The Rise of Niche Sports Betting: Pickleball, eSports, and Beyond

The U.S. sports betting market is no longer just about the NFL, NBA, or March Madness. As operators search for new ways to engage bettors, a wave of niche sports is making its way onto sportsbook menus — from pickleball to drone racing, eSports to cornhole.

Why Niche Sports Are Gaining Ground

Sportsbooks are driven by one simple metric: engagement. Major events like the Super Bowl and NBA Finals draw massive handles, but they leave large gaps in the calendar. Niche sports help fill those gaps, keeping bettors active year-round.

“Continuous engagement is critical,” said Daniel Ross, a sportsbook industry consultant. “Adding markets like pickleball or cornhole ensures operators have something to offer even on quieter sports days.”

Pickleball: America’s Fastest-Growing Sport

Pickleball has exploded in participation nationwide, and sportsbooks are starting to catch up. Several operators have begun listing lines on professional pickleball tournaments, with some states already approving wagers.

The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) is actively pursuing data deals with betting providers, aiming to legitimize the sport’s presence in sportsbooks. With an older but rapidly growing fan base, pickleball represents a crossover opportunity between recreational players and casual bettors.

FanDuel Takes the Lead

Among U.S. sportsbooks, FanDuel has been the first big name to embrace pickleball betting. Through its partnership with the PPA Tour and Genius Sports, FanDuel now offers wagers on select tournaments in approved states. Bettors can place action on match winners, total points, and correct scores — though limits remain modest and availability varies by event.

This early move positions FanDuel as the sportsbook most visibly leaning into niche markets, even as the broader industry tests the waters. You can find out what else this provider has to offer in our complete FanDuel Sportsbook review.

eSports: From Niche to Mainstream

eSports betting is already a billion-dollar global market, though U.S. regulation has been inconsistent. New Jersey, Nevada, and Colorado allow certain eSports wagers, while other states remain cautious.

Games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Call of Duty tournaments are popular among younger bettors who may not engage with traditional sports. For sportsbooks, this represents a demographic play — reaching digital-native fans early.

Cornhole, Darts, and Beyond

During the pandemic shutdowns of 2020, bettors turned to anything available — including cornhole and table tennis. Some of those habits stuck. The American Cornhole League now has broadcast deals with ESPN and is seeing occasional betting markets open up.

Similarly, darts and snooker, long popular in the U.K., are slowly finding audiences in the U.S. thanks to streaming and niche betting interest.

Challenges for Niche Betting

Despite the opportunity, several hurdles remain:

• Regulatory Approval: States must specifically approve niche markets, often on a case-by-case basis.
  
• Data Integrity: Smaller leagues may lack the robust monitoring systems major sports use, raising concerns about match-fixing.
  
• Audience Size: While participation may be growing, betting volume on niche sports still lags far behind traditional markets.
  

The Future: Diversification as Strategy

For operators facing steep acquisition costs, diversifying betting options is one way to retain customers without endless promotions. Analysts predict niche markets will never rival the NFL in betting volume, but they could represent a valuable long-tail revenue stream.

“Think of it as the Netflix model,” said Ross. “Big sports are like blockbuster hits, but niche sports are the catalog that keeps subscribers engaged.”