Traditionally, polo has been a game that most would play on horseback. It is one of the very oldest games in the world, tracing its origin back hundreds of years. Today, polo is skyrocketing in popularity internationally, and the various events held by professional polo players are being added to betting rosters daily.

There are many modern variants of polo, such as those done in water, but one of the variants that is raising a storm in the online betting world is bicycle polo. The rules of the game remain exactly the same as in regular polo, with the only real different being that players play the game using bicycles as opposed to horses, and in much smaller playing fields.

Betting on Bicycle Polo

While bicycle polo may not be quite as popular as some other sports within the same genre, there is still a strong market for https://bettingsitesonline.net.au/internet/ betting. Many online sports books offer the sport on their site, where bettors have the chance to bet on players and teams from across the world.

This involves betting on both the outcome of the match, or even on the overall outcome of an entire tournament. Most bettors keep their eye on the two European bicycle polo championships, held in France, and make it the best time to bet on the exciting sport and it can be found alongside tote betting.

Brief History of Bicycle Polo

While the main game of polo played on horseback is one of the oldest recorded sports, many of the variants did not come into being until the late 1800s. Bicycle polo is one such sport, having been invented in 1891. Richard J. Mecredy was the man behind the very first bicycle polo games, and he organised the very first game in Ireland in the same year between two different teams.

Bicycle polo caught on quickly, and found its way across the ocean to France, America, and Great Britain. In 1908, the game was added to the Olympics, which caused its popularity to explode internationally. After the Second World War, however, bicycle polo saw a decline in viewer-ship, and many countries stopped holding national tournaments, with the exception of France.

Modern Bicycle Polo

In modern times, cycle polo is split into two main categories, namely grass and hardcourt. Games played on grass fields are considered traditional polo, with fields officially measuring 150m by 100m. Each team is made up of 6 members, of which 4 are constantly in the fields and the other two are kept as substitutes so players can swap out during games. Most international forms of the game take around 30 minutes, with divided periods of up to 8 minutes at a time.

The most popular alternate version of the traditional game is hardcourt bicycle polo. In this variant, teams are made up of three players, and all games are played on tennis and hockey courts. The general rules of the game vary, depending on the region it is played. Hardcourt polo is a much faster game that its ancestor, and the three players are in constant uptime, with no substitutes.