What are the most popular sports to wager on in India ?

Even though cricket reigns supreme as the most popular sport in the country, India is a hotbed of other professional sports, from Kabaddi to football, badminton, and field hockey. It is a sports-crazy nation, and one thing that goes hand in hand with sports is betting.

The growth of online sports gaming in India has been rapid in the last few years, further promoting the expansion of the number of people regularly wagering on sporting events. Mobile technology has also played a big part, as nearly everyone is connected to the internet, no matter where they are. But out of all the sports available to bettors in India, which ones do they lean on the most?

India’s online sports gaming sector

In 2024, the online gaming sector in India was worth around US$3 billion. That number is expected to blossom to around US$6 billion by 2033, with more than a 7% annual growth rate during those forecast years.

The sports gaming market part of that is expected to tally around US$2 billion in 2025, and the annual growth rate for it is projected to hover around the 5% mark. By 2029, the market volume of sports gaming in India is expected to be up to around US$2.7 billion, and within the next five years, the number of users is expected to surpass 11 million.

The online gaming scene remains stronger than sports gaming within India. Part of that is because it’s far more accessible, as newcomers can jump on a slot machine without needing any skill. Some reputable online gaming platforms for Indian players can be found at AskGamblers IN, which also includes impartial details about bonuses and offers. However, combined with this, the rapid growth of both online gaming and sports gaming continues to march on.

Which sports are popular in India?

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. There’s a passionate following of the national team, with superstars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul strutting their stuff across different game formats. The country’s love of cricket can also be seen in the annual IPL, the world's biggest, richest cricket league.

At times, it may feel like cricket is the only major sport popular in India, but it’s not. Badminton is the second most played sport in the country, while there is a long tradition of field hockey. Kabaddi is another one of India’s major sports, professionally expanding beyond the country’s borders.

The most popular sports for taking risks

When it comes to the most popular sports to take risks on, cricket tops the list. This is mainly boosted by the IPL, which brings thrilling weekly action and an abundance of betting markets. The greatest players in the world slug it out for teams like the Chennai Super Kings and the Gujarat Titans, and this has made the IPL the most coveted domestic cricket league to play in.

With markets like match winners, top batsman, highest opening partnership, and top bowler, bettors have a lot of choice that reaches into the Women’s Premier League too. On top of that, major international events like Test Matches, the World Cup, and the T20 World Cup drum up huge extra interest in cricket betting in areas like tournament and tour outcome predictions.

Kabaddi

Kabaddi is another prime sport for taking a risk on in India. The Professional Kabaddi League has helped to raise the popularity of the competition, along with its inclusion in the Asian Games and the IKF Kabaddi World Cup. That produces plenty of betting options on match results, which team will win a tournament, and personal accomplishments like who will be the best raider.

Football

Although not enjoying the high profile it would like, the Indian Super League, which was formed in 2013, has certainly raised the level of football within India. The ISL is contested by 13 teams, including Hyderabad, Mumbai City, and Chennaiyin.

From a wagering perspective, football has always delivered many markets per match. Everything from the correct final score to the half-time result, the number of corner kicks, and the winning margin can be backed in football betting markets.

There are many major risk tournaments focused on the Indian national team, including World Cup qualification bids and the Asian Cup, which helps to raise interest. Football is arguably the rising star of sports betting in India, particularly in forging a connection with the younger crowds.

Esports

Esports is another big area of online sports gaming, covering leading multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games like League of Legends and Dota 2, along with first-person shooters like Counter-Strike: GO, Valorant, and Call of Duty. Players can bet on things like the results of maps and the number of kills.

Horse racing

There is also a big horse racing scene in India, with the most prominent races being the five classics that were inspired by the English ones, such as the Derby, the Oaks, and the 2,000 Guineas. It was deemed in court that horse racing involves skill and chance, so it’s not illegal to take a risk on the Sport of Kings.

Looking further afield

While cricket, Kabaddi, and football are popular sports within India, a big feature of online sports gaming is that it is not just focused on sports within the country. Any good sportsbook will have coverage of global sports, too. For football fans, that means that risk options reach a lot further afield, to competitions like the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, which have intense wagering coverage, with some matches having more than 100 pre-match options available.

Because of the global nature of online sportsbooks, everything from international boxing to horse racing, Formula One, tennis, and golf is all on the radar for wagers within India. The great advantage of online sports gaming is that regardless of the sport that a gamer is interested in, it is available even in more niche areas, like darts, handball, and table tennis.

Finding the right platforms

It is always worth researching the best online platforms to use. Areas like payment options, customer service, and the range of sports covered should be considered before signing up. Online sportsbooks have to be licensed to provide a service to Indian players, and as there are many offshore platforms that operate within the country, this gives players tremendous options for expanding their wagering options.