The connection between sports and gambling is at least as old as sports. People bet on horse races, dogs, human combats, and a huge variety of games. Some of them, like dice and cards, are ancient and have been a part of other cultural practices like divination and magic.
What makes these two popular activities so similar and appealing? We will get to that as we explore the old and new Australian online casino games repertoire, the features of gambling, and what makes it irresistible for sports enthusiasts. Join us as we demystify the link between the two favourite pastimes.
Sports and Casino Games: A Perfect Pair
Plenty of features connect sports and gambling. Let’s briefly discuss each of them.
Competitiveness
Games are fun because of many things. They are imaginative, social, and competitive. There is more or less an element of competition in almost all human games. The stronger this element is, the more rewarding the victory feels.
Games are a tool of socialization and role learning, but also substitutes for wars. This is particularly true for sports. It is not difficult to imagine why. Two or more teams compete against each other with a strong flair of nationalism, regionalism or another identity layer. It sounds like a safe equivalent of an otherwise violent and dangerous affair.
Gambling is probably unrelated to warlike traditions but brings an equal amount of competitiveness, and winning can be so sweet.
Thrill
Along with competing comes excitement. Sports and gambling are among activities that can offer you the thrill of danger in a somewhat safe environment unless you take it too far. It is easy to do exactly that due to the high levels of adrenaline involved, which is why responsible gambling is advised.
Fun
Not everything has to be deep or about anthropological rituals that date to our ancestors. Some people like sports and gambling purely because it is fun. They enjoy the social element, the feeling of unity with their team, and the uncertain results.
The Heroic Myth
Luck is deeply ingrained in both gambling and sports. Despite the talent and skill, there is a mythic element lurking behind the idea of a powerful athlete standing against obstacles to bring glory to his people. In a way, it is almost magical, which is a part of the appeal.
Now that we’ve established the link let’s define the crossovers more closely. In the next section, we will discuss casino games that directly incorporate sports themes.
Sporty Casino Games: The Types and the Allure
Personalization is everything. Every contemporary business branch tries to add a personal touch to its products. Why? Because it sells. People are more likely to engage in something that is coloured with an element they especially like. You see it in every game type. There are slot machine games with musical, historical or fantasy themes.
There are special editions of card games with imagery from popular TV shows or book series. Sports fit in this practice like a glove because it has so many fans. Here’s a list and a short presentation of some famous sports-themed casino games.
Sports Slots
Since slot games are so in demand, they come with all sorts of themes. You can choose between soccer, basketball, horse racing, rugby, cricket, and more. Of course, you don’t need to know the featured sport to join the fun. Slot games are simple and accessible to anyone.
Some of the most popular sports slots are Football Star, Frankie Dettori Magic Seven, Cricket Star, Hockey Hero, etc. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Football Star
This slot game comes from the renowned Microgaming. It features three rows and five reels. There are free spins and rewards to be won and plenty of football themes and symbols for aficionados.
Frankie Dettori’s Magic Seven
If you are more into horse races, this is the slot game for you. It was inspired by Frankie Dettori’s legendary performance. Enjoy the Magic Seven Bonus and a Free Game Race to enhance your chances of winning.
Cricket Star
For cricket lovers, we recommend Cricket Star. This five-reel slot game with a feature of rolling reels that boost your symbols is great fun.
Hockey Hero
For a wintery hockey atmosphere, pick Hockey Hero. Enjoy the virtual icy stadion as you are tempting your luck in a virtual winter wonderland.
When it comes to Australia, the ever-present poker machines called pokies are all the rage. If you are interested in the most popular pokies in Australian online casinos, click here.
Sports Slot Machine Games: What Makes Them Special?
Why even play slot games with sports or any themes? Several reasons speak in its favour.
It Is Easy
The rules are simple, and anyone can grasp them in no time. Regardless of your experience level in either sports or casino games, you are more than welcome to join the games. It’s everyone’s party.
Game Variety
There are plenty of slot machine games with multiple themes. No matter where your interests lie, you will probably find a slot machine type that will appeal to you. From sports to ancient Egypt, there is much to choose from. Casinos rely on this strategy to ensure more people engage with them.
Special Effects
Graphics, music, animations, and other quirky features make slot games vibrant, dynamic, and immersive. In other words, they sound and look good.
Bonuses and Rewards
Slot games come with their deposit bonuses, rewards, boosters and other special features that are all unique to the game.
Although slot machine games are the most common offer when it comes to sports-related casino games, they are not the only possibility for sports fans.
Sportsbook: The Thrill of Cheering and Betting
Many casinos offer sportsbooks, in other words, an opportunity to bet on various sports via the casino site. Some of them specialise in specific sports betting, while others offer a variety of options. One of the biggest names in the field is Caesars Sportsbook. Other notable casinos that have amazing sports betting offers are WynnBET, BetRivers, and DraftKings.
Sportsbooks enable you to follow the hottest sports event in the world and bet on the outcome. No wonder so many people are drawn to this, especially sports fans with a long history of following a certain sport or a team.
Fantasy Sports
Do you want to play sports in a virtual context? Try fantasy sports, where players form teams and compete against each other. It is a serious business, even though it takes place in a fantasy setting. Also, fantasy sports are not recognised as gambling by the law. Many notable sites offer this option, like FanDuel and DraftKings.
You don’t feel like dedicating to this activity over a whole season? You can always try the daily fantasy sports, or DFS, where a day becomes the equivalent of a whole sporting season. Also, this shortened version is played for higher amounts of money. Engage over a shorter period and win more. Sounds like a perfect combination.
To learn more about the thrill that comes from entertainment venues, read this article.
Live Casino Sports Events
Live casino is universally beloved for providing the much-needed human touch to online casinos. Apart from the usual repertoire of live poker, roulette or blackjack, the live casino has evolved to include live show games like Football Live Studio. In this game, players place football-related bets with confrontation and communication with the hosts. Who knows, we might expect virtual reality sports events in the future. Since casinos are so fond of new technology, it is a sane assumption.
Conclusion
Sports and gambling have a lot in common. They are competitive activities that are also fun and have a huge number of eager participants. They offer thrill, excitement, and high stakes. It is hardly surprising many casinos include Sportsbooks in their rich offer, and many casino games adopt a sporty presentation.
Similarly, sports-themed slot machine games come with many personalised varieties of interest-oriented themes. This includes sports, from the most popular soccer to others like rugby, cricket, hockey, horse racing, basketball, etc.
Apart from the obvious appeal for sports enthusiasts, these games attract other players as well due to the generous bonuses, rewards, Free Spins, and other unique features. Also, the colourful whimsy of the slot machines with their sounds, graphics, and other treats for the senses, alongside simplicity, makes slot machine games ever-popular among gamblers of all levels of skill and experience.
The clever addition of personalization through different interests takes the games to a higher level, making it even more enticing. As we are well aware, when people enjoy something, they can’t get enough of it.
Author’s Bio:
Lola holds a degree from the University of Tasmania (UTAS), post-graduation, she collaborated with gambling operators to innovate new bonus structures and enhance game features. She has consistently championed responsible gambling as a cornerstone of the affiliate industry. For now, she leads as the Chief Editor at Au Casinos List, setting the gold standard in online gambling journalism. Lola Henderson, an Australian online casino writer, has been in the business of writing about online gambling and casino games for years.
