The iGaming world is a vast one that spans a variety of continents, cultures and audiences who all have vastly different betting preferences. That means that there’s always someone, somewhere betting on something and sometimes those bets can be on odd items!
If you’re a sportsbook looking to further connect with your audience, there are some truly strange and wonderful novelty betting options out there for your users who are looking to spice up their betting. Here are some of the weirdest things we found that you could bet on in 2022. These bets change frequently, so they may no longer be active, but new, quirky novelty pops are always popping up.
Weight of a Royal Baby / Anything Royals
The world seems to get a little crazy when it comes to anything royals related, but that can also apply to the betting world it seems. Before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had their second kid, you could actually bet on multiple things about the child, including how much they would weigh after being born!
As royal babies aren’t born all that often, punters can also find bets on what color hat the Queen will wear to the Royal Ascot every year, Britain’s most valuable horse racing event, along with some other fun betting options as well.
The Population on Earth
The world’s population is consistently growing, going from 7 billion in 2011 to nearly 8 billion in 2022. 8 billion is the key figure here, as Bovada offered bets on when the world will reach a population of 8 million.
If you have strong hunches on population-based bets, you can also bet on when India will become the most populated country in the world. Currently China holds this title, but India is quickly closing in on them and Bovada also has had odds on that.
Do Aliens Exist?
If you’ve ever wondered if there was something else out there, you could place a bet on when they’ll make contact with Earth. Over the last year, Paddy Power has had bets for when alien extraterrestrial life will be proven, providing different dates and giving users the option whether aliens will or will not be proven by then.
Who a Celebrity Will Date Next? Will a Celeb Couple Divorce?
While sports fans are known to be extremely passionate, fans of celebrities can be equally invested. We recently saw that as social media was taken over by a case between movie stars Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. If you were particularly invested in that case, BetOnline has betting odds on their next partners, while also offering odds on Elon Musk’s next partner.
If you prefer a more cynical approach, BetOnline also had odds on whether Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck would be divorced by 2025.
What This Means for Operators
These bets prove that if there’s interest in a particular subject, users are going to look for engaging prop bets on the topic they’re attracted to. Promoting these different weird bets will offer some fresh options for your recurring users, while potentially attracting newer ones as well. Especially during down time from the major sporting seasons of the NFL and NBA, marketing these fun, novelty prop bets will give sportsbook a new avenue to entertain users.