If you want to know which bets are truly considered sports bets, make one yourself 20Bet and read about the nuances of this concept.
When we say “sports betting,” most people imagine the usual options: who will win the match, how many goals or points will be scored, or who will become the champion. But in reality, the world of sports betting is much broader, and some wagers look so unusual that someone unfamiliar with the topic might not even realize—they’re still sports bets.
Not Just “Who Will Win”
For example, there are bets on the color of the first card a referee will show in a football match—yellow or red. At first glance, this seems only indirectly related to sports, since we’re not talking about the winner but about a small episode. Yet bookmakers are happy to take such wagers.
A real-life case: in one English Premier League match, a fan bet that the first card would be shown for a foul in the center of the pitch. And indeed, in just the 3rd minute, a midfielder committed a foul right there—the bettor hit the jackpot.
Betting on the Weather During the Match
Yes, that happens too. It’s especially popular in cricket, golf, and American football. Bookmakers may offer to guess whether there will be rain, snow, or strong wind at a specific point in the game.
Example: during an NFL game in Denver, fans placed bets on snowfall in the 2nd quarter. Snow started literally a couple of minutes before halftime—bringing them a solid payout.
Betting on Athletes’ Behavior
Sometimes, people even bet on what a player will or won’t do. For example, will they say something in a post-match interview? Will they raise their hands toward the stands when celebrating a goal? This is, of course, a gray area, but in some countries such bets are legal.
Story: a fan bet that a hockey forward, after scoring a goal, would touch his helmet (a habit of his). And indeed, the player repeated his signature gesture.
Betting on “Inside” Statistics
A casual observer might think that bets on the number of corners, throw-ins, or fouls are just casual fun. But these are also full-fledged sports bets—and if you understand the teams’ playing styles, you can even make money on them.
For example, in a match between two attacking football clubs, the probability of many corners is higher than in matches between cautious teams. Experienced bettors use this to their advantage.
Betting on Moments Off the Main Action
In Formula 1 racing, you can even bet on which team will be the first to send a car out of the pit lane. In tennis, you might wager on whether a player will serve an ace on the first point of a rally. For a casual viewer, these moments might seem like pure chance, but for an analyst, they’re calculated risks.
Real example: during one Grand Prix, fans bet on a particular team making the fastest pit stop. They had studied previous races and noticed that this team’s times were consistently strong. The bet paid off.
Why This Matters
The world of sports betting has long gone beyond “who will win.” Often, bets involve micro-moments and details that aren’t directly tied to the match’s final result. And someone unfamiliar with the field might not realize these still count as sports bets.
This means that the thrill and possibilities in betting are literally everywhere—from predicting the color of the first card to guessing which team will throw the ball in first.