When thinking about cities with a huge sporting culture, Toronto should be one that is thought about.
The Canadian city might be one of the most populous in the world, and it might be best known for its appeal to tourists. It’s a location that has plenty to offer, and sports certainly are one of these things.
Toronto is home to several professional sports teams that have had plenty of success in their respective disciplines, which has helped to increase their appeal and global reputation. At the same time, the city has been able to produce numerous athletes across various sports, thus further emphasising the talented pool of individuals and the passion it holds for this pastime.
With the popularity of sports thriving and being a part of their culture, Torontonians have looked at ways to enhance their experiences. Sports betting has become one way in which this has been achieved. Ever since the province of Ontario altered the laws, online wagering has become popular.
Toronto’s leading sports for betting
Since the changes to the single-game sports betting laws that were in place, Ontario has experienced huge amounts of growth. According to findings, the province’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023 grew by $2.7 billion. It was around a 70% increase on what was contributed the year before ($1.58 billion).
One reason for this could be because of the sports that are possible to bet on. Torontonians can engage in betting activities on some of the biggest sporting events possible, as they have teams that represent the city competing.
Fans of ice hockey can wager on the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team is a global name synonymous with the sport. They were one of the “Original Six” and have also been one of the most successful franchises throughout the NHL’s history.
In addition to being one of the top teams, ice hockey has been a part of Canadian culture and is hugely popular in Toronto. With the two combined, it has made it one of the most popular to bet on.
Similarly, basketball is another sport that has enjoyed a lot of success in Toronto in recent years. Canada is only represented by one franchise in the NBA, and they come out of the Ontarian city.
The Toronto Raptors’ appeal would have only been boosted in recent years following their 2019 success. The team managed to win their inaugural NBA Championship that year, just 24 years after being formed in 1995. The franchise has struggled in the years since. Still, as basketball’s popularity continues to increase across the city, the people of Toronto have been enjoying the ability to wager on the sport.
Baseball is another sport that has a professional sports team based in Toronto, which has led to the sport being popular with bettors. Like basketball, there is only one franchise that is located throughout the country, with Toronto being its home. The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t had the recent success that other sports teams have had from the city, with their last MLB World Series win being in 1993 (a year after their first).
Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped the popularity of the sport from increasing. Fans continue to head to the Rogers Centre to watch the team play, with many placing bets on the game’s action. Others may place future bets on the team, although not many will consider them as an option when betting on a future World Series champions market.
What other sports have proven popular with Torontonian bettors?
While the sports outlined above can be considered the leading options, there are still many others that have emerged as popular disciplines that bettors have enjoyed wagering on.
Soccer is proving to be more and more popular, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon. Toronto will host a handful of games when the competition takes place, while Canada’s progression in the sport has been keenly watched with enthusiasm. The city is home to Toronto FC, and their 2017 MLS success arguably helped them build support.
Elsewhere, sports like the NFL (which doesn’t have a Canadian franchise), CFL (Toronto Argonauts), professional wrestling, and curling have all proven to be top bets.
Toronto has such a rich sporting history and culture, which has led many people to combine their passion and enthusiasm for them with betting activities.
