Cycling Betting – Top Sportsbooks for Legal Bets on Cycling Online

Depending on where you live, cycling might be more or less popular. In many European countries, such as Italy, Spain, France and the UK, cycling is one of the most popular sports to follow. However, in the USA, Canada, and other parts of the world, not many people are fascinated by this endurance sport.

Those who live in one of the countries where cyclists are practically celebrities have an advantage when it comes to betting on this sport. They already know a lot about the teams, team members, the history of the sport, and other things related to the matter.

On the other hand, if you live somewhere where cycling is not a popular topic, you need to start learning from scratch if you want to make use of this exciting betting market.

A big advantage of betting on cycling is that you can do it almost all year round. The season starts around the beginning of spring and ends at the end of fall. The only time when there are not many events to wager on is during winter, understandably. However, you can use the time during the snowy hiatus to learn more about the sport and follow the preparations for the following season, which is an important factor in making betting decisions.

If you are completely new to betting on cycling, you have made a good decision to come to this page. We’ve been doing it for years, so keep reading as we’ll share everything we know about it. You’ll learn about the best sites where you can find good odds, the must-wager events, types of bets, tips and tricks, and a lot more!

Check out our list of the best sports betting sites for cycling. It took us a long time to create this list because we wanted to be thorough, but it is finally here.

List of Sports Betting sites accepting players from the USA:

Rank Rooms Expert Score Signup Bonus Licensed Features Play Now
BetOnline

103 user ratings
Read Review

Deposit $25, Get up to $2500

(T&Cs apply, 18+)

mga  
  • Very high betting limits offered to customers
  • All major sporting events covered
  • Betting markets go live very early
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Everygame

93 user ratings
Read Review

50% up to $200

(T&Cs apply, 18+)

kgc  
  • Strong promotions available
  • Well-designed website
  • Mobile compatible
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3

SportsandCasino.com

30 user ratings
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300% Casino Match / 50% Sports Match

(T&Cs apply, 18+)

mga  
  • Good choice of games
  • Quick withdrawal process
  • Plenty of assistance for newcomers
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Bovada

108 user ratings
Read Review

50% up to $250+$100 Welcome Bet

(T&Cs apply, 18+)

kgc  
  • Full audit trail of all bets placed and settled
  • Three different language option settings
  • One of the most popular US Sportsbooks
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5

GTBets

109 user ratings
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100% up to $500

(T&Cs apply, 18+)

curacao  
  • Long experience in the industry
  • Cool promotions for major sports
  • Quality customer support
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When choosing which sportsbooks to include, we considered the most important factors that matter to bettors. We looked at what number of important events were covered, how many betting markets there were, how good the odds were, and how frequently the odds were updated.

Moreover, we reviewed the site itself and the company running it. All sites on this list are tried, tested, and true. They’re licensed by reputable gaming authorities and offer great conditions for players. Therefore, you should give them a try.

Popular Cycling Events

Just like soccer, basketball, or any other sport, cycling has its most important events as well. In this sport, the three most popular events are called the “Grand Tours”. These are the three major European professional races called Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España (La Vuelta).

All three races have a similar format. They last for around three weeks, cover thousands of miles, and include different race types. Apart from these three heavyweights, there are other events worth following as well. However, if you’re just starting out, learning as much as you can about the big three should be enough.

Tour de France

Tour de France

When it comes to cycling, this is by far the most important race. Even those who have never seen a cycling race must have heard about the Tour de France.

This is an annual event that takes place in France, from the beginning to the end of July. The whole race includes 21 events, during which the riders compete for the yellow jersey by riding a total of 2,150 mi (3,460 km).

The Tour de France is considered one of the most exciting and most popular sports events in Europe. It is also considered by many to be one of the most extreme and most difficult competitions in sports in general.

Giro d’Italia

Giro d’Italia

Giro d’Italia is the first Grand Tour event to happen each year, as it is always scheduled for May. It usually starts in the south of Italy and ends in the Alps in the North. During this event, the riders are competing for the pink jersey. This is a race where the climbers have the best chance of winning, due to all the climbing involved.

Almost every year, the cyclists are forced to ride in the snow and through icy rain in the Alps, which makes this race even more extreme. Because of that, it has a lot of commercial potential, so it’s exciting even for ordinary people to watch. Just like the Tour de France, it consists of 21 individual stages and covers 2,204 mi (3,546 km).

Vuelta a España

Vuelta a España

Vuelta a España, also known as La Vuelta, is the third race that makes the three cycling Grand Tours. It also happens annually and takes place at the end of August. It is one of the most attractive races in cycling to watch because it takes riders both along the beautiful Spanish coast and over the breathtaking Pyrenees. Just like the previous two races, La Vuelta consists of 21 stages and spans over 2,024 mi (3,257 km).

Different Cycling Betting Selections

Cycling is also a great sport for betting because of the various types of bets you can make. Those who do not know much about this attractive sport might think the winner of the race is the only thing that matters. However, cycling is a team sport, so there are many more layers to it, which translates to a lot more betting markets you can wager on.

Below are the most important ones.

Stage Winner

In races that consist of multiple stages, you have the option to bet on the winner of each stage. You can also bet on the number of stages you think a particular rider will win during the entire event.

Event Winner

The event winner is a straight bet in which you try to guess which rider will win the entire event. In the Tour de France, the riders contend for the yellow jersey, in Giro d’Italia the prize is the pink jersey, whereas the winner of La Vuelta wears the red jersey.

Points Classification

Betting on points classification means trying to guess which rider will win the green jersey. This jersey is given to the best sprinter and the rider who makes the biggest number of high finishes. To win the points classification, the cyclist does not have to win the event.

King of the Mountains

The King of the Mountains (KOM) is a title that is awarded to the best climber of the event. The winner wears the polka-dot jersey. The cyclists are awarded points according to the difficulty of the climb.

Young Rider Classification

To win this betting market, you should guess which rider will receive the white jersey. This jersey is given to the best young rider, below the age of 26. It’s one of the most popular bets to make.

Top Three Finisher

This is, essentially, an each-way bet in which bettors wager on a rider in the hope that they will finish in one of the top three positions in the race. You can also bet the other way around, claiming that a rider will not be one of the top three finishers.

Top Ten Finisher

This is another very popular betting market because it gives bettors a lot of room to experiment. In many cases, several underdogs end up in the top ten groups, which gives you the opportunity to take a risk and place a bet with really high odds.

Cycling Betting Tips and Strategies

Cycling is a really complex sport, which makes betting on it successfully quite complicated if you approach it in the wrong way. But if you remember to follow our tips and tricks for betting on cycling when the time comes to place a bet, you will significantly increase your chances of winning.

Find the Site With the Best Odds

The first thing you need to remember is not to place bets on the first site you come across. There are many sites that support betting on cycling, but not all of them have great odds. Therefore, compare several sites until you find the one that offers the most value for money.

Consider the Stage Profile

The stage profile is very important in cycling. A flat race will work better for some players, whereas a hilly race will work better for others. Therefore, this is a crucial factor to consider before placing a bet.

The KOM Strategy

When placing a bet on the King of the Mountain, you should always consider the rider expected to win the event. It is likely that they will be from the same team because the KOM will support the favourite up the hills.

Injuries Matter

Before you decide to bet on a certain rider to win a stage or an entire event, you should research whether they have had any major crashes or injuries recently. Such riders are less likely to go hard since they don’t want to exacerbate their health condition.

Follow Qualifying Races

The qualifying races that precede the three Grand Tours will tell you a lot about the riders and their physical and mental state. You can see which rider is in good shape and motivated to win. That can help you guess the winner of big events.

Consider the Weather Conditions

The weather conditions are also crucial in cycling. Some riders do better in the rain and cold, whereas others can ride faster in the scorching heat. Moreover, certain riders are known to take more risks on wet, slippery roads, which is another factor to consider.

Legality Betting On Cycling

Betting on cycling is completely legal in most countries in the world. The rule of thumb is that if sports betting is legal, then placing bets on cycling is legal as well.

Cycling is a very old sport — the first races took place back in the 19th century. Even at that time, people used to back riders with bets, trying to guess who the winner will be.

When it comes to cycling betting legality, the most important thing is to choose a site with a reputable betting license. That is a crucial safety measure that will tell you whether the site in question is fair and reliable.

Conclusion

Now that you have come to the end of this lengthy guide, you should feel confident to start placing winning bets on cycling events. If you remember everything you have learned in this article, you should be good to go.

The most important things to keep in mind are choosing the best sites, selecting the best cycling events to bet on, learning about the teams, players, and riding conditions, and understanding the types of bets.

Cycling FAQ Section

Check out our answers to the most frequently asked questions about betting on cycling.

Is it profitable to bet on cycling?

What are the best cycling events to bet on?

How to choose where to bet on cycling?

What betting markets exist when it comes to betting on cycling?

Is betting on cycling legal?

David Nugent Editor

First off, I want to say hi and wish a warm welcome to all gambling aficionados out there! My name is David Nugent and I am editor-in-chief of LegitGambling.com. I have always enjoyed various sports, primarily soccer, as I am a die-hard Everton fan.

Over time, I learned more about sports betting and discovered the fascinating online gambling industry. Eventually,...