Cryptocurrency bettors are leaving traditional sportsbooks behind. Cloudbet’s 2026 figures show why.
Gregory Pudowski
Posted: March 20, 2026 11:00 AM Updated: March 20, 2026 9:40 AM
briefly
Cryptocurrency sports betting site Cloudbet recorded a sharp increase in betting volume across its top markets in the first quarter of 2026. Basketball betting volume has nearly doubled year-on-year, while tennis and soccer betting revenue is close to 50% and 30% respectively over the same period in 2025.
Cryptocurrency sports betting site Cloudbet recorded a sharp increase in betting volume across its top markets in the first quarter of 2026. Basketball wagers have nearly doubled compared to the same period last year, while tennis and soccer posting revenues are close to 50% and 30% respectively compared to the same period in 2025. These figures indicate a broader shift away from traditional sportsbooks and towards cryptocurrency-based sportsbooks in how and where serious sports bettors choose to operate. Action with great speed, depth and stakes.
“No one is surprised that basketball, soccer and tennis top the list, but the way they ranked first tells us some interesting things about how cryptocurrency bettors actually behave,” a Cloudbet spokesperson said. “Soccer attracts more individual bets than any other sport on our site, but basketball ranks higher when measured by total amount wagered. This gap reflects the difference between recreational bettors who often place small bets on familiar matches and high-value players who place larger, more cautious bets, often in live markets where odds move quickly and instant deposits really matter. Cryptocurrency is not just a payment method for these players. This is what makes the strategy viable.”
Why Basketball and Esports Will Rule Crypto Sportsbook Volume in 2026
Cloudbet’s internal data for 2026 (January 1 to March 20) shows that basketball is the highest volume sport on the site, ahead of tennis and soccer. These rankings reflect both the NBA’s global reach and the massive participation by tournament betting windows such as the NCAA Tournament. Football in particular receives more individual bets than any other sport on the site, but ranks third when measured by total investment. In other words, it is a frequency vs. stake split that represents the different bettor profiles each sport attracts.
More importantly from a market structure perspective, esports is emerging as a de facto fourth tier. Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike represent the 4th to 6th largest categories based on bet volume on the site YTD. These distributions are structurally ill-equipped to serve traditional sportsbooks, which are built on legacy sports infrastructure. Cryptocurrency-based bettors are younger and more internationally dispersed, and their betting behavior increasingly spans both traditional and competitive gaming markets within a single session.
Cloudbet currently covers over 40 sports and esports markets, covering everything from major league matches and international tournaments to professional-scale niche competitive formats.
How Cloudbet’s Crypto Sportsbook Beats Traditional Betting Sites
The case for cryptocurrencies in sports betting is as much operational as it is ideological. Three practical benefits continue to increase the volume of cryptocurrency-based sites compared to traditional sites.
● Instant deposit. On-chain transactions in Bitcoin and over 30 supported cryptocurrencies are completed in seconds. When the odds change, as happens constantly during live events or around breaking team news, bettors on cryptocurrency sites can take action immediately. Bank transfers, card processing outlets and withdrawal holds do not exist in the same form.
● High limits with no ceiling. Traditional sportsbooks limit bet sizes based on their own liquidity exposure and routinely limit or close consistently winning accounts. Cloudbet approaches this differently on two fronts. The proprietary trade execution engine consolidates the liquidity of the world’s largest sportsbooks into a single pool, enabling a virtually unlimited volume of bets that no single operator can absorb. Especially for high-risk players, Cloudbet launched Whale Mode in January 2026. This mode is an automated system that takes large bets, such as six-figure bets on major events, and splits them into market-optimized positions that execute efficiently without moving the lines. The result is institutional-level implementation for individual bettors with full location tracking. In traditional sportsbooks, neither feature exists in the same form.
● Market depth. Covering over 40 sports and esports markets with competitive odds and real-time in-play betting requires a site architecture that legacy sportsbooks built in other eras strive to replicate at the same level of quality.
About data
Figures quoted reflect Cloudbet internal site data from 1 January 2026 to 20 March 2026 (UTC) compared with year-to-date figures for 2025. Year-over-year growth rates are calculated on a comparable calendar basis.
Visit Cloudbet Sportsbook for a variety of sports and esports betting markets.
About Cloudbet
Founded in 2013, Cloudbet is the world’s longest-running cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook. Over the past decade, players around the world have placed millions of bets using over 30 different cryptocurrencies. In 2024, Cloudbet has introduced the most generous welcome offer and loyalty program online. The program guarantees accumulated rewards and daily cash payouts for frequent bettors.
With a variety of slots, live casino games and sports markets ranging from esports to the Premier League and NFL player props, Cloudbet is a leader in safe cryptocurrency betting. Visit Cloudbet.com. Instagram (@cloudbetofficial); Twitter/X (@Cloudbet).
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About the author
Gregory, a digital nomad from Poland, is not only a financial analyst but also a valuable contributor to various online magazines. With extensive experience in the financial industry, his insights and expertise have been recognized in numerous publications. Making good use of his free time, Gregory is currently focusing on writing books on cryptocurrency and blockchain.
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Gregory, a digital nomad from Poland, is not only a financial analyst but also a valuable contributor to various online magazines. With extensive experience in the financial industry, his insights and expertise have been recognized in numerous publications. Making good use of his free time, Gregory is currently focusing on writing books on cryptocurrency and blockchain.