Dragon Boat Racing in the US
Boat racing is arguably one of the most popular summer sports in the world. It was brought to the US by British settlers and has since grown to a multi-billion dollar industry. Nothing beats the thrill of watching professional rowers move at a rhythmic pace while sipping a cold beer under the sun.
Dragon boat racing, for example, attracts thousands of fans every year. It all started when Qu Yuan, a court official, drowned himself to protest against corruption. His friends and a couple of villagers went out in long rowboats, beating drums to ward off evil spirits. They also threw sticky rice balls to distract fish from eating Qu’s corpse. And that’s how dragon boat racing was born.
Top Dragon Boat Racing Events in the US
- Dragon Boat Festival: Held every other April, the Dragon Boat Festival attracts over 4000 people from across the US. It features long, dragon-shaped boats with teams rowing at the drummer’s pace. Besides the race, people can check out Chinese art, martial arts demos, and lion dances.
- Houston Dragon Boat Festival: For over ten years now, this boating event has been a popular summer activity in Houston. Over 5000 people attend it, and 30 rowing teams show up every time the race goes down. The event also features Asian cuisine, cultural performances, and loads of family fun activities.
Betting on Boat Racing
Unfortunately, boat race betting is not very popular with the gaming community. But some online casinos have it in their line of sports betting options.
Playing it is super easy too. You choose a team, make a deposit, and hope for the best. If your team wins, you get your stake back plus a profit. But the actual amount depends on the odds your particular casino has on offer.
The only thing really to consider here is the team’s winning record, starting positions, and weight of the boat; the more substantial, the better.