Online Yachting Betting
For many years now, sailing has been considered a competitive sport. While yachting itself means recreational sailing, the term has evolved to mean something altogether different. With major yacht races like the Americas Cup, Sydney to Hobart and the Olympic races, competitive yacht racing has become an international sport and one that has attracted the attention of many punters. With live broadcasts of the biggest races, yachting betting can be fun and extremely rewarding. We take a look at how online yachting betting works and the various types of bets that can be placed.
For those who are new to the sport, yachting is where sailors use boats to race from one destination to another. In the Olympics, sailors use small dinghies to sail around a set course in the fastest time possible. The history of competitive sailing dates back to the 17th century when British sailors started building thinner, faster yachts specifically for racing purposes. It wasn’t until recently that yachting betting became a legal sports betting practice.
The America’s Cup
Of all the yachting races in the world, the America’s Cup is the certainly the most famous. It is offered by all the top sports betting sites months in advance. The America’s Cup dates back to 1851 when the British Royal Yacht Squadron challenged the USA to a yacht race in the Solent. The winning yacht “America” represented the United States and bagged the top prize. It would be more than 100 years before the Brits claimed the trophy. Today the America’s Cup includes teams from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Major Yachting Races
In addition to the America’s Cup, there are a number of Yachting races ripe for online betting. Most of the races happen in the European summer when tropical storms are less likely to disturb the race. Some of the biggest races include the Transpacific Race, the Bermuda Race, the Sydney to Hobart race as well as the Fastnet Race in the United Kingdom. For punters thinking about getting into yachting betting, it is important to realise that each race can take weeks or months to complete.
Types of Yachting Bets
With online yachting betting, the type of bet offered is entirely dependent on the race itself. With the races taking weeks to complete, fixed odds and future bets are generally the most popular. The 2017 America’s Cup for example consists of six teams with fixed odds betting. This makes it easier for punters to simply pick out a winner. With other races, including Olympic races, punters can place bets on heat winners, runners up, teams and individuals.
Before You Bet
Yachting betting, like all forms of sports betting requires a combination of skill and luck. Before placing any sizable bet, it is important to do as much research as possible on the teams or individuals. For the America’s Cup, each team can make certain changes to their boats for the new season. In the case of the New Zealand team, this was the inclusion of cycle cranks. Understanding how these small changes can affect the overall performance is key to placing a winning bet.