When it comes to sports, the average sports fan would be hard pressed to name a sport in which Canadian are the best in the world. There would of course be one sport that comes to mind, and that would be hockey, the country’s national game. With the Winter Olympics currently in full swing in Vancouver, Canada, no doubt many Canadian gamblers are throwing plenty of cash down on all the events, particularly hockey.
Canadians believe their hockey team is made up gods who have been sent down to earth with a pair of skates and a carbon fiber hockey stick. For a majority of Canadians, betting against Team Canada is sacrilege. Certainly Canadian provinces with legalized online gaming are reaping the benefits. In a round-robin game against the United States, a record 11 million plus Canadians tuned into watch the game, that’s about one-third of the entire country. The other two thirds are likely in jail, hospitalized, or they’re immigrants. When the United States beat Canada that day, they shut down the huge Olympic party that was going on in Vancouver, at least for one night. People took their Canadian flags and painted faces and went the fuck home, that’s how much hockey means to Canadians.
So for provinces like Ontario currently mulling over the prospect of offering online gambling to their residents, they’re already missing out big time and they need to wake up and smell the Tim Horton’s coffee. If there’s any incentive, Ontario should examine the amount of money Canadians have thrown down on the Olympic hockey tournament alone, money that provinces like BC have had flow into its coffers and money that Quebec soon hopes to get a taste of from its residents.
Hockey is to Canadians what NFL football is to Americans, which means its real big business. No other sport brings out the Canadian fans in droves, except maybe curling. For those who don’t know what curling is, its basically throwing rocks on ice. But, it’s actually quite difficult and a shitload of hot women play the sport, so it’s fun to watch.
Once Quebec is fully operational in the online gaming market we’ll likely see more provinces dive in. Or should I say, once Quebec records the results of its first NHL season in online gambling, the rest of the provinces without legalized online gambling will be as green with envy as BC bud. Next up for Team Canada is the age old rivalry, against Team Russia in the Olympic tournament’s quarter finals. Guess how many Canucks will be watching and wagering on that one?
