Summer is finally here, and with it, comes a bumper program of sporting events. Alongside some of the biggest meetings and fixtures in the annual calendar, we also have Euro 2020 which is already underway – and was postponed from last year – as well as the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

For those interested in online betting, there are plenty of markets to take note of. So read on, as we run through some of the biggest events you can expect to read about or watch over the coming months.

2020 Euro football tournament, sporting event of the summer

Euro 2020

Where else to start than with a major international football tournament. You’ve probably heard your neighbor or friend down the pub go on about how football’s coming home! Euro 2020 is being pan-hosted this time around, with no fewer than 11 cities staging the action. The group stages have already got underway with a couple of shocks, but the real drama comes deep in the knockout stages.

England and France are the joint-favorites in the current outright odds – and it will be Wembley Stadium in London where the winner will be crowned. The former will be looking to put in a better performance than they did five years ago in France, in which the Three Lions exited at the round of 16 stages, at the hands of minnows, Iceland. While France is the current world champion – having been victorious against Croatia in St Petersburg at the 2018 World Cup.

Takes place: June 11th – July 11th, 2021.

Royal Ascot Horse racing, sporting event of the Summer

Royal Ascot

The most prestigious meeting in the flat racing calendar, Royal Ascot is a five-day festival, which has taken place since the mid-1700s – but has only really steeped in superiority through the introduction of the Gold Cup. It has long been synonymous with the royal family, and every year, the royal procession kicks things off, before fans are treating to some high-quality racing action.

These days, there are eight Group 1 races held across the course of the meeting – with a feature race each day. The opening day is the best for horse racing purists, with three Group 1 races taking place: the Queen Anne Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes, and the St. James’ Palace Stakes. The Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the standout race on day two, with the Gold Cup following on day three. On day four, there are two Group 1 races: the Commonwealth Cup and Coronation Stakes – and the meeting ends on the Saturday with the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, named in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II.

Takes place: June 15th – 19th 2021.

Wimbledon is the sporting event of the summer

Wimbledon

Keeping with all things British, anyone for tennis? Wimbledon is the third of tennis’ four Grand Slam tournaments and is the only one played on grass at the prestigious All England Club, in SW19.

During the fortnight of action, there are five main events: the men’s and women’s singles, as well as the respective doubles, and the mixed doubles; four junior events; and seven invitational events. 

With the 2020 edition canceled amidst the pandemic, the 2019 winners in the singles were Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep. Djokovic has 19 Grand Slam titles to his name and is one victory away from leveling the record shared by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Serbian is the favorite this year. The women’s game is usually more open, with a different winner in the last four editions of the tournament.

Takes place: June 28th – July 11th, 2021.

Spectators of Le Tour de France sporting event of the Summer

Tour de France

The Tour de France is one of three Grand Tours in cycling – and is sandwiched between the Giro d’Italia (which takes place in May), and the Vuelta a España (raced in September). 

This year’s tour is commencing earlier than usual, due to the summer Olympic Games, and the start location was changed from Copenhagen, Denmark to Brest, France, due to the nation hosting Euro 2020 matches. However, one thing remains the same, and that is the colored jerseys.

The oldest and most sought-after classification is the General Classification – that is the yellow jersey that is awarded to the race leader and is determined at the end of every stage of the race. However, there are other classifications and jerseys up for grabs – and these include the Points Classification, Mountains Classification, and Young Rider Classification.

At the 2020 Tour de France, Slovenian cyclist, Tadej Pogačar, of UAE Team Emirates managed a clean sweep, winning the General Classification, Mountains Classification, and Young Rider Classification. Understandably, he’s the favorite to win the 2021 Tour.

Takes place: June 26th – July 18th, 2021.