How Ronaldo’s presence shapes trends and predictions for football

The article sheds light on the manner in which Cristiano Ronaldo shapes trends and predictions in football betting.

It is Euro 2020, and Portugal is set to face Hungary in a group-stage match. Skippers interact with the media. The one to make the news is Cristiano Ronaldo. Interestingly, he takes sports fans across the globe by storm. Not just that, he even pushes the shares of a popular beverage company on the slide for a smooth slip.

This should give an idea about the kind of hold that the forward attacker has on the minds of the fans. Before understanding the relevance of the topic, let’s take a brief dig at what actually happened.

Ronaldo entered to interact with the people from the media. He saw two bottles of Coca-Cola lying on the table; these would be right in front of him at the time of speaking. Being a huge promoter of a healthy lifestyle, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner urged people to drink water instead of the beverage. So, he simply kept them aside and placed the water bottle on the table.

This went viral, people across the world saw, and as fate would have it, the company witnessed a huge dip in its sales from that point. Reports claim that the company lost approximately $4 billion in market valuation. The share prices came running to $55.22 from $56.17. Prices even went as low as $54.95.

While the number is comparatively small for every share, it goes on to multiply in huge figures considering there are many people holding the shares of the company. Simply multiply it by 100 people to get a fairer picture. This is the length to which Ronaldo’s Agua remark hurt the company.

Now, coming to the topic. Everyone loves sports – some play them every day, some find time to accommodate it on the weekends with their friends, and then there are some who theoretically love sports. Meaning they prefer to share their knowledge or insight about the game with every second person. Does it matter? Not at all. Are they correct? Not always. Nevertheless, it gives them entertainment and pleasure to see the game and talk about it.

There is another segment that has to live in the dark, those who place wagers on a game based on their intuition or data analysis. What gives such people the boost is surety of a team’s performance.

The foundational ground is that money, once placed on the table as a bet, has a 50-50 probability of coming back to the person. But, if the outcome is favorable and out in the public, then it sets the thought process of getting a return on the investment. More people come forward, put their money in someone’s hands, and choose that particularly odd.

It depends on the team, the players of the team, and many other similar factors.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a player who gives bettors the surety plus comfort they desire. The two-time Best FIFA Men’s Player has done a lot for this team – Portugal, Manchester United, or Real Madrid. The most recent example is Al-Nassr signing him for a whopping $215 million every year. Al-Nassr’s followers more than doubled when they announced onboarding the champion.

He certainly has the influence. He has the stats of a champion, evident from the fact that he has netted the ball 5 times in 4 matches during the 2023-2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers. The 2019-20 period saw him scoring 11 goals in 8 matches.

Does he boost participation in sports betting? Specifically, for Football?

As of 2022, the global market share of sports betting is $83.6 billion. Football, along with other games like baseball, basketball, cricket, and hockey, attracts a lot of eyeballs. Platforms leading the charge are IGT, 888 Holdings Plc, and Bet365, among others. These companies are gaining legitimate entries in several regions, with governments allowing them to operate under their umbrella.

Most of them even advertise their offerings during the game. This brings the topic to the point where it is important to know that the more people view a game, the more they are likely to place bets.

Companies gain attention with their ads, people following sports bet on the team they know will win, and the vicious circle goes on.

Placing a bet is easier than before. This is not a promotion or encouragement for others to start gambling their money, but merely something that they should know about. Platforms enable new users to register with a single click – even directly with their social media accounts. The first boost is given via attractive welcome bonuses. It moves on with the following bonuses like second deposit bonus and third deposit bonus.

The probability of people getting addicted may be lower. However, the probability of people getting entertained during this is a lot higher.

The current times seek to have crypto enthusiasts on such platforms the most. Why? Crypto transactions don’t appear on bank records. One can own a digital token, say BTC or ETH, and engage in betting activities without anyone noticing it. Best crypto sportsbooks also offer anonymity, faster transactions, and lower transaction costs in the benefits. Not that it is something bad, but it is easier for people to get started.

Now mix this with the presence of a player who gives them better hopes of winning a game. That is Cristiano Ronaldo for everyone. He attracts a fanbase, gives better chances of winning a game, and frankly, that is all one wants to have with them.

He may not have the FIFA World Cup trophy to his name. He definitely has a total of 37 trophies added to his legacy.

The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo is a cherry on the cake for football lovers and a brighter light for sports bettors. Moreover, the fusion of cryptocurrency and football betting adds an extra layer of excitement to the already captivating game. It is no surprise that cryptocurrency football betting has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Lionel Messi comes closer to the Portuguese forward. Ronaldo, however, remains everyone’s favorite in the game. Ronaldo’s presence has shaped Portugal’s football team. There is no doubt that he has inspired millions to take up Football, no matter their background. Therefore, one has limited means to believe that Ronaldo lacks the capability to shape how bets are placed, what size of bets are placed, and when they are placed.