Sports betting operators can look forward to another year of growing revenue as an action-packed 2024 gets under way.
From continental football tournaments to the Olympics in Paris, there are numerous high-profile events which punters will be looking forward to. For bookmakers, that will mean increased pressure on servers so knowing when the big events take place is crucial.
As a busy year begins, here are some of the biggest events for sports betting in 2024 which operators should be gearing up for.
Africa Cup of Nations
Sport: Football
When: January 13-February 11
Where: Ivory Coast
The highlight of the sporting year in Africa comes early as 24 teams bid to be crowned continental champions.
The tournament was originally scheduled to be held last year but was pushed back to 2024 for player welfare reasons, although it is still being referred to as AFCON 2023 for some sponsorship deals.
With African football continuing to grow, some of the best players in the world will be in action with 52 matches being staged at six venues in five host cities. With three games a day during the group stage, there are plenty of betting opportunities.
The tournament has previously been a big driver of betting traffic in Africa, especially sports betting in Nigeria where Altenar’s sportsbook offering has played a part in changing the landscape.
Super Bowl LVIII
Sport: American football
When: February 11
Where: Las Vegas, USA
Nothing compares to the Super Bowl when it comes to sports betting in the United States and NFL’s showpiece occasion undoubtedly has global appeal.
With more and more American states opting to legalise betting, around one in five adults in the USA were thought to have placed a bet on last year’s game at a total of $16 billion - compared to $7.6 billion in 2022 - with the game watched by over 115 million viewers in the USA alone.
The San Francisco 49ers are the favourites for glory ahead of the play-offs but regardless of which teams make it to Super Bowl LVIII at the Allegiant Stadium, record-breaking revenues look likely once more for American operators.
Pre-game Build A Bet markets are a popular way for punters to get involved and with the match typically lasting around four hours - including the famous 30-minute half-time show - the potential for in-play betting is obvious.
Fury v Usyk
Sport: Boxing
When: February 17
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
This is the fight which the boxing world has been waiting for, with Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk bidding to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since 1999.
No deal could be agreed for a bout at Wembley last April while a December showdown was postponed, but the two are finally set to meet in the latest high-profile fight to be staged in Saudi Arabia.
With boxing being one of the most popular sports for betting in the world, a huge volume of bets can be expected before 35-year-old Briton Fury and his 36-year-old Ukrainian opponent enter the ring.
Men’s T20 World Cup
Sport: Cricket
When: June 1-29
Where: USA and West Indies
The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup has seen the tournament expanded from 16 teams to 20, with matches being held in the United States for the first time as well as in the Caribbean.
While cricket is a little-known sport in some regions, for others it is almost a religion and that is certainly the case in India, where the popularity of the sport has played a key role in the growth of the betting industry.
With India the outright favourites in the T20 World Cup betting, there is sure to be plenty of interest in the national team once more and the draw for the group stage has produced some huge fixtures, with India facing fierce rivals Pakistan and England meeting long-time foes Australia.
The fast-changing nature of T20 cricket means in-play betting is very popular with a vast number of different markets available for punters to bet on.
Euro 2024
Sport: Football
When: June 14-July 14
Where: Germany
The footballing summer will be dominated by the latest edition of the European Championship taking place in Germany.
While not quite as important as the World Cup, the Euros are arguably the second biggest international tournament on the planet as the likes of France, Spain, Germany, England and Italy battle for the trophy.
With 24 teams taking part, there are sure to be plenty of upsets just as there were at the last edition when there were numerous surprises, including Switzerland knocking out France and the Czech Republic defeating the Netherlands.
Those results helped contribute to a memorable event for fans and increased profits for betting operators.
Copa America
Sport: Football
When: June 20-July 14
Where: United States
South American football’s international showpiece is being held in the United States for the second time and promises to be the biggest yet.
With all 10 South American teams taking part plus six from the CONCACAF region, including the hosts plus Mexico and Jamaica, the tournament will capture the attention of punters across Latin America.
There are 14 host cities across the United States, with the final being held at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami where Argentina will hope to retain the trophy.
With the final taking place just a few hours after the Euro 2024 climax, July 14 promises to be a huge day for sports betting operators.
Olympic Games
Sport: Multi-sport
When: July 26-August 11
Where: Paris, France
Often billed as ‘the greatest show on earth’, no other sporting event comes close to the Olympics in terms of global appeal and participation.
The multi-billion dollar spectacle features more than 10,000 athletes competing in 32 sports, with Paris playing host to the Games for the third time this year although other cities - such as Marseille, Bordeaux and Nice - are staging some events including sailing and football.
While the Games are traditionally not a big driver of betting traffic, the inclusion of sports such as football, basketball, golf and tennis means there may be significant interest in certain events.
Paris staging the Games, rather than Tokyo previously, also means the time zone of the host city will help the major European markets.
