10 Niche sports you can bet on in the US

While the first rule of sports betting is to pick a sport you enjoy watching, there are many niche sports to bet on in the US that are just as entertaining – and profitable! Join us as we explore ten niche sports you need to start betting on today.

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Unlike football and basketball, niche sports do not spend much time in the limelight. However, the advantage of betting on sports like Cornhole is that the odds are often far more competitive than their mainstream counterparts. Let’s look at some weird and wonderful niche sports available at the best online sportsbooks in the US:

• Cornhole
• Kabaddi
• Handball
• Curling
• Jai alai
• Lacrosse
• Aussie Rules
• eSports
• Darts
• MMA

1. Cornhole

Cornhole is a simple lawn game where teams take turns to toss 16oz bags filled with kernels at a target – specifically, a slanted board with a hole in the center known as a dummy. Teams score one point for each bag that lands on the board, while three points are awarded for each bag that lands in the hole. The first team to score 21 points wins.

While the game is typically played at barbeques and backyard social events, the popularity of the game has seen the launch of the American Cornhole League in 2015 to develop the game into a professional sport. Since then, several betting sites, including DraftKings, have started to feature odds and lines for championship events across the nation.

2. Kabaddi

Kabaddi is a sport of agility and speed between two teams of seven players. The objective is for a single player, also known as the raider, to run into the opposing team’s half of the court and touch as many defenders as possible without getting tackled. A kabaddi match runs for 40 minutes and consists of two halves of 20 minutes.

Kabaddi comes from humble beginnings in India, and some believe that the game originated in Tamil Nadu some 4,000 years ago. Regardless of its origin, the sport is a popular option at betting operators such as Betway, where placing bets on the Pro Kabaddi League is common.

3. Handball

Handball is closely related to soccer, water polo, basketball, and even ice hockey. While the game looks deceptively simple, players utilize many different skills, such as running, jumping, throwing, catching, and dribbling, to score a goal – which awards one point to the attacking team if successful. The game is played against two teams with seven players and consists of two 30-minute halves.

In the US, handball still does not have a professional league. However, the country is represented by the men’s and woman’s national teams at the Summer Olympics and Pan American Games. Nonetheless, handball remains one of the most exciting sports to bet on today, especially given the wide selection of live betting options available during international matchups.

4. Curling

Curling is perhaps the most entertaining of the niche sports represented on this page and enjoys a surge of interest whenever the Winter Olympics are held. In curling, a team of four players works together to slide granite stones along an ice path toward a target known as the house. The closer to the center, known as the button, the better.

What makes curling so unusual, however, is that team members often wear different shoes on each foot and use brooms to sweep the ice to make the stones travel farther and straighter. Meanwhile, there is quite a fair amount of yelling at the granite stones, which, as you can imagine, creates quite a spectacle for audiences and sports bettors alike.

Fortunately, betting on curling is straightforward, and there are no unusual bets to distract you from the action. Standard options include moneylines, totals, parlays, and point spreads.

5. Jai alai

There is a good chance that US sports fans have never heard of Jai alai before. The sport combines elements of tennis and racquetball with equipment reminiscent of lacrosse (another weird sport to bet on). The principle of the game is simple and is played in a round-robin format between eight teams or eight single players. A point is awarded if an opposing player or team:

• Fails to serve the ball directly to the front wall
• Fails to catch and return the ball after just one bounce
• Holds onto or juggles the ball
• Launches the ball out of court
• Interferes with another player

Jai alai is played until a team or player reaches seven points. While the rules seem simple, you should keep in mind that players generally try to outsmart opponents by serving variations (similarly to baseball) by changing up the speed, spin, and power.

6. Lacrosse

Lacrosse is the oldest sport in North America and was invented by Native American tribes to toughen up youngsters and prepare them for battle. While the rules have evolved over the years, the fierce spirit of the game lives on. Today, lacrosse is played professionally in the US and Canada with the advent of two prominent competitions: the National Lacrosse League and the Premier Lacrosse League.

That’s just the beginning, however. In 2018, the NCAA released a report that named college lacrosse the fastest-growing sport in the US. While participation and viewership continue to grow, so do the sports betting opportunities on niche sports like lacrosse.

7. Aussie Rules

Aussie Rules, formally known as Australian Rules Football, is a contact sport from “Down Under” developed by cricket players in the 19th century. The game is played on an oval field with two teams of 18 players. Teams score points by kicking the ball through the goal posts at the opposite end of the field.

Unlike football and rugby, Aussie rules players are not allowed to throw the ball to another player. Instead, players must kick the ball or hit it with a closed fist. Due to the time difference, we recommend that US players check out pre-game odds and lines at sportsbook such as FanDuel and BetMGM.

8. eSports

There is no slowing down the world of eSports. What was once a minor niche sports market has now developed into a $1 billion industry. The success of eSports is mainly due to the popularity of live streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube, where events such as Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) attract millions of viewers each month.

It’s worth noting that sports betting laws vary state-to-state, meaning some will allow betting on eSports and others won’t. We recommend contacting the state regulator in your area for a selection of approved betting sites where you can wager on eSports tournaments and games.

9. Darts

Darts may seem like a casual bar game, but a closer look will reveal that the niche sport is gaining popularity. According to the National Sporting Goods Association, 17 million Americans play darts. That’s roughly the same number of people who watched the Academy Awards in 2022.

Meanwhile, online sportsbooks in the US provide plenty of betting opportunities during international darts tournaments, including the World Darts Championship and US Darts Masters. These events are organized by the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) and attract some of the most talented darts players in the world.

10. MMA

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has quickly become one of the most popular sports to bet on, thanks to larger-than-life personalities such as Conor McGregor and the sheer thrill of watching prize fighters overcome the odds in a display of skill and strength.

Competitors in the UFC and other championships also need to master various skill sets and fighting styles to compete at the highest level. While Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is perhaps the dominant fighting style in mixed martial arts, fighters also specialize in boxing, kickboxing, karate, and even traditional wrestling.

Conclusion: Find your favorite niche sports to bet on

Whether you are already a fan of unusual sports or just shopping around for something new to sink your teeth into, we are confident that this introduction to popular niche sports in the US is exactly what you needed to get started. Of course, there are more unusual sports with equally unusual bets to discover, so visit any of the top betting sites to check them out.