There is no shortage of sports at the highest level in the United States. The NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB are four of the biggest leagues in the world.
Although the traditional US sports have the biggest popularity, there are a number of other sports which are on the up in the country. Here is a look at those in a little more detail.
Rugby
Rugby in the United States dates all the way back to 1874 when Harvard University took on McGill University. However, American football has since developed and become a much bigger sport in the country.
The two forms of rugby – union and league – are rising again at several different levels, including international. USA will be hoping to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup where they are +10000 in the rugby union betting to win the tournament.
Domestic competitions in rugby union and rugby league have helped the participation levels in the USA. Expect to see both teams perform much better on the international stage over the next decade.
Darts
Although darts is played by many Americans in bars and their own homes, the United States have yet to produce one of the best players in the world.
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) are doing their best to promote darts in North America, particularly in the USA. There is now the US Darts Masters where the world’s leading players compete for a £60,000 prize fund. A number of North American players are invited to compete in this event.
Darts has had a huge boom in Europe over the last couple of decades. The PDC World Championship, which takes place across December and January, is watched by millions worldwide. It is also very lucrative, with the 2020 winner, Peter Wright, walking away with a cheque for £500,000 following a 7-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen.
If darts does continue to develop in the United States, with the help of the PDC, it may not be long before we get the first American world champion.
Cricket
Unfortunately there are no professional cricket leagues in the United States, however, the sport is played by many amateur clubs. These numbers are rising throughout the country, which is a good sign for the sport.
The United States are represented in international cricket with a men’s and women’s team. Although they do not have Test status, like England or Australia for example, they are able to enter competitions such as the ICC World Cup, which was won in 2019 by hosts England at Lord’s.
The West Indies have played a number of international matches in the United States. They faced India in two T20 matches in 2019 in Florida and both games were well attended.
Although there is a long way to go to edge the gap between the best nations on the international stage and the USA, the sport is going in the right direction, which bodes well for the future.
If you fancy giving one of the above three sports a go for the first time, you can find all the information you need about joining a local club on the governing body’s official website.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Sports category.
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