Sports betting is one of the most profitable gambling activities. Sportsbooks and elite sharp bettors make a mint from the activity. The casinos have figured out that the average gambler will place money on anything.
So, the sportsbooks will offer a wide variety of wild prop bets for players to enjoy. Many of the wagers will loosely involve sports. Still, there are a ton of chances available that have nothing to do with sports.
Sometimes the sports scene is cold, and punters are looking for any action they can get. Other times, gamblers are looking for a fun way to try and make a buck.
Here are 12 wild things you can wager on. But you probably shouldn’t.
1 – The Mars Race
One of the most extraordinary things punters can wager on at the moment is the race to put men and women on Mars. The Red Planet has been a longtime fascination for us on Earth.
As we draw nearer to putting boots on the red dust, the buzz surrounding the race will continue to heat up. We’ve already seen significant steps taken in the private sector. Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos launched civilian space flights in 2021.
Elon Musk and his Space X program are the overwhelming favorites to win the race to Mars. Space X is currently -350.
However, Amazon magnate Jeff Bezos is hot on his tail with Blue Origin. Blue Origin is +400, which is a much better value.
2 – Professional Wrestling
The WWE (that’s World Wrestling Entertainment) has a cult following. The multimedia juggernaut fills arenas and has zero issues selling their PPV broadcasts.
It’s no surprise that the sportsbooks have seized on the opportunity to take action on the matches. The betting public takes full advantage of the lines on WWE.
Unfortunately, there’s a significant issue that seems ignored by everyone. WWE is fake.
The performers are not engaged in any form of legitimate combat. They are performing a show with results that are predetermined.
Betting on professional wrestling is equal to betting on Santa Claus.
3 – The Pope
It seems that sports betting has begun crossing into the religious sector. One popular prop bet in sportsbooks centers around the next Pope.
Punters can bet on who will be named the next Pope and what papal name they will choose. That adds a little variety to where bettors place their money.
The favorite to be named the next Pope is Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana. The Cardinal sits at a generous +300.
What name do the handicappers think the new Pope will pick?
Leo is the top contender at +330. The last time we had a Pope Leo was in 1878 with Pope Leo XIII.
The conservative Pope had a significant impact on the Catholic Church. It would mark the new Pope’s push for traditional values mixed with progressive thought.
4 – The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl probably doesn’t strike you as a wild thing to bet on. The game is one of the most heavily bet on sporting events of the year.
However, it’s that popularity that should drive you away from the big game. There’s so much attention on the game that the lines remain incredibly tight.
As far as the wild bets, the Super Bowl prop bets cover it all. You can wager on everything from the National Anthem to the Gatorade dump.
These prop bets seem like a fun way to get some skin in the game. But they ultimately fail to provide any value.
Take a cue from sharp bettors and skip the Super Bowl.
5 – Armageddon
Lately, there’s been a ton of attention paid to the end of the world. It’s been a popular topic for centuries.
Yet, it’s only recently that people could bet on the end. It’s a dreadful subject that a surprising number of people are willing to wager on.
Perhaps they have some inside knowledge that evades the rest of us. Still, betting on the end of the world has one major issue.
How are you supposed to collect your winning bet?
It would seem that the house edge on this wager is a resounding 100%. Even if your bet wins, we all lose.
6 – Politics
There is a vast selection of political bets you can make. These wagers vary from prop bets on the debates to the next president.
The biggest issue with betting on politics is the harsh lines laid by the sportsbooks. They know that most contests are going to be extremely tight.
The sportsbooks also know that it should be easy to get equal action on both sides of an election. They exploit that knowledge and rake in cash for political action.
You can’t find enough value to make betting on politics profitable. Save your money and show your support at the polls.
7 – Disc Golf
It’s not unheard of for a fringe sport to make its way into the sportsbook. Disc golf is the latest sport to enjoy a surge in popularity and catch sports bettors’ attention.
Disc golf is poised to become a legitimate minor professional sports league. So, there is less concern about competitors influencing tournaments to alter results.
Still, the highest paying events are paying less than $20,000 for a win. That opens the door for greater profit potentials elsewhere, like the sportsbook.
The number one reason you should avoid betting on disc golf is that you probably don’t know squat about the sport. Before you start betting on disc golf, learn everything you can about the sport and the athletes.
8 – Extraterrestrial Life
Betting on when we’ll learn of intelligent life from another planet is intriguing. Sportsbooks are taking action on when a U.S. president will confirm the existence of intelligent life.
We’ve got more than enough wild and whacky things to bet on here on Earth. Why not focus on mastering our galaxy before venturing to other worlds?
The U.S. does have a UFO task force, which leads to the notion that there’s someone out there. However, that’s a long way from the federal government confirming E.T.
9 – Celebrity Death Pool
Surprisingly, it’s illegal to bet on when a person will die in the United States. That’s refreshing, considering the nature of some people.
But that hasn’t stopped one parody wagering site from posting its own death pool. Twisted gamblers can wager on celebrity deaths to accumulate points.
There are apparent problems with betting on when someone’s life will end. The fact that you can’t win money on the bet is the most glaring issue.
You’ll be betting on when a celebrity will pass to the next plane for pure entertainment. I don’t particularly have a fondness for fame, but that’s sick.
Avoid falling into trash betting habits that don’t have any benefits. Or bet on the death pool and have a blast with friends. Who am I to judge?
10 – Polar Bears
Climate change has been a hot topic since I was in elementary school. It continues to trigger people on the entire political spectrum.
One of the horrible consequences of climate change is the impact on wildlife. In 2011, some sports betting sites began taking bets on when polar bears will go extinct.
I hate to imagine a world where these majestic creatures aren’t part of the earth family. Still, there’s enough interest in the topic to keep these wagers alive for over a decade.
11 – The Weather
2020 saw a huge wrench thrown into the massive sports betting complex. Professional sports shut down entirely for a considerable chunk of the year.
That left sports bettors and sportsbooks in a challenging position. The sportsbooks weren’t making any money, and gamblers were left itching for action.
Luckily, the weather is always there. Sportsbooks began taking prop bets on the weather, and the response was surprising.
Gamblers ate the action up. They bet on the over/under for the high and low temperatures in droves.
Many bettors would make wagers on the precipitation totals for a week. We all know how challenging it is to predict the weather.
In Texas, where I grew up, the weather changes by the hour. Even the weather forecasters get it wrong most of the time.
That gives the average sports bettor little hope of winning long-term.
12 – Video Games
E-sports has exploded in popularity. The lack of professional sports leagues in 2020 forced sportsbooks to take notice.
Now, e-sports are prominently featured in sportsbooks across the globe. The significant issue is that many bettors have little knowledge of the subject.
That results in subpar returns for most gamblers. The e-sports market is ever-shifting. The top teams have an immense amount of talent, which makes it challenging to uncover any advantage.
Unless you’ve been on board from the beginning, staying away from e-sports is your best option.
Conclusion
These 12 wild things you can wager on may seem like an exciting take on sports betting. But you probably shouldn’t because of the uncertainty.
There are no guarantees whether many of these things will ever happen. That makes placing a value on the bet impossible.