Billiards could've won the Philippines its first Olympic gold medal. As a matter of fact, billiards appeals to all pool players, professional players and recreational (players) alike. Players play for national pride, the feeling similar to winning the World Cup of Pool. Sponsors, or the lack of it, isn't an issue.
(Politics would rrear its ugly head in this discipline, and the International Olympic Committee rather keeps its distance.) Fans must content themselves by watching the pool matches during the Southeast Asian Games, a biennial multi-sport event participated by athletes from Southeast Asia.
The Philippines and Taiwan are the powerhouses in billiards, along with Germany, Spain, and the United States, and the Philippines has the distinction of being the country with the most World Cup of Pool titles. Several Filipino players won the World Pool Championships and the (prestigious) US Open Pool Championship.
And Matchroom, the organizer behind the major pool tournaments around the world, will launch the Efren Reyes Cup this October. (It's similar to the Mosconi Cup, where the best pool players from Asia go up against the best from Europe.) Fans of “The Magician”, as his fans fondly call him, are excited about this new billiard tournament.
The 2024 World Pool Championships saw Russian-born US player Fedor Gorst winning his first World Pool Championship title. The result was expected. (Gorst won the World Pool Masters last spring.) The recent pool event was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the latest sign of Saudi Arabia's investment in sports. It started with golf. Tennis followed.
There will be more sports to come. (The oil-rich kingdom provided the much-needed funding that increased the prize money of the last World Pool Championship. There's no confirmation that the 2025 World Pool Championship will be staged in Saudi Arabia again, but Matchroom might do what ATP and WTA have done.)
Betting in billiards is not an issue, which isn't the case with other sports (like professional tennis). Betting is ingrained in Philippine society, the countryside in particular. (It would remind betting aficionados of cockfighting, or what amusement parks offer during the very long Christmas season, and esports betting sites.) Let’s have a look.
Billiards is not just a recreational pastime in the heart of Filipino culture, but it’s rather a national obsession rooted in the Philippine sporting heritage. The billiard industry extends beyond its recreational appeal that includes betting that interlaces strategy, skill, and fanatical support. Filipinos are one of the biggest fans of the sport, there’s hardly any Filipino who has never enjoyed playing billiards (or enjoyed watching it).
The Philippines has developed a vibrant culture of betting especially in billiards that parallels the unmatch talents (like Dennis Orcollo). Billiard betting ranges from small friendly bets to organized online platforms. Huge amounts of money are often at stake here. Betting brings out an amazing spectacle in the pool, making them livelier for spectators and bettors alike. What do they bet for?
Matchroom is the organizer of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Nine-ball Championships, World Cup of Pool, and the US Open Pool Championships. The Efren Reyes Cup will join the list of renowned billiard tournaments very soon. Matchroom is also behind the (annual) World Pool Masters, which attracts 16 of the finest cue players from all over the world. These major events not only showcase the impressive skills of Filipino pool players, but these events also serve as focal points for betting activities, where bettors and enthusiasts analyze the players and their past performances and strategies.
The WPA World Ten-ball Championship is the other major pool tournament that fans are watching out for. Matchroom isn’t the organizer of this tourney, but bragging rights are on stake here. (Ask Mika “The Iceman” Immonen.) The season concludes with the Mosconi Cup, a Ryder Cup-like competition between the best pool players in the US and the finest cue artists from the European Union (EU). EU dominated their American rivals these past years, prompting some to wonder if this is one of the reasons behind the founding of the Efren Reyes Cup.
In recent years, advancements in technology have changed the Philippine billiard betting landscape. Online platforms and mobile applications provide accessible avenues for bettors, and enthusiasts, to engage in betting, transcending geographical boundaries. This digital transformation has democratized participation, allowing bettors, and fans, to wager conveniently, and securely, from their devices (while following live streams and updates of their favorite matches).
Despite the popularity of billiard betting, the industry operates within a carefully regulated framework in the Philippines. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) oversees and regulates betting activities to ensure transparency, responsible gaming practices, and more (Philippine billiard betting markets and) options. It helps safeguard the integrity of the sport, and protects the interests of both players and spectators involved in betting. The rules aren’t different from slot games (or gambling games in general). You must study mechanics. Everyone must gamble responsibly. (Walk away if you feel like you're on a losing streak.) Don’t do it on a whim.
Beyond its recreational and competitive dimensions, the Philippine billiard betting industry contributes significantly to the local economy. It generates employment opportunities, supports small businesses, and boosts tourism. (Fans can attest to the last one; the 2007 World Nine-ball Championship was held in Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City.
Tens of thousands of local fans watched Darren Peach of England overcoming home bet Roberto Gomez in a nerve-wrecking final. The 2009 World Cup of Pool and 2010 World Cup of Pool were held in SM North EDSA and Robinson’s Place Manila respectively. The Billiards Sports Confederation of the Philippines did the right thing (by letting both shopping malls host the prestigious event.) Furthermore, betting revenues contribute to sports development initiatives, nurturing prodigies and cementing the reputation of the Philippines (as a billiard powerhouse).
The gambling sector will flourish in the years to come, and the ever-changing market would bode well. All is well and good if authorities provide continued support. But it would happen.
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