Water polo dates back to the end of the 19th century when William Wilson, a Scottish swimming teacher, invented the sport, originally calling it aquatic football. This game is played in a pool between two teams of seven players, with the main objective being to score more goals than the opposing team by throwing a ball into their net. Due to the fact that water polo is not one of the more popular sports, you will not find many tempting water polo offers at all sports betting sites. However, betting on water polo is still possible at top sports betting sites, and below you can find out more about betting on this physically engaging sport.
Top Water Polo Betting Sites
Obviously, before you can place any type of bet on this sport, you need to have an account with a betting site that offers markets and odds for it. Therefore, we decided to start off this water polo betting guide by having a look at the top water polo betting sites that are around at this current moment in time. Below you can find six UK’s water polo betting sites that offer competitive odds and a decent number of markets for those who enjoy betting on this sport:
- Betway
- William Hill
- Ladbrokes
- Betfred
- Bwin
- Betiton
Top Water Polo Competitions to Bet on
Once you have found a sports betting site that you want to register with, the next challenge for you is to find something that you want to put your hard-earned money on. Below you can find some of the biggest water polo events that the best water polo betting sites will have odds and markets for.
The Olympics
The Olympics is one of the biggest water polo events in the world and is an event that every country wants to go on and win the gold medal in. When it comes to betting on water polo, more bets are placed at the Olympics than any other water polo event out there, so this is definitely not a competition you want to be missing out on. Hungary are the most successful team with nine golds to their name, while Serbia won back-to-back golds at the 2016 and 2020 editions of the games.
Water Polo World Cup
The FINA World Cup came into existence in 1979, and it is held every four years, with it taking place two years after every Olympics. At the FIFA World Cup there are 32 teams taking part, but the Water Polo World Cup is a lot smaller since only eight teams used to participate – at the 2023 edition, there will be twelve teams taking part. Hungary are the current champions since they beat Australia in the 2018 final.
World Championships
This international competition takes place every two years, with the last one being played in Japan in 2022. This is a very prestigious water polo event and fans of the sport all over the world place plenty of bets on it. The 2022 edition of this big competition was held in Budapest, Hungary, and won by Spain.
Water Polo Markets to Bet on
Above we took a look at the best water polo competitions to bet on, and now we are going to take the time to look at some of the most popular water polo betting markets to put your money on.
Match Winner
This type of bet is also known as a straight bet and it is simple as it sounds. All that you need to do it try to predict the team that will win the match. You will also have the option of place a bet on a draw, but we need to stress here that the chances of a draw happening is pretty slim.
Total Score
With this type of wager, you are tasked with trying to predict the number of gaols that both the teams will score in the game. The sportsbook that you have an account with will provide you with a value, and you then need to decide if the total goals will be under od over the value that they provided. For instance, the bookie will provide a number of 14.5, and then you need to decide if the total goals will be 14 or fewer (under) or 15 or more (over).
Prop Betting
There are plenty of different prop bets that you can put your money on and these vary from the top scorer in a match to whether a certain team will win some kind of medal at a major water polo event. You also have the option of betting on the overall winner of the three nations that will make it to the podium at the end of an event.
Top Water Polo Betting Tips
We are going to end our guide by having a look at some top water polo betting tips that you should keep in mind when you are betting on this sport.
Do Plenty of Research
If you want to increase your chances of having success when betting on this sport, it is important that you take the time to do some research and check out the form and injury list of a team that you are thinking about betting on. All the important information can be found on the Internet, so it would be stupid of you not to make use of this.
Pay Attention to the Keeper
More often than not it is the goalkeeper that plays a big role in the team that wins the game. In this sport, water polo is more than just blocking and anticipating shots, it is also about informing their team members about any imposing gaps and threats that are in the defense. To add to this, the keepers are also the ones who are responsible for beginning a counter attack, which is why many keepers have plenty of assists under their belt. So, before betting on a team, have a look at the keeper and find out if he is good.
Do Not Chases Your Losses
This betting tip applies to all sports betting. Losing is part and parcel of gambling, and you will sometimes go on an annoying losing streak where you lose plenty of money. Now, when this occurs, we know that you might be temped to place even more bets in order to recuperate your losses, but this is a huge mistake. This strategy, more often than not, will lead to you losing more money. When you gamble, create a budget and stick to it.
