Let’s face it. Unless you’re really into a particular sport, the only way to make watching it really engrossing is to have a bet. Horse racing is the classic example.

Now, we’re not advocating putting your house on the Rochdale Roosters versus the Barnsley Left-footers in the Northern Amateur Coytes league play-offs. (If you did fancy a bet, though, Barnsley are a shoe-in and still at 8-1).

No, we’re just saying that a friendly wager with a friend, or a couple of quid with the bookies, makes any contest a little more interesting.

Sporting events such as The Boat Race come alive with drama and excitement, even when there’s only a sportsman’s bet at stake. Trust us, it’s the only reason why we watch it.

What sports do you think are only exciting when you’ve got a bet on?

(Image: from Alan Stanton’s flickr stream)