People have been playing sports since the dawn of time. Most popular sports today have their roots in the ancient days of humanity.
The origins of football can be traced back to numerous kickball games played all over the world, including ancient Greece, ancient China, etc.
Today, the sport that dominates the world of sports is football, or what Americans call soccer. The game of football is, without a doubt, the most popular game in the history of the world, with over four billion fans the world over. It is the most popular sport on almost every major continent, with the sole exception being North America. Football is also the most popular sport in Africa, especially in countries like South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya.
Kenya is one of the African countries where betting is most popular. According to a recent study, Kenyans spent over 80 billion Kenyan shillings on betting and gambling in a little over six months.
This propensity for gambling has, recently, drawn Kenyans to the world of online betting where we now find that many online sportsbooks now accept Kenyan currency, for example, Sportsbet.io accepts punters from Kenya, as well as numerous other countries from Africa.
So, just what are the most popular betting sports in Kenya? In this article, we will take a look at the biggest sports which Kenyans love to bet on.
Association Football
By far the biggest sport in the world, association football has a fan base that exceeds 4 billion people around the world. In Kenya, football is the absolute, uncontested, top sport, not only in terms of viewership but also in terms of participation. Kenyans of all ages play football for fun, and children begin playing the game from a very young age.
Football is also the biggest sport in the world when it comes to betting, with more money being wagered on football matches than any other sport. This popularity extends to Kenya as well, where betting on football is a popular pastime among passionate fans of the sport.
Unfortunately, while Kenya is home to some of the most passionate football fans anywhere in the world, the Kenyan national team has been faced with several controversies and was banned from participating in international leagues for a very long time.
Track & Field
Though Kenya has had lackluster successes on the international football scene, the country has thrived in the realm of Track & Field, frequently producing some of the best athletes in the sport. Many of Kenya’s Track & Field athletes have competed in the Olympics, and have won numerous medals. Another international competition where Kenyans thrive is in the Commonwealth games.
Track & Field is hugely popular in terms of betting as well, especially in Kenya. The Kenyan people have a deep respect for their athletes, and one way that they show this respect is by placing bets on their victory.
Motorsports
One of the most popular subsets of sports is motorsports. Motorsports began in the late 19th century when a French newspaper sponsored the first city-to-city race. The success of that first race led to the popularization of motor vehicle racing around the world, and the sport remains popular today. A few of the most popular auto sports organisations in the world include NASCAR, Formula 1, and IndyCar.
In Kenya, motorsports are governed by the KMSF (or the Kenyan Motor Sport Federation) and draw in a large crowd of fans and bettors annually. The largest and most popular motorsport even in Kenya is motocross, and other popular events include rallying, autocross, and karting.
