When you think of traditional sports in England, cricket will be near the top of the list. However, think of traditional sports in Spain and cricket is nowhere near being on the list, let alone being at the top.
There are some people that play cricket in Spain though, these are British expats who continue to enjoy the English way of life, while living in the sun. Without these, cricket would be virtually unknown in the country, but that is not the case, especially in areas where a lot of Brits live.
Can Cricket Ever Become Popular in Spain?
The chances are that cricket will never become hugely popular in Spain. It is not a traditional sport, not taught in schools like it is in England and there is no such thing as the professional game just yet.
The influx of foreign people, especially British people, will help keep cricket alive in some sense, but talk of this sport ever being alongside the other big sports in Spain is a little far-fetched and something that is unlikely to happen.
The Rise of Cricket Around the World
The game of cricket is incredibly popular in certain countries, while virtually unknown in others. However, it is fair to say that cricket has risen in popularity over the last decade or two.
One of the reasons for this has been the introduction of shorter formats of the game. This originally started with T20 cricket. Leagues such as the IPL in India started this and now we have many more around the globe, including some in Europe.
The rise of these leagues and what is known as franchise cricket has been a real force behind the rise in popularity of cricket.
Now we are seeing a new type of cricket come on board, offering shorter games than T20. The rise of T10 has been slow, with few big names playing in these games but it is on the up and is offering smaller nations the chance to play cricket and get involved.
Elsewhere, The Hundred has been launched in England, a league that has 100 balls per innings rather than using overs, something that is aimed at attracting complete newbies to the sport.
Cricket has always been a strong betting sport, and the rise of these new leagues and competitions has only increased that. Cricket fans can now bet from India when they want to place a wager on games, with many bookmakers offering competitive odds on the action.
A big rise in cricket betting has been seen because the ability to bet during play has been introduced. Live betting has transformed the industry, and cricket has taken advantage of this. The odds change as big events happen such as wickets, big runs and dot balls.
Cricket around the world can be bet on, from the biggest leagues in the world to international events such as World Cups and smaller T10 events featuring emerging cricketing nations.
