Some sporting occasions grab global attention, with audiences reaching millions or even billions, waiting anxiously for the final score. Pitch, track or court, these sporting extravaganzas have us cheering from our sofas and the stands and get fans caught up with athletes, players, riders and sporting heroes who are totally at the top of their game. We take a look at some of the biggest worldwide sporting events that are watched by the eyes of the world.

Superbowl

The National Football League’s annual championship in the US, the first Superbowl, was played back in 1967 and has grown in worldwide popularity ever since. The largest televised event in America – 98 million viewers last year – it also has a global audience of 65 million tunings to watch the sheer theatre and spectacle of the game. As famous for its elaborate half-time entertainment as it is for sporting activities, the Superbowl is a must-see feature in any sports fan’s calendar.

FIFA World Cup

Every four years, the ‘beautiful game’ brings together soccer teams from every corner of the globe for the ultimate clash of the sporting titans, watched by around 3.5 billion people during its one-month global TV take-over. Over 200 teams compete in qualifying before the final 32 battle it out on the pitch, with the triumphant winners lifting the coveted World Cup. The tournament has run since 1930 – except for a break during the Second World War – and has brought drama, national pride and some of the world’s most iconic players to our screens.

Kentucky Derby

The racing track’s romance and dramas are epitomised by the Kentucky Derby, widely considered the world’s greatest annual horse race, also described as the fastest two minutes in sport’. And there’s big money as well as big viewing figures at stake, with the winning horse earning its owners $1.4m, not to mention the possibility for spectators to win big from free bets. Keep track of all your big game bets at BET BIND so you can view them all in one place. Held at Churchill Downs, Louisville, since 1875, it’s estimated 150,000 people watch the racing action from the stands, boosted by 16.5 million TV viewers around the world tuning in to watch some of the world’s greatest racehorses fly across the finishing line.

Wimbledon

Held at Wimbledon’s ‘All England Tennis Club’ since 1877, this world-famous tennis tournament is part of the ‘grand slam’, alongside the US, Australian and French Open. But it’s the only one to play on grass, and every year brings the very best, nail-biting international tennis action. As the oldest tennis tournament globally, Wimbledon is also full of tradition, which is all part of its global sporting appeal. Last year’s final – which saw Novak Djokovic’s five-set win over Roger Federer – was watched by 28 million people online.

Olympic Games

And finally, the world’s premier multi-sport event, the Olympics is steeped in history. It sees more than 13,000 athletes compete in 33 different sports every four years for the ultimate honour of winning an Olympic gold medal. Truly global – over 200 nations take part – the modern Olympics first burst onto the worldwide sporting stage in 1896. The most recent summer Olympics – held in Rio in 2016 – commanded a worldwide TV audience of 3.6 billion to witness the world’s greatest athletes for their golden dreams.