Australia has a very active sports culture and that is because we are very passionate about it. Here are the sports that we love the most.
As Aussies usually like to take things and make it their own, and when we get passionate about a sports game we usually kick butt at it. Here are the games Aussie’s are the best at.
Like almost every other country in the world, Australians love their sports. Watching them, playing them, arguing about them, and betting on them. And there is a huge selection to choose from, including a mixture of global favourites and homegrown variants. From team sports to solo sports, winter sports and summer sports, there’s something to keep Australian’s busy all through the year.
The sports that people choose to participate in are very different from those that they enjoy watching – usually due to the availability of groups and the cost of equipment. For example, horse races are very well-attended and a popular sport to watch on TV, but very few people take part themselves. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most popular spectator sports and why people love them so much.
Australian Rules Football
Also known as ‘Aussie Rules’, footy, and AFL (Australian football League), this sport is the most popular sport amongst spectators and followers in the country. While it sounds like a variation of European football, Aussie Rules is actually older than other modern forms of the game, with its code being created in 1859 and remaining unchanged since. Australians are fiercely proud of this game, especially in the southern state of Victoria where the Aussie rules was born.
This unique sport has certainly captured the hearts of the Australian. Because players can kick and handball the ball to each other, but throwing is expressly forbidden, this game has certainly distinguished itself in the world of sport. No wonder it’s the most watched sport, with Australian TV rights worth over $320 million every year.
Also, there’s no doubt that Australia’s most popular sports is a big winner as far as the sports books are concerned, with high profits regularly coming in.
Cricket
Australia’s second love is cricket, which has been declared as the national sport. Teams compete at a domestic level as well as globally in the Cricket World Cup and The Ashes – a series of test matches against the UK which has been going on since 1877!
The event is renown as one of the most exciting events on the cricketing calendar, with over 14 million viewers in Australia alone. Australia is currently favorite for those who are interested in Sports betting online, with odds currently coming in at 1.5/1, as opposed to England’s 3.75/1. Only time will tell the outcome, however this is just one reason why cricket flourishes in Australia.
Rugby League
Having seen Aussie Rules football, it’s perhaps unsurprising that another sport to capture the imagination of the nation is Rugby League. Rugby League is steeped with rich history in Australia, originally deriving from England, where the game was originally created. The game has become increasingly popular compared to rugby union, which is actually on the decline in the country. A 46%-win ratio at the Rugby Union world cup has certainly reflected this reality.
Unusually, Australia is the only rugby-playing country where rugby league is more popular than rugby union, with more than 6.5 million viewers tuning in to watch National Rugby League (NRL) matches. .There are 16 teams who play in the NRL, with most of them based in the East of Australia and particularly concentrated around Sydney, and NRL betting is hugely popular amongst Australians.
What About Participation?
As mentioned above, the sports that most adults play are different from those they love to watch. Team sports are played in schools throughout the country, but the most popular sport played by adults is a solo one: golf! Australia has over 1,500 golf courses, some of which are ranked amongst the best in the world and regularly host tournaments such as the Australian Open. But it’s the fact that they are open to everyone which makes golf one of the most accessible sports and the most popular sport for Australians to play. Add to that the fact that the Australian weather is perfectly suited to spending an afternoon on the links and you can see why golf has become a firm favourite.
Summary
Australia is a diverse country full of people from all different walks of life. It makes sense then that there isn’t one favourite sport which is loved by all, as everyone is different. From fast-paced contact sports like Aussie Rules Football and Rugby League, to slower, more thoughtful games of Cricket and Golf, there is a sport for every passion and every fancy.
These are by no means the only options either, with tennis and American Football also gaining popularity amongst spectators, and swimming and netball climbing the participation ranks. It’s great to see a country taking such a healthy interest in sporting activities and promoting an active and healthy way to have fun.
