It is no secret that ice hockey is the most popular sport in Canada. In terms of watching live, watching on television, and online betting, nothing beats ice hockey in Canada but there are many other sports being played in the country. Specific regions also enjoy different sports, with Ontario and Nova Scotia being two good examples of Canadian provinces where various sports are played. Lacrosse, American football, soccer, cricket, and rugby are all sports which Canadians enjoy playing and watching.
- Popular Sports in Ontario
Beginning with Ontario and one sport that many people love in the region is basketball. In fact, the largest provincial organization for basketball in Canada is the Ontario Basketball Association, which tells you everything you need to know. The capital city of Canada, Toronto, is in Ontario and home to the Toronto Raptors, a professional basketball team that play in the NBA. In fact the Raptors won the NBA Championship in 2019 and have won several Division titles. With a team playing at the highest level, it should come as no surprise that basketball is one of the sports that is not hockey that Canadians love the most.
Not only is basketball fun to watch but the format of the sport makes it ideal for online gambling. With sports gambling legal in Ontario, many people choose to have a wager on the Raptors and other NBA games throughout the season. There are plenty of fantastic online sportsbooks available in Ontario for betting. Here you can claim a bonus when gambling on the Raptors in the NBA. The Basketball Super League is another leading basketball competition played in Canada, with Windsor Express, based in Windsor, Ontario, one of the teams competing in the league. Some of the other top basketball teams in Ontario include Brampton Honey Badgers, Niagara River Lions, Ottawa BlackJacks, and Scarborough Shooting Stars.
- Popular Sports in Nova Scotia
Moving to Nova Scotia and one of the most popular sports aside from hockey is lacrosse. The Canadian Lacrosse Association was formed in 1925 and the sport has a long history throughout Canada but in Nova Scotia, lacrosse is huge. The World Lacrosse Championship has been played at total of 13 times at the time of writing and Canada is one of only two countries to have won the event. The Canadian team has reached the final of the Lacrosse World Championship 9 times and they continue to push the United States close. The Halifax Thunderbirds are arguably the best Lacrosse team in Nova Scotia and they play in the Eastern Conference of the National Lacrosse League. Halifax Thunderbirds won their first Division title in 2020 and have made the playoffs twice. Such is the popularity of lacrosse in Canada and North America, there are now many online betting markets for the sport, including money line, points spread, and points total.
- Popular Sports Throughout Canada
Rugby is another great sport that has many fans in Canada. The Canadian national rugby team have regularly participated at the Rugby World Cup and people of all ages, from 7 year olds up to seniors, enjoy playing the sport. Soccer is another sport that has seen enormous growth in Canada in recent years. CF Montréal, Toronto FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps all play in Major League Soccer, with Toronto FC having reached the MLS Cup Final three times, winning it once. The Canadian Soccer League has also gained many fans over the years and this is a sport that has seen plenty of growth in Ontario.
- Canadian Sports Stars
Wayne Gretzky, the former ice hockey player, is known as the Great One for a reason and he is perhaps the biggest sports star of all time to come out of Canada. However, there are many great sporting names to have come from Canada over the years, highlighting the diverse nature of the sports scene in the country. Jacques Villeneuve was a successful Formula 1 driver, Larry Walker a great baseball player, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won ice skating gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and Russell Baze is a hall of fame jockey. So, there are many athletes who have excelled at sports other than hockey in Canada.