Just thinking about January 2020 will make many punters nostalgic. With COVID-19 pandemic spreading across the globe, all sports events, no matter how big or small, are being canceled. There was no “March Madness”, the UEFA Euro 2020 has been delayed, horse racing tried to survive with racing behind closed doors, only to face complete lockdown a few weeks later. It is more than obvious how corona wreaks havoc on everyday life and the betting industry as well. 

Even though punters now have some spare time to rethink their strategies and discover top rated gambling sites in Ireland, if they are unsatisfied with their current sportsbooks, the fact remains how there is almost nothing left to wager on. 

And while the traditional sports industry will need some time to recoup from the pandemic, some innovative betting sites managed to create new categories. Some of them are bizarre, others simply crazy and unethical, and some are available at every sportsbook, but only now have the opportunity to shine. Of course, many of these betting categories are not the first choice of many punters, but they still deliver betting opportunities during this period of betting drought. 

3rd World Football Leagues

German, English and French football leagues are usually amongst the most popular betting categories on every sports betting website. Unfortunately, with all major leagues and competitions being canceled, many punters fall in despair believing how there is nothing to bet on. 

Well, there are some countries that still neglect the fact COVID-19 can harm the public, so one should think about grasping this opportunity while they still can. For example, you can bet on Tajikistan Vysshaya Liga, Belarus League, Nicaragua Liga Primera, and Liga Primera U20. 

eSports

eSports is one of the very few sports today that can function even with social distancing. Though many don’t consider eSports to be real sports at all, they are one of the very few betting opportunities that are left as players from all across the globe can simply play tournaments from their living rooms. Despite real tournaments and competitions being very exciting and reminiscing of boxing matches in Las Vegas, the opportunity to play at your own home while the entire world is on lockdown proved to be a huge advantage. 

Some of the most popular betting categories in eSports are Defense of the Ancients, League of Legends, Overwatch, Counter Strike, but there is also betting on eTennis and Football fantasy leagues. It may take some time for you to get familiar with this category, but who knows, maybe you’ll continue betting on it when all this ends. eSports are considered to be the future of sports, so jump the bandwagon and enjoy it!

Chess

Chess is another category many won’t even consider a sport as all you have to do is move wooden figures across a checkerboard, but thanks to modern technology, chess parties can be played without any personal interaction. Online chess is now a predominant way to play chess anyway, so make sure to check your betting site and see what matches it has to offer. 

In chess, you can bet on friendly matches, amateur, or even professional tournaments. And one of the best things in chess is that, once you figure it all out, you will be a chess fan for years to come.

 

The Temperature

Now, this is when things get a little bit crazy. Bovada, a sports betting company in Costa Rica, decided to engage their punters in betting on temperature. Considering how their website had 100,000 visitors in a single day, it seems that many punters are desperate enough to bet on anything. With Bovada, you can bet on temperatures in different cities in Costa Rica, and co-founder Jesse Rowe announced a betting app release to ensure betting to a wider audience. “People are definitely looking to replace the hobby of sports gambling and we’re trying to be their solution”, Rowe said. 

Showbiz

There is no business like show business, so why not bet on it? Even though it may sound like a category for middle-aged people who enjoy tabloid magazines, it became a legit category that includes TV ratings, what will happen to characters in TV shows, who will play the next James Bond, will a certain movie hit theaters or will it be released via streaming service, how will the season of a popular show end… all these are offered by online sportsbooks just to keep their users engaged.

And while most of these seem like mindless fun, there is a certain category that raises moral questions. Some bookies offer matchups of celebrities and you can bet on who will die first. This bizarre category, that we don’t endorse in any way, simply shows how far some will go to satisfy their need to place a bet.