A Look at the Most Popular Sport in the World

There is simply nothing that can compare to the energy of a stadium filled with roaring fans, the crowd going wild as the game is about to end, and the pure bliss of celebrating a win together. There is nothing more powerful than sports in their ability to unite people from all walks of life. And nowadays this excitement can be taken to even greater heights with platforms like YesPlay. But with so many sports out there what is the most popular sport in the world, and, most importantly, what is the most popular sport in South Africa?

Global Football Fever

If we take the raw number of fans, then soccer is hands down the most popular sport. With over 3.5 billion people who consider themselves soccer fans, this sport has almost half the planet cheering for it. Played everywhere from local parks to huge stadiums, the excitement this sport brings is beyond comprehension.

And the best part about soccer is that there are countless ways to make a bet on it. Who will win the game, who will score first, or even who will get the most yellow cards – the possibilities are endless!

SA's Sporting Trio

But while soccer is the undisputed champion worldwide, the situation is a bit different in South Africa. Here people are also crazy for rugby and cricket!

Who can forget that amazing moment when Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springboks jersey, handed the Rugby World Cup trophy to Francois Pienaar? This was a true symbols of country’s unity and was a monumental point in the country’s history.

And who can forget about cricket, a sport that at first was particularly popular among Indian and mixed communities, but fairly quickly it became loved by all?

The Secret to Success

Did you ever wonder why some sports become super popular while other aren’t? Here are a couple of reasons:

• Simplicity. Let’s take soccer for example. Nothing simpler than that. Just grab a ball, a couple of friend and use a couple of trees as an improvised goal posts.
• Historical Value. Remember Springbok’s triumph in the 1995 Rugby World Cup? Some moments bring us all together and shape our identity, and sports tied to such moment are sure to be popular.
• Media. And of course who can forget about media. The more the sport is seen on TV and the internet, the more people will get into it. So when you have huge companies sponsoring it, it will get even more attention.

Celebrating Our Passion

Soccer might be the king worldwide, but we South Africans have our own unique preferences. It doesn’t really matter what is the most popular sport in South Africa, what joins us together is our passions for the thrill it brings us, the friendly competition, and of course the amazing memorable moments that these sports create. With bookmakers like YesPlay, you can take that excitement to an even greater level and enjoy everything they have to offer from the sidelines or, if you want, from the comfort of your couch.