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Arun - April 6, 2026
Despite the fact that sports betting is now hugely popular all over the world, Ireland in particular, has a deep-rooted betting culture instilled within, which can be traced back centuries.
From Gaelic football and hurling, to boxing and horseracing, punters from all corners of the Emerald Isle love nothing more than a cheeky bet or two, which is great news for the bookmakers. As far as popularity goes, though, football is definitely up there with horseracing and a quick look at the Irish bookmakers like Scs show that football is front and centre on their homepages. Interestingly, punters are starting to transition away from the EPL (English Premier League).
For decades now, the EPL has been THE football league to bet on, but in recent years, it has been the Irish Premier Division, France’s Ligue 1, Germany’s Bundesliga, and Spain’s La Liga, that punters have been focussing on instead. But why?
Here’s a look at why Irish bettors are looking past the Premier League, as well as a quick look at what sorts of odds you can expect with the League of Ireland.
We’ll get to why the Irish Premier Division, and the League of Ireland in general, is proving to be such a hit with betting fans a little later on. First, though, we’ll look at why sports betting fans across Ireland have turned their backs on the EPL and are instead favouring other football leagues from across the world.
Bookmakers across Ireland have recently noticed a slight change in betting behaviour when it comes to football. Irish punters are choosing to bet their money on football leagues from Ireland and other countries instead. In particular, France’s Ligue 1, Germany’s Bundesliga, and Spain’s La Liga all seem to have attracted a lot of new Irish football betting fans in recent years.
Ireland is now a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities from all walks of life. This is partly down to an influx of tech workers from overseas, who have travelled to Ireland to work in the tech sector. As a result, when they get the opportunity to bet on the football, they back their home teams and their home leagues.
Over the last decade for example, Ireland has seen an influx of German nationals move to the country, with many working in the tech industry. Because of this, teams such as Bayern Munich are often popular with the bookies, especially since they tend to do so well in Europe, and Harry Kane now seems to be scoring for fun for them.
Ireland’s Premier Division has always been somewhat popular across the Emerald Isle, though originally, there were only a select few loyal fans that stuck with it. Today, though, things are very different.
Now more than a century old, the LOI is Ireland’s top national football league and features some of the nation’s fiercest rivalries. Typically running from spring to autumn, it’s a league that seemingly has it all. So why are more Irish punters choosing the LOI over bigger names found in the EPL?
As popular as the Premier League is in England, if you want excitement and surprises, 9 times out of 10 you’re likely to be disappointed. Before the season even begins, we can realistically predict who will be competing for the title, and which teams will be trying to beat the drop and survive for another season.
Names such as Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea are always going to be strong favourites. Even Michael Carrick’s Man Utd are showing glimpses of the Man U of old, and while they’ll likely never look as dominant as they did under Fergie, they could well have turned a corner (maybe that Man Utd superfan will finally get his haircut?)
As good as the clubs are, for fans, knowing which teams will likely win the league before the season has even started can be a bit boring. Yes, when Leicester did the unthinkable a little over a decade ago and won the league it was amazing, but realistically, the odds of that happening again with a smaller team are incredibly slim.
Even with relegation battles, the smart money is on the three most-recently promoted teams dropping back down into the Championship. That’s why watching Sunderland this season has been such a pleasure, as they look like a team that’s been in the EPL for years.
For Irish football fans however, the EPL is just not as exciting as the Irish Premier Division, and that’s despite Shamrock Rovers’ domination over the years. If you want a little excitement with your betting, Ireland is the place to be.
In previous years, if you wanted to bet on the Irish Premier League, not every major sportsbook gave you that option. These days however, things are very different.
Because the LOI has grown so much, all major bookmakers are now covering it. If for example, you looked at previous winners and wanted to follow the smart money, bookies such as Bet365 and William Hill would offer you odds of Shamrock Rovers winning the league at 11/10 and 11/8 respectively.
With names such as BOYLE Sports, Virgin Bet, Paddy Power, Bet Victor, William Hill, Bet 365, Sky Bet, and many more all providing great coverage of this prestigious league, Irish football is currently more inclusive than ever. For Irish sports bettors, that’s fantastic news.
Finally, another reason why so many Irish football fans are choosing to bet on the League of Ireland and choose Irish football over the EPL is the fact that Irish football fans are amongst the most loyal and passionate on the face of the earth.
Whether you’re a Shamrock Rovers fan and are used to basking in the glory, or are a Galway United fan and are looking for your club to go one better than their First Division Title back in 2022 and win the biggie, you support your team through thick and thin. If you get to win a few Euros in the process, hey, who’s going to moan about that?
