Snooker’s legacy is in good hands. We are not just talking about the fact that the sport has its niche following, high-prize tournaments, and many talented players who are happy to pitch in and show us some world-class action. Rather, the game’s pure numbers have been increasing to the point where even sceptics are beginning to realize that snooker is not in decline, it’s just the opposite.
While it once was a costly past-time earmarked for the higher castes of society, snooker is very accessible today. It’s fairly cheap to play and quite easy to get started on a career of snooker without sacrificing too much in terms of time and effort. In fact, the popularity of snooker has spawned a strong betting community around the sport, and you can check snooker betting odds where people come to pick and back their favourite player.
Surely, the popularity – growing or otherwise – of a sport cannot rely on just having a few places to make a wager. Good news, it does not! The game has grown quite accessible, and many people get started with snooker as a way of the hobby before they discover a hidden talent for the game within.
1. A Social Game with Plenty of Accessibility
As mentioned before, snooker wasn’t readily available. Today, the venues that offer snooker are plenty and the skills you need to excel boil down to practice. While you can naturally use a lot of tools, coaches and resources to train yourself to be a great snooker player, most players who get into the game do so out of love for the very concept of the game.
Therefore, having a lot of people interested in the game should not entirely surprise anyone. If anything, snooker has come a long way, and that is great if you are interested in being a part of the community, in the capacity of a player or the capacity of a fan.
The social element is another driving factor. Snooker is often played at recreational entertainment venues, which means that getting into the game feels quite easy and there is indeed zero pressure to do that.
2. New Markets Conquered by Snooker
The popularity of a sport often lies with the number of people out there who are willing to participate in it. In the case of snooker, the game is huge in the United Kingdom, parts of North America, and definitely China. China may seem like the odd one out, but the truth is, the player and fan base in China is enormous. It all started in the 1970s and 1980s when the game was introduced in a more permanent capacity.
To understand the effects that this has had on snooker, it suffices to say that some 20 million people watched two legends, Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor lay the 1985 World Championship final, and guess what? Viewership has only been going up.
Surely, with viewership numbers growing and interest clearly up there, snooker betting online has also shaped up, which is not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, the rise of a betting community has been quite beneficial to the game because interest has picked up a little since betting markets opened up.
3. Targeting Younger Demographics
While most sports have a problem with their demographics, the fact that snooker is partly a product of entertainment does wonder for its reputation and standing with younger crowds. If anything, snooker has been able to appeal to younger generations successfully and without necessarily making a specific effort.
A lot of gaming venues today attract young generations, and watching the sport is nothing short of watching someone in-person play. Of course, snooker has a slightly more competitive character and nature than most games that will take place in an arcade or a gaming venue, but the fact remains the game is the same, and it’s quite entertaining to behold.
