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6 Popular Sports Californians Love to Bet On

By: Author Jeff Campbell

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California has a rich sporting environment, with around nineteen major sports teams based there. In the San Francisco Bay area alone, there are seven major league teams. Sacramento and San Diego have just one, while Los Angeles is home to an impressive twelve major league teams. Alongside the teams, California has some of the highest quality sporting colleges in the states, including Stanford and Berkely. With so much sport packed into one state, there’s no surprise that Californians enjoy betting. With this in mind, we will guide you through the top six sports that the people of California love to bet on.

Football

Football is an American national sport and is followed by millions worldwide every year. In California alone, there are three teams that take part in the NFL. Typically, August kicks us off with the preseason, followed by the regular season Sept-Dec, and lastly, the playoffs at the beginning of the year. The San Francisco 49ers, whose home is the Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, are the most popular football team in California.

However, this is only since the approved move of The Raiders back in 2017. In the National Football Conference (NFC) West, the 49ers are currently sitting third behind the Rams and Cardinals. With all the clubs participating in the NFL and NFC, it is perfectly normal to expect that football is one of the most popular sports to bet on in California. Sadly, online sports betting is still not legal in CA so we would advise you to check the ultimate guide to sports betting in California and get a better understanding of the available options.

Baseball

Major League Baseball is another extremely dominant sport in California and is played in schools from a young age. In the MLB, California is home to the LA Angels, LA Dodger, Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants, and San Diego Padres. According to theactivetimes.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers is the most popular MLB team across the entirety of America.

Interestingly, California was home to the first-ever MLB team when the LA Angels played under the Pacific Coast League between 1903 and 1957. Currently, they play at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, which has been their home since 1966. Gen up on the team before March 2022, when you can bet on the new season.

Hockey

Hockey is another prevalent sport in California, with three teams in California. You can catch all the action of the main season between October and April of the following year. In California, the LA Clippers and the LA Lakers (NBA) share the Staples Centre with the LA Kings. Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks play their home games at the San Jose Arena (SAP Center). If you’re ever in Los Angeles and have time to catch an American Hockey League game, you should make the most of the opportunity. With the current season underway, be sure to get involved in the action and cast a bet or two.

Soccer

California is home to two Major League Soccer teams, who play during the season that runs through March to October. Further, there are specialist tournaments, including the CONCACAF Champions League. These tournaments run separately from the MLS and their teams play at different times. One of the most fascinating teams to follow in California is the LA Galaxy, which managed to snap David Beckham up back in the day.

Soccer games are difficult to predict outcomes because they are so random. Therefore, it is one of the most exciting sports to bet on. There are countless varieties of bets you can place, and you can wind up making plenty of your stake back.

Basketball

The National Basketball Association (NBA) would need no introduction, especially if you watched the recently released sequel to Space Jam. You can catch all the hoop shooting action between October and April before it all kicks off again for the playoffs towards the end of April. As mentioned previously, The LA Lakers and the LA Clippers both share the Staples Centre Stadium.

You’ve likely seen their merchandise in the local sporting store, the iconic yellow outfit, and it goes without saying that the LA Lakers are the most popular team in California. This has been the case for years – their state counterparts struggle to keep up with their momentum. However, the Clippers are currently ranked fifth in the Western Conference.

Skateboarding

Skateboarding is a way of life in California. After all, it’s where the sport started. Even Tony Hawk, the most prolific skateboarder in the world, was born in California back in the 80s. Before taking place in Austin, the largest skateboarding competition – The X Games – took place in California. If you’re ever in the area, make sure you check out the notable California skate spots.

California is home to an incredible number of major league sporting teams and is even responsible for birthing some of the most notable professionals in the world. When you’re next in California, make sure you get your bets in on these incredible sports outlined above.

Jeff Campbell
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