Watching sports is one of the world’s most popular hobbies, and during a 2019 survey, Statista reported that 76% of respondents who watched sports more often than any other group were male. This figure is likely to have increased over the last few years, with the sports world witnessing exciting campaigns across a range of sports, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning their second-ever Super Bowl in 2021 alongside superstar quarterback Tom Brady.
Participation in sports betting is also higher in males — 20% versus 7% in females, according to a February 2020 study — which brings up the question of whether there are any other sports-related casino activities, considering online gambling has become almost as popular as watching sports. It turns out, there are several games, especially when it comes to bingo and video slots.
Sports-Themed Casino Games
Bingo
Horse racing, one of the most popular activities to wager on in sports betting, is known as the sport of kings, so it’s no surprise that casino game developers like Eyecon have created a real money bingo slot game called Past The Post. This bingo slot, which is a variation of online bingo that allows players to play slots and bingo simultaneously, pays homage to horse racing by using horses, racing staples, and spectators as slot symbols. Similarly, like in horse racing, players need to use timing and speed to win the game. It is one of the more popular sporting slots available, suggesting that online casinos and sports go hand in hand.
Video Slots
Video slots are well-known for having interesting themes related to popular culture. That explains why there are so many sports-themed slot games, especially ones centered around soccer, otherwise known as football, one of the world’s most popular sports. For instance, Football Rules is a five-reel slot game developed by Playtech, and the game uses referees, fans, goalkeepers, players, the match ball, and differently-colored jerseys as symbols in the game.
Players can also pick a ball and choose the direction of their penalty shot to see how many free spins they get. Playtech also developed a slot game called Top Trumps Football Stars to celebrate the 2018 World Cup, and gamblers get to select five symbols out of 30 famous football players.
There are also horse racing video slots, much like online bingo. A popular example is Ascot: Sporting Legends, based on Ascot Racecourse and the world-famous Royal Ascot competition in the United Kingdom. Similar to Top Trumps Football Stars, which celebrates great football players, there is also a slot game called Ap McCoy: Sporting Legends, which is based on AP McCoy, an Irish jockey who won an impressive 4,358 races during his career.
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Sports fans are among the most passionate in the world, and that love tends to consume their every day: they watch the games, buy the merchandise, and follow their favorite players on social media. Knowing this, it makes sense casino game developers have tried to attract this group by creating games based on everything from soccer/football to horse racing.