General

While fan-girls hold the honor of being the most stereotyped, no fan-base can even come close to the fanatic energy of sports fans and seeing the impact that sports have on the economy; we can safely assume that a major part of the global economy belongs to sports alone. Did you know that according to a 2019 report, the sports world rakes in around $200 billion per year from betting and lotteries alone? But some events inspire more anticipation than others and draw in more fans, who lead to a bigger betting pool, which is, at this point, as anticipated an event as the match itself. So out of curiosity, and perhaps to ascertain whether bettors are investing in the right events or not, let’s take a look at the biggest sports events for betting in the whole world.

1. FIFA World Cup

Holding the title of being the biggest, most anticipated sports event in the world for a singular sport, the FIFA world cup captivates all. Being the source of much energy throughout the globe, the FIFA world cup drew in 3.572 billion watchers across 64 matches in 2018. According to FIFA themselves, big money was thrown into the betting pool, with $7.2 billion being invested in the final match, bringing the overall accumulation to a grand sum of $136 billion. That’s right, folks, $136 billion from a single event. If you’re looking to invest some big bucks in the event of this magnitude, you better use the bet calculator at BookiesReviews and buckle up because this won’t be an easy wave to coast, especially since once the 2022 Men’s cup comes around, the majority of Americans will be allowed to bet on it legally. So expect a tsunami of fans this time around.

2. Cricket World Cup

While not being as well-loved in the USA, cricket is the sweetheart of sports lovers. India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Australia host hundreds of millions of cricket fans just between themselves. Once you consider the rest of the world and the countries whose teams participate in cricket, you have yourself an army to rival the might of the Spartans. And so, it comes as a surprise to absolutely no one that the biggest event in the world of cricket, the Cricket World Cup, drew in 1.6 billion viewers in 2019 alone. Besides the world cup, other events that whip the masses into a frenzy are the ICC Champions Trophy, IPL, and even PSL.

3. Super Bowl

If you haven’t heard of this event until now, consider yourself sheltered. No, the Super Bowl has nothing to do with bowls, noodles, soup, or anything of the ilk. It is quite simply the biggest event for football in the world. According to the American Gaming situation, the 2020 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers alone drew $7 billion in bets. The reason for the high sum in bets doesn’t lie in sports alone, though. All bets are on when it comes to who’s going to do what on the halftime show, the national anthem, the coin toss, and other such events that are just part of the Super Bowl and draw in bettors who aren’t even sports fans. Yes, the Super Bowl is that powerful.

4. NBA Finals

Basketball being one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, it’s truly no surprise that it draws so much in bets. The thrill, the craze, the risk, the chase, isn’t that all bettors are looking for? And when they find it in one place, why would they even want to stay away? Though the official overall numbers are murky due to most bets being made at illegal offshore books, in Nevada alone, bettors are known to risk $10 million on a single game. If that’s just Nevada, then who knows how humongous the actual amount is?

5. The Grand National

“Finally! A sport for the nobles!” 

If that’s what comes to your mind once you hear of this horse racing event, then you’re dead wrong. It is reported that the Grand National draws in 500-600 million viewers from across 120 countries, and if you think all these people belong to the upper classes, then you might want to rethink your worldview. This event is a darling of the global public. Although this might not be the most popular sport or sporting event globally, the 2017 Grand National Event pulled in $400 million, making it a goldmine for bettors looking to invest in the future. 

6. Kentucky Derby

Yes, yet another horse racing event, and quite like the other, this one has earned its place. The Kentucky Derby draws in viewers from all across the globe and lures them into spending their money on bets for the winner. And caught up in a frenzy and pushed on by adrenaline, they do. It is reported that around $250 million were bet on the event in 2019. With the help of online betting, the event just keeps on growing.

So where does that leave bettors? Well, the overall number of viewers who watch these events every year is mind-blowing. And according to surveys, it appears that there are more fans than ever before. We’re not sure if members of society are just getting more aware or if the internet and social media have altered our lives’ perception of entertainment and sports. But whatever it is, something has changed that makes these events as desirable and eye-catching as they need to be for us to even notice them, but rest assured: we’re not complaining.

Sports is unquestionably a very competitive and challenging field. It takes more than just talent and

passion for being a successful athlete. Professionals who manage to make a name for themselves in

their respective sports follow a brutal physical regimen are extremely motivated and patient. They

believe that success doesn,t come overnight, and a person has to push their limits to make it to the top.

So, what are the specific qualities which make a successful athlete stand out? The more important

question is how can you stand out and excel in sports? Let,s look at the ingredients which make up the

recipe for success in sports.

1. Set realistic and positive goals:

It,s good to aim high, but those aims should correlate to reality. If you want to be successful at sports,

you should set long-term yet realistic goals which can meet your, the coaches, and the public's

expectations. It will help if you think about the bigger picture, but don,t expect the results to show up at

your doorstep the next day. If you, ve decided to follow a strict physical routine, give it time to work, and

then take it up a notch to accomplish your goals on a grander scale. Successful athletes set both long

and short-term goals and plan for each even accordingly. They remain optimistic yet realistic about their

abilities and what they can achieve.

2. Know the fundamentals:

Even though most sports don,t require extensive educational or generic knowledge, successful athletes

don,t jump into the unknown. It,s always beneficial to know the basics of your sports, the training it

requires, and the strategies which will rack in trophies. It is also vital to rely on competent people as

well. For instance, sports managers with a Masters degree in Sports Science would know extensively

about how to accelerate your career, play at your strengths, and maximize profits. A successful athlete is

successful not solely because of hard work and talent but also because they have the best administrative

support.

3. Focus on being consistent:

Do you get your degree by simply studying everything in a single day or even a week? No, right? Then

how can you expect to rise to the top if you don,t work consistently? Consistency is one of the topmost

qualities wanted in a successful sportsperson. Willpower, persistence, and consistency can beat all odds

even if you lack talent. Being consistent will help you build on small sustainable changes that eventually

turn into unstoppable progress. As someone who wishes to succeed in sports, you must be dedicated

enough to stay on track. Do not let a single victory overshadow your future, and strive to be consistent

regardless of the magnitude of the event you are participating in.

4. Improve core strength and stamina:

An athlete is all about focusing on their sports-specific strength and improving the overall physical

condition. Physique and fitness are undeniable parts of a sports person's career, and they can,t afford to

slack in this department. Core strength and stamina are essential to all athletes regardless of playing. A

more robust and healthy body will be less prone to injuries, and if you do sustain one, your body will

recover fast. How would you expect to manage expectations and tackle the competition if your body

isn,t up to par?

5. Deal with stress and pressure:

Stress is an inseparable element of the sporting world. Every athlete who aims to be the best has to

endure their fair share of peer and public pressure along with the stress of remaining the best. The first

step towards dealing with the stress is to accept that it is part of your career. There will always be those

who will criticize no matter what, and that’s where you must learn to play stress to your advantage. Turn

your stress and pressure into a motivator that pushes you even more towards working hard. It would

also help to indulge in stress managing and relieving activities.

6. Have self-discipline and motivation:

The life of a successful athlete isn,t always just fancy vacations or big sponsors. The more significant part

of their day is dedicated to putting their training and routine first, which requires self-disciple. The

power to not call it a day or give in to the temptations of skipping training sessions is what makes a

successful athlete. Practicing self-discipline to stay out of trouble, follow the diet, listen to the coaches,

put training first, and resilience against setbacks will make you successful at sports.

7. Pay attention to mental health:

Since athletes are so physically sound, people almost naturally assume that everything is right in their

heads. On the contrary, athletes may be more prone to mental health issues due to immense pressure

to succeed and unrealistic expectations. To have long-term and sustainable success, athletes should

focus on having good mental health. It will help them remain focused, motivated, and poised under

pressure. Excessive physical training may take a toll on your mental health. Therefore, you must always

address any mental health issues you must be experiencing to avoid burnout.

Conclusion:

When you wish to have a career in a competitive field, it calls for something extra. Athletes are shining

examples of extreme dedication, motivation, passion, and hard work. They go through intense physical

training to be on the top of their game. Becoming successful at sports requires more than just a strong

body. With our above-proven pointers, you can set your mind straight and focus on the critical aspects

which offer favorable results.

The sport of football can be one in which a player can end up having an illustrious and long career or they can see their playing days cut dramatically short because of injuries and other physical ailments. Now, if you look at any NFL stats website, you’ll see that even the best players in the league, those who seem unbeatable and that open up the debate of whether superhumans do live amongst us or not can also go down because of severe injuries, sometimes to not even make it back to the league.

Now, while those moments can be some of the most grueling and heartbreaking for players, coaches and fans alike, there’s nothing as inspiring as seeing a player come back into the league and mount up an amazing comeback season that shatters any negative memories of past injuries or problems. When it comes to QB’s, arguably the most important player on the field for any team, when they manage to come back from injuries and put on a stellar comeback season, there’s an added flair and flavor to it all that makes us football fans learn to love the game even more.

So with all of this said, we bring you our list of three of the best NFL QB comeback seasons in history.

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos 2012 Season

While Tom Brady will forever be considered as the apex of QB excellence in the league, at least if we take his winning record and title history into consideration, for many football fans around, there has been nobody better at that position than former Colts and Broncos legend, Peyton Manning. After having to sit out the 2011 season, his last with the Colts because of four neck surgeries, once he got going with the Broncos in his first season in 2012, what Broncos and football fans, in general, were treated to was something that nobody could’ve expected out of a QB who seemed like he was getting ready to call it quits other than anything else.

While he struggled at first to get back into his rhythm, once all the pieces were in place the Broncos started playing some of the best football in the league. Manning would end up receiving his sixth All-Pro honor, passing for 37 touchdowns and being the completion percentage leader in the league. What’s even more amazing is that this would all end up just being the beginning of a run until 2015 in which the Broncos became one of the best offensive units in the game and culminated with Manning winning another Super Bowl title with Denver and then calling it a career.

Randall Cunningham, Minnesota Vikings 1998 Season

When people think of electric QB’s in the NFL, nowadays the names of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and before that Michael Vick come to mind, but before all of them even thought about playing football, even more making a career in the pros, Randall Cunningham was the “It” guy in the league for video-game style plays and flare. Cunningham´s career was a myriad of highlight-reel plays and sad injury cladded episodes that stopped him from becoming one of the most dominant QB’s in the ’90s, but there is one season in particular where everyone remembers Cunningham, his 1998 season with the Minnesota Vikings.

Cunningham had joined the Vikings in ’97 after coming out of retirement to lead Minnesota to a playoff berth and win in that season but was sent to the bench for the beginning of the ’98 season in favor of Brad Johnson. Well, after Johnson went down with yet another injury, Cunningham took over and what followed was the stuff football dreams are made off. Combining with Randy Moss and Cris Carter, who are considered one of the best WR duos in the history of the game, the Vikings had a 15-1 record all while setting an NFL scoring record. A missed field goal kept the Vikings from reaching the Super Bowl that season, but what Cunningham did that season, was enough to prove to everyone watching that he was that great of a QB.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, 2006 Season

In a move that not many football fans might remember, well, maybe if you’re not a Saints fan, in 2006 the New Orleans Saints led by coach Sean Payton decided to take a chance on a QB coming out of the former San Diego Chargers, now in LA, who was coming from a torn labrum injury in the last week of the 2005 season to try and bring his team around. That QB was none other than Saints legend and one of the bonafide legends of the game, Drew Brees.

After seeing his career stock plummet because of his injury and with the Chargers deciding to give the reigns of the team to Phillip Rivers, Brees hit the free agency market and was snagged by a Saints team looking for a savior in the illest of times. While the city of New Orleans was battling with the aftermath of what Hurricane Katrina had done with their hometown, Brees came in and took the team and the city under his wing and lifted everyone around, leading his team to an NFC title game. What came afterward in Brees’ career is very well documented but that first season with the Saints will always be remembered as one in which New Orleans landed the best free agent in NFL history and started to turn everything around in their favor.

There is a group of events in the NFL that seem to hold a special kind of importance over everything else surrounding each ongoing season. There’s the beginning of the preseason, kickoff day, the first day of the playoffs, and the Super Bowl of course. Those are all days that NFL fans always pinpoint in their calendars, especially for their NFL odds betting purposes. But there’s one more date that has become a pivotal mark in each team’s and fans’ calendar, the NFL draft day.

In each off-season, some of the absolute best football prospects from college football state their cases as to why they should be given an opportunity by any of the pro teams in the league to continue their football playing career but this time in the pros. Now, of course, a lot of buzzes usually surrounds who gets picked within the first five to ten picks, but as history has shown us, that doesn’t necessarily mean that every single player picked there will automatically have a flourishing and long-lasting career in the pros. This is why, sometimes, it’s more important and exciting to end up seeing which players who get passed up by teams early on end up becoming bonafide stars of the sport and legends within their teams.

With this said, we bring you our picks for some of the biggest and best NFL draft steals in history.

Tom Brady (6^th round pick, 2000 Draft)

When thinking about the best athletes to ever grace a sporting discipline, there are some easy examples to think of that don’t require that much discussion. For example, basketball has Michael Jordan, golf has Tiger Woods, hockey has Wayne Gretzky, and pro football, well pro football has Tom Brady. Brady, who entered the league from the University of Michigan was not picked in the first round of the 2000 Draft, not even in the 3^rd or 4^th rounds, he was picked back in the 6^th round of that year’s draft.

Yes, we’re not joking. Tom Brady, the winningest QB in football history, who will most likely be the only QB in the league to manage to win over five Super Bowl rings, he has seven already and could easily finish his career off edging closer to the 10 mark than anything else, almost went unselected until the New England Patriots, with emerging head coach Bill Belichick took a chance on the former Wolverine to have him be the substitute to their starting QB Drew Bledsoe. As you all probably know, the rest is history, and after 7 Super Bowl wins with New England and Tampa Bay, the other 31 teams in the league to this day are still probably banging their heads against the wall for not having picked that QB from Michigan back in 2000.

Joe Montana (3^rd round pick, 1979 Draft)

Before there was any talk about if Tom Brady was the NFL’s GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) many football fans and experts wouldn’t hesitate to give former 49ers and Chiefs legendary QB Joe Montana that honor. Montana, who was a 3^rd round draft pick steal by the San Francisco 49ers went on to become one of the most polarizing players in the ‘80s alongside who is arguably the best wide receiver to ever play the game, Jerry Rice.

While for many critics Montana was not the best all-around QB in the game, it was during the most important and defining games where he showed off his best performances. With four Super Bowl wins and three Super Bowl MVP awards to his name, it’s easy to see why Joe Montana is not only considered one of the best QB’s to ever play the game, but also one of the best players to ever grace the gridiron.

Richard Sherman (5^th round pick, 2011 Draft)

Any true football fan remembers Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” defense. The group, composed of players such as Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, Earl Thomas, Bobby Wagner, and Byron Maxwell to name a few, has one more player, who could easily be considered the most vocal, the most intense, and one of the leaders of the gang, cornerback Richard Sherman. 

Sherman, who was drafted by Seattle in the 5^th round of the 2011 draft went on to become one of the absolute best players in his position in the NFL in the 2010s, leading the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in the 2013 season against the Denver Broncos which were considered by many as the best passing offense in the league and one of the best all-around offenses in the history of the NFL. While Sherman later moved on to the 49ers and is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his stint with Seattle, where he established himself as one of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game, especially after having to wait for five rounds in his draft to get selected is enough to prove that sometimes you shouldn’t sleep on any player.