively expanding who can see them. So-called “Niche” events don’t stay niche for long as their coverages grows and more and more people become familiar with the players, teams and, let’s be honest, even the rules!

Some of the biggest UK online bookmakers now offer a huge range of betting opportunities on events that only a few years ago wouldn’t have even been on most punter’s radars.

Best Niche Sports Betting Sites for UK & Bonuses

Let’s take a look at some of these niche events and which bookmakers are offering odds on them. 

Bet365 

This behemoth needs no introduction. Futsal is one of their newer sports on the site and this hard court-based soccer spin-off is having a huge spurt in interest. With two teams of five and 20-minute halves, this is a slick, speedy version of the mother sport and provides an ideal base for betting. Bet365 offers prices on The Portuguese, Spanish and Argentinian Premier Leagues, among many others. Markets cover the traditional football areas; outright win markets, handicaps and over-and-under on the total goals in the 40-minute match. 

Gaelic sports, given the geographical limitations on where they are played, have been in the niche camp for a number of years now. But with social media platforms allowing more access than ever before to the players and matches, bookmakers have responded to this growth in demand. The Irish diaspora provides a very fertile market, particularly in the US and Australasia, so events like the All Ireland Football and Hurling are now staples at Bet365. Markets include outright and handicaps. 

Winter sports have tended to have a limited profile in the UK, partly explained by a lack of snow on this damp island, with only a Winter Olympics occasional stirring the blood. However, Bet365 now offer a huge range of markets on skiing (both Alpine and Cross-country), Biathlon and even Ski Jumping. On the latter, you can pick your favourite jumper for the 4 Hills outright. The current favourite is Halvor Granerud at 9/4. In the Cross-country skiing, there are even straight match bets between skiers, so you can wager on one to beat the other, regardless of where they come overall. 

Any Offers or Bonuses? Yes, if you are a New Player, you can claim £30 worth of Free Bets when you use bet365 code 365GMBLR and stake your first £10 with Bet365. A great jumping-off point for your niche betting! Read the bet365 app review.

10Bet 

It is hard to know whether Political Betting is still a niche event these days, such has been to popularity in recent years, particularly over the Brexit and Trump years, but 10Bet nevertheless go above and beyond to offer a full range of markets. From the Democratic and Republican nominees in the 2024 US Presidential Election to the Next Country to Leave the EU (Italy is the current jolly at 3/1), 10Bet has it covered. Not niche enough for you? Then how about betting on the next winner of Love Island?! 

Any Offers or Bonuses? Deposit your first £15 with 10Bet and you will receive a 50% Matched Bonus, up to a value of £100. Use the code to grab this one. Read our review of the 10bet app for Android and iOS and bet on niche sports on your mobile.

Ladbrokes 

The “Magic Sign” are no strangers to betting innovation and their offering is packed with niche markets. With summer in full swing, what better sport than Beach Volleyball to have a wager on? Markets include Set Betting, Total Match Points and Points Handicap markets. On Match Points, if you fancy a long, tough game, you would select the Overs and if you think it will be a quick, one-sided affair, you would select the Unders. 

Other Niche sports offered by Ladbrokes include Surfing and Badminton. A number of surfing tournaments, including the Surf City El Salvador Pro event, are streamed live these days, making it an exciting and engaging addition to the niche betting porfolio.  

Any Offers or Bonuses? Ladbrokes will give new bettors £20 worth of Free Bets (4 x £5 bets), when you register an account, on desktop or mobile, and place a minimum of £5 an any event at odds of 1/2 (1.50) or higher. 

Betfred 

Entertainment betting has expanded in the last few years and Betfred has a well-earned reputation for offering a decent range of markets on this niche corner of the betting world. Whether you want to bet on the sex of the next winner of Strictly Come Dancing (10/11 your choice of Male or Female) or have a punt on the Next James Bond (where Paul Mescal is a recent mover at 33/1), Betfred is the place for you.  

Any Offers or Bonuses? Yes, when you stake your first £10 with them, on any sports market, you will receive £30 in Free Bets and another £10 worth of Free Spins. Use the Betfred code “WELCOME40” when you register and deposit to take advantage. 

Lottoland Sport 

Although best know for their innovative approach to betting on international lotteries, Lottoland also has a superb sportsbook that does a nice lining in covering some seriously niche events. Fancy a bet on the gentle sport of Bowls? Lottoland has match prices on a number of International Gran Prixes. Markets include Set Betting, Handicaps and, for those after a quicker result, 1^st Set outcome betting. 

Lottoland also cover the Premier Lacrosse League in the US, not something you see every day. Current joint-favourites are the Whipsnakes and the Archers at 5/1. 

Field hockey is very much the poor relation to its ice-based cousin and it is rare to find betting markets on it. But Lottoland offer exactly that for the male and female Pro International Leagues, as well as individual match markets, including Total Goals options. 

Any Offers or Bonuses? If your first bet of £5 or more with Lottoland is a loser, you will get your stake back as a Free Bet worth £5. Just be sure to click the “Opt-in” button on the registration page.  

SBK 

This App-based bookmaker is well-known for its fresh approach to betting and its range of niche markets include Esports, Current Affairs (as well as a separate Politics section), MMA, Table Tennis and TV specials.  

Table Tennis markets include Match Betting, Set Betting and Total Points, many of which are also available in-play.  

Fancy a bet on which country is going to host the UEFA Euros in 2028? SBK is the App for you. The choice is between the UK & Ireland, Turkey and the joint Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia bid. 

Any Offers or Bonuses? Get £30 of Free Bets as a new bettor, when you wager your first £10. Use the code “BRITISHG30” to guarantee this offer. View more free bet offers and betting codes here.

Types of Niche Sports Betting

1. Fixed Odds Betting: This is the most common form of betting where the odds are set at the time of placing the bet.
2. In-Play/Live Betting: This type of betting allows you to place bets while the event is ongoing. The odds change in real time depending on the state of play. Here is the best live streaming services.
3. Exchange Betting: This is a form of betting where you bet against other bettors rather than a bookmaker. You can both “back” (bet for) and “lay” (bet against) outcomes. View Matchbook review here.
4. Spread Betting: This is a form of wagering where the outcome is a range of possible results. The bettor wins based on the accuracy of their wager rather than a simple win or lose outcome. Check out our review of Spreadex and their bonuses.
5. Fantasy Sports Betting: This involves creating a virtual team of real players and earning points based on their performance in real matches.

Other Niches Betting Opportunities 

Pinnacle Sports offer prices on Padel Tennis, the popular “enclosed” version of Tennis.  

BetUK offers a range of markets on Pesapello, the baseball-like sport often known as the national sport of Finland. It offers match betting on the male and female Superpesis Leagues, as well as Total Match Runs options. Some bookies can also offer odds on some ultra niche sports such as drone racing, pétanque, joggling, croquet or marble ball racing.

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