Like many winter sports, Snowboarding struggles for TV exposure outside of the main events such as the World Cup, World Championships and of course the Winter Olympics.

Unlike many of its winter competitors however, Snowboarding has an international appeal to all generations and with its varied competitive forms, is one of the biggest winter sports on the planet.

Here is our guide to how bet on Snowboarding intelligently:-

• Follow the Trend and Go For the Big Events
Simply due to their seasonal nature, Winter Sports can struggle to influence betting markets as the sports that are played all year round take to take precedence for bookmakers. The exceptions to that rule however are the Winter Olympics and World Championships. The World Championships take place annually whilst the Winter Olympics take place every four years and is the biggest event in Winter Sports. Bookmakers will follow the trend in popularity and offer specials and enhanced odds in support of these events – which is music to the ears of punters.

• Embrace the Variety
Snowboarding is a diverse sport, with many different disciplines being carried out within the sport. The most popular event in recent years has become Snowboard Cross, which sees 4 competitors go head to head in a battle to cross the finish line first. Punters can also stake on the Slalom (a timed event down a slalom course), Big Air (a judged competition for boarders to perform tricks following a high jump) and Half Pipe (another judged competition, where competitors have to travel down a half pipe, being marked on their tricks as they go). The amount of events available to bet on in the world of Snowboarding can be daunting but all present huge opportunities to win big, with the complex nature of each event requiring its own unique skill set.

• Target the Races
Whilst Big Air and Half Pipe events are fantastically entertaining to watch, the difficulty involved in each trick coupled with the personal element of being judged by neutral judges – can bring about some unpredictable results, which make wagering on those disciplines very difficult to do successfully. Slalom, Giant Slalom and Snowboard Cross are simpler formats to follow, with timed scores being the measurement of success in the slalom events and the Snowboard Cross being a straight race to the finish, the lack of outside variables make wagering on the races an effective tactic.

• Get the Bets in Early
The big events in the Snowboarding calendar are normally spread out over 2/3 days at the Olympics or World Championships with athletes having to qualify from heats to reach the latter stages. As competitions progress, awareness of favourites for the crown tends to grow with each round of the event that passes – meaning backing the favoured boarder as early as possible (either pre-event or in play) can greatly enhance any potential winnings come the end of the competition.

• Snowboarding Knowledge is Key
As with most winter sports, World Championships and Winter Olympics are the culmination of a year or even 4 years of training for athletes – who will be looking to peak at the right times. Knowledge of which boarders have performed well throughout the seasons, awareness of athletes that may be recovering from injury or which participants will be looking to integrate a new trick in to their routine, are all key considerations when staking on Snowboarding as there aren’t too many variables within the sport – with the course and constraints being the same for all athletes – finding the niches in the betting market can be the deciding factor when looking to win big.