Whether you’re building your weekend acca before the Saturday kick off, or are backing who will lift the World Cup or the Euros, football is an exciting sport that offers gamblers a wide range of opportunities to win some money.
With a vast array of markets to choose from, it’s easy to see why leagues such as La Liga, the Bundesliga, and the English Premier League (EPL) are so popular with bookmakers and gambling football fans alike. The problem is, because they’re so well known, so well established, and under so much scrutiny, the margins and returns are much lower.
If you want to win some serious money, you either need an accumulator as long as your arm or to cross your fingers and hope that you are on the right side of another Leicester City bombshell like back in 2015/16. Bettors are starting to get a bit fed up with this and are looking elsewhere.
In recent years, Irish football has been attracting a lot of attention, both from home and overseas, for a host of different reasons and a quick look at any of the big Irish bookmakers on Scs.ie so that the leagues are front and centre.
But can bettors get better returns with Irish football? Let’s find out.
Irish Football Growing in Popularity
One trend you may have noticed over the last decade or so, is a steady increase not only in the number of people betting on Irish football, but also in the number of people following Irish football in general.
The Irish Premier Division now has more followers and fans than ever before, and that number is steadily rising with each passing game week. There are a whole host of different reasons for this.
To begin with, the quality of football has improved markedly, and games and rivalries are also more competitive, which makes for a more captivating experience. A match between Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers for example, isn’t just a leisurely outing. It’s a formidable, competitive game that is often full of non-stop action from start to finish.
Bigger rivalries, a better quality of Irish football, and bigger names are all helping to draw more eyes to the sport. More interest means more demand and more betting, which in turn means potentially more money for bettors.
Better Value
Another reason why gamblers betting in Irish football could potentially enjoy better returns, not to mention better odds, is down to the fact that it has the potential to offer better value for money.
Now, we’re not trying to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes here, we know all too well that the Irish Premier Division is not on the same level as the EPL, La Liga, and other popular European leagues, but that can actually work in a bettor’s favour. Fewer people betting on the sport means less competition, so bookmakers can afford to be more generous with their odds and markets. This in turn means the potential for more money.
More Favourable Odds
We touched upon this previously, but as it’s such an important factor we’re going to look at this in more detail now.
Irish football may be becoming more popular, but it does not attract anywhere near the amount of attention as other European leagues. Because of this, it is under far less scrutiny from bookmakers and can therefore provide far looser margins.
As Irish Football undergoes far less scrutiny, bookmakers can afford to offer more markets, more opportunities, and more favourable, often mispriced, odds. As an example, if you were to bet on an EPL match between Manchester City and Hull City, the odds for Man City winning would be pretty poor and backing them would net you a measly return. Even if you backed Hull and they won, the odds still wouldn’t be amazing because of the betting interest there is with Premier League football.
On the other hand, with the Irish Premier Division, a match between Dundalk and Derry City would be likely to offer far more competitive odds, allowing you the potential to win more money from what is effectively a regular match.
More Coverage
Finally, thanks to social media, and better coverage in general, more people are being introduced to the sport, and are not only enjoying the competition, but are deciding to place a few bets in the process.
Shamrock Rovers for example, are real fan favourites and have consistently been one of the most successful. Following Cape Verde’s incredible Cinderella story at the World Cup, more fans have also been introduced to Rovers, thanks to the likes of Cape Verde’s Roberto Lopes, who plays as centre-back for Rovers.
Since the World Cup ended, the number of people betting on Irish football, and specifically Shamrock Rovers, has already increased, and that trend only looks set to continue.