India and cricket go hand in hand; the love that is felt for their number one sport is bordering on the obsessive; but it seems that in the past few years, football has begun to make quite significant inroads into its once undivided popularity.

The Indian outlook towards football has definitely changed in recent times and there are several reasons why that might have occurred, including its increased nationwide exposure and the huge interest that is rapidly spreading throughout the country for online sports, especially football betting.

Indian Cricket Fans' Second Sport?

The whole of India is, without doubt, very much a cricket-focused nation. It has an almost religious status in the hearts and minds of its subjects and has always eclipsed football - a sport widely regarded as the most popular in the world, but one which for so long has struggled to attain a foothold against Indian cricketing dominance.

Most of the population will know all about the attributes of Virat Kohli but until recently would have known little about their country's footballers. That however is changing. Present-day fans are almost as likely to search Wikipedia for its football information, as they would for its cricket facts.

Football is rapidly growing in popularity and is now recognized as the number two sport in India, due to the establishment of national leagues, the development of grass-root programs, increased media exposure, foreign influences, improved infrastructure, and a spectacular rise in participation with online football betting.

Linebet Promo Code India

To encourage punters to place their football bets with a specific brand, the gambling websites offer introductory promotions for new players to join them and one of the best in India currently is the Linebet Promo Code. Using this code when registering with the platform brings with it an exclusive bonus to use on opening football bets, increasing not only an individual's prospects of making a winning start to their betting journey on the site but also further enhancing their interest and involvement in the sport.

The welcome offer requires a minimum deposit to be placed, which will be matched by a nominative percentage payment by the brand. Linebet India can also translate into Hindi and many Indian-friendly payment methods are accepted.

Game Growing in India

Cricket devotees are used to cramming onto the Indian railway network to travel the length and breadth of the country following their heroes, and now football supporters are following their lead, with the likes of Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC, and ATK Mohun Bagan attracting a strong fanbase.

The introduction of the Indian Super League (ISL) undoubtedly has helped lift the profile of football in India, and its clubs' eligibility to compete in the prestigious AFC Champions League - Asia's most important continental club competition - enhanced their exposure and lifted the popularity of the sport still further.

However, it is the allure of the major global leagues that has impacted Indian football the most. True, the ISL continues to rise in prominence; but the likes of the English Premier League, Italy's La Liga, the German Bundesliga, and the Champions League, have all gathered an enormous number of enthusiasts within India, prompting a change in aspirations amongst many young Indian players who dream of emulating the current icons of the world stage. Equally, with huge investments coming in from various quarters, the expansion of far improved infrastructure and facilitates have also hurried Indian football's development.

Increasing the Coverage of Indian Football

With the rise in digital streaming platforms that are now constantly supplementing TV coverage, India-based football fans can access the game from multiple resources. Indeed, it is reported that the English Premier League alone has over 100 million regular Indian viewers.

The India Football Federation has its own official YouTube channel, containing close to 2,000 videos and around a million subscribers. With social media and podcasts at their fingertips, Indian football fans are right on the pulse of all the action as soon as it happens, which brings a level of experience not previously available.