Whether or not you wish to forecast the outcome of a GAA season, or make money for a recent club or county game, there are several Irish sports bookmakers that will cater to your needs.
This betting guide on Gaelic games includes information on how to profit from Ireland’s most popular sport by looking out for the best GAA odds and other favorite markets offered by such sites as Betway.
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Gaelic games are fast-paced team sports that have been played in Ireland for thousands of years. They are the most popular sports in Ireland, followed by soccer and rugby.
In the family of Gaelic games, there are several other sports such as Gaelic football, hurling, *handball* (and 2 others). This is true because these games are played under GAA which was established in 1884 and has become the world’s largest amateur sporting organization.
There are also women’s football and hurling games, but these are not run by the GAA. Camogie is the name given to female hurling, being managed by the Camogie Association of Ireland, while Ladies Gaelic Football competitions are overseen by the Ladies Gaelic Football Association.
Over 300,000 players are registered by the GAA at over 2,200 clubs across all of Ireland’s 32 counties. Being an amateur organization to that extent, there is no pay for playing Gaelic games by players whether they are in higher or lower levels. They love playing it and their desire is to represent their county or team in front of thousands of spectators in Croke Park during All-Ireland finals day.
Let’s take a brief look at the four games in GAA.
Gaelic Football
Gaelic football is a sport which is open and full of action; it combines a blend of soccer, rugby and basketball. It is played on pitches made from grass with H-shaped goals at the ends. By kicking the ball over the bar, they can get one point or by driving the ball through the goals they can score three points each. At the end of 70 minutes, the team with the most number of point tallies wins.
Hurling
Hurling has been referred to as the fastest field game in the world, encompassing elements of lacrosse, field hockey and baseball. It is a game where skilled players use stick and ball quite violently. Like Gaelic football, hurling matches consist of two 35-minute halves and are also played on a grass pitch with H-shaped goals. There is also similarity in scoring whereby a ball over the bar scores one point while driving it through the goals scores a goal.
Gaelic Handball
Gaelic handball is a form of racquetball or squash where one player plays by hitting a small ball against a wall with the hand or fist in such a way that it cannot be returned by the opponent. The game is played while standing right inside an enclosed court, known as alley for singles and doubles for four players. Handball betting experts will know that most games are played on four-walled courts, but there are three-walled and one-wall versions of the game as well.
Rounders
To some extent, rounders is the ignored Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) sport for many people. The bat and ball game is coordinated by a section of GAA called the Rounders Council of Ireland and it is quite similar to the American sport known as softball in many ways. One team bats while the other fields, and points can be earned by running around the field on four bases without being caught out by opposing players.
How to Bet on Gaelic Games Online
If you are excited about what you have learnt so far and want to bet on the most popular sports that are played in Ireland then it is time for you to sign up and do some betting on the latest GAA fixtures and competitions.
You shouldn’t worry if you’re new to internet gambling. We have created a walk-through manual that will help you start up an account in bet and gamble on Gaelic games online.
For easier placement of initial bet on Gaelic games, follow these simple points:
Step 1
Open a Betting Account
Compare the top Gaelic games betting sites on this page and then proceed to click ‘visit site’ button so as to be taken to the site that fulfills all your requirements. Afterward, click ‘register’ button and type in personal information such as your name, physical address, and date of birth to create an account.
Step 2
Make Your First Deposit
To see a comprehensive list of allowed means of payment, click on the banking tab. Choose from this inventory and type your payment details before clicking on “confirm” to submit your preferred deposit amount. It’s often done in a snap where the resources are just appended into your balance.
Step 3
Find Gaelic Games Betting Markets
Then, navigate towards Gaelic games gambling section. Almost all sites have an A-Z list of sports and this makes it simple to find the sport you wish to bet on. In the Gaelic games category, there are markets for Gaelic football, hurling, handball and rounders.
Step 4
Place Your Bet
Pick out the fixture or competition you wish to view to see the recent betting odds. From there, select what you want to add to your bet slip then confirm your stake. At this point, all one needs us just wait and see what will come out of their betting experience. I wish you well!
Features of the Best Gaelic Sports Betting Sites
People often think that Gaelic games betting can be done only with the best Irish bookmakers. Luckily, this is not true.
Do not be fooled by the sites in UK and Europe that allow you to bet on Gaelic games because there are so many more options than what you would initially think. However, choosing where to register with among such websites that swear they are the best thing since sliced bread is a big issue.
Luckily for you, all the laborious research aimed at providing a ranked series of Gaelic games betting sites has been done on your behalf. Fortunately, we have put in all the efforts and have come up with an unbiased list of the best Gaelic sports betting websites.
There are three main features of the best Gaelic sports betting sites.
Most Common Gaelic Games Betting Markets
It’s now time to familiarize yourself with the frequently occurring bets for Gaelic games, as well as how and where you can place them.
Outright Betting
Individual match betting only provides a day’s interest whilst outright betting markets can give you an interest for the whole season.
The ultimate victor of everything from the Ulster Senior Football Championship, Munster Senior Football Championship to the National Football League and obviously All-Ireland Championships can be foreseen.
Over/Under
Anticipating a lot of goals, maybe? But then again, are you looking forward to a game with very few scores? Then you might want to visit the over/under betting markets.
Gaelic games’ best bookmakers put money lines and spread bets in place so that people can bet on higher or lower match or halftime totals. For example, you may decide to stake on this game having more than 2.5 goals between Tyrone and Mayo
Handicap Betting
There are many one-sided matches in Gaelic football and hurling, hence the popularity of the handicap betting market. In 2008, Kilkenny handed Waterford a 23-point beating after being defeated by 1-13 to 3-30 in an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship match that was one of the most lopsided ever played.
Gaelic sports betting websites employ handicaps to give virtual advantages to weaker teams, which makes it beneficial for you to take advantage of weak lines.
Dublin v The Field
This has become one of the most popular Gaelic football betting markets because of the rise in popularity for teams like Boys in Blue.
Dublin’s price was so short that bookies had to invent a market for Dublin Vs The Field. It is hardly surprising since last year, Dublin made history in the GAA by winning their sixth All-Ireland title on the bounce.
Popular Gaelic Games Events for Betting
With a running busy Gaelic games calendar, you will never run out of betting option. The competitions take place between spring and autumn that are divided into international, interprovincial and intercounty games.
In the realm of Gaelic football and hurling respectively, the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship are by far the most prestigious events. GAA fans don their jerseys with pride and hang flags on their homes to cheer for their local club during these championships, while hoping for a big day out at Croke Park, which is the national stadium of the GAA, during the All-Ireland finals.
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, which was initially held in 1887, is the primary event in Gaelic football. It’s a competition in which county sides from all over Ireland compete with each other and it’s played on knock-out bases. There are provincial championships and teams that have been knocked out of their provincial championship get another chance to reach the quarter finals through a system known as a qualifier series. The championship comes to an end with the final that takes place at Croke Park in Dublin by the 35th Sunday of every year. The team that wins will be awarded Sam Maguire Cup.
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Held since 1887 the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the championship is currently the highest level competition in hurling. The final game takes place on every third Sunday of August and this follows a series of games played over July and August. In contrast to Gaelic football teams who can also go through to quarter finals if they lose their provincial championships, hurling championship is a knockout tournament. The winners are presented with the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
Gaelic Games Betting Tips and Strategies
It is practically impossible to win all your bets, but the most successful Gaelic games bettors have some suggestions and approaches that they employ in order to minimize their losses and maximize their gains.
Here’s our guide to the best ways to make money from gambling on Gaelic sports:
Don’t Let Your Heart Rule Your Head
It is necessary to bet wisely rather than emotionally. We all want our local club or county to win every game they play but we must be realistic about the odds of that happening.
Assuming that you reside in Monaghan, the Farney Army are playing against Dublin in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. It is unlikely that your heroes will beat the Dubs with only one win and a draw from thirteen encounters. Do not waste your money by hoping for a rare victory of one of your local teams or country.
Check the Weather
Ireland is not famous for having sunshine throughout the year; hence, this should be taken into consideration when betting on Gaelic games. Gaelic football and hurling flourish well in warm but not too humid conditions with a little cloud cover, although it is possible to have torrential rain, strong winds or thick fog which can make the games look like a comedy of errors.
Soft underfoot conditions can make it difficult to score. The 2015 All Ireland Gaelic football final between Kerry and Dublin serves as an illustration for this. Greasy ground made it tough for players to hold on to the ball hence only 21 scores were recorded. Just to give a perspective of this, it was less than half of the 47 points that were scored in the 2013 semi-final between these two sides.
Be Active on Social Media
Knowledge they say is power, and that’s true in the case of betting on Gaelic games online just like it is for any other sport. You know the better, the more you do about players and teams. Sure, some of your club’s or county’s local heroes may have been your childhood playmates but follow others via social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.
Ensure you stay active on social media so as to hear from other players directly. Ones may upload a video of himself doing a tough circuit set to show that he is fit, while another can post an image of his damaged foot in plaster just to inform the others that he will not be available for some time. But if this were a top player, what would be the effect on their odds?
Explore Different Betting Markets
The GAA fixture list is always littered with one-sided matches which are dull to watch and even worse to bet on. You can check out the most recent Gaelic football betting odds for a lot of teams are going for 1.20 or below as their price. However, many gamblers will be contented with a twenty percent profit margin and usually back several favorites in accumulators; we would advice exploring alternative markets.
The Handicap market is always a good opportunity to place bets. I mean if you think Dubs will win but bookies have set their handicap line at -7.5 and you can get odds of 1.90, why wouldn’t you take advantage? Similarly, one could bet on the outsiders to keep it close and make money even if they don’t win.
Bet on Gaelic Games Online
Now that you are a Gaelic sport betting specialist, it is time to register and participate in the most current GAA competition. You can enroll with any of our recommended online bookmakers for Gaelic games to receive your bonus and start playing.
FAQ
Which are the best Gaelic games betting sites?
This page provides a compilation of the best Gaelic games’ betting sites. Only licensed websites that are known for offering best Gaelic games odds and covering all major GAA competitions have our endorsement. Start by comparing our recommended sites.
Can you bet on Gaelic football?
Certainly, more Gaelic football than soccer matches are bet on in Ireland meaning there are always many betting options. Most of the time you will find that Kerry and Dublin dominate the GAA Football odds, but may be you prefer some other county to contest their monopoly and be crowned All-Ireland champions?
Can I get a free bet for Gaelic games betting?
Definitely! Scottish bookies with the most generous bonuses for newcomers, who can start playing free bet or deposit bonus. And this will go on not only after your first deposit but also through a whole series of campaigns, like accumulator bonuses and cashback offers that will show you are true to your roots.
Q.Can I bet on Gaelic games live?
Absolutely! Gaelic games are played at such a fast pace that there is always an opportunity for live betting. The odds change as quickly as the ball moves from one end of the field to another, and you can bet on things like over/under and next player to score.