THUONGMAI UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGLISH
------

PRESENTATION
British Culture
TOPIC:
SPORT AND COMPETITION

Supervisor : Le Thi Phuong Mai

Class : 2295ENTI0411
Group : 03

Hanoi, November 2022

HUONGMAI UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ENGLISH
------

PRESENTATION
British Culture
TOPIC:
SPORT AND COMPETITION

Supervisor : Le Thi Phuong Mai

Class : 2295ENTI0411
Group : 03

Hanoi, November 2022

 THUONGMAI UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGLISH

------

PRESENTATION
British Culture
TOPIC:

SPORT AND COMPETITION

Supervisor : Le Thi Phuong Mai

Class : 2295ENTI0411

Group : 03

Hanoi, November 2022

 THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET – GROUP 03

Performer Task Teacher’s comments

I. Introduction
13. Nguyễn Ngọc Hạnh
2.1. A national passion

2.2. The social importance of

14. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hiền
sport

15. Tô Thanh Hiền 2.3. Cricket

16. Nguyễn Thị Hoa 2.4. Football

2.5. Rugby
17. Nguyễn Thị Hoài
2.6. Animals in sport

2.7. Other sports

18. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Huế 2.8. Gambling

III. Conclusion
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................................................5
PART I. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................6
PART II. MAIN CONTENTS.......................................................................................................7
2.1. A national passion................................................................................................................7
2.2. The social importance of sport...........................................................................................8
2.3. Cricket...................................................................................................................................9
2.3.1. What is cricket and how to play this game?...............................................................9
2.3.2. Cricket as the national sport of England..................................................................10
2.3.3. The history of the game..............................................................................................11
2.4. Football...............................................................................................................................11
2.4.1. In the past.....................................................................................................................11
2.4.2. At the current..............................................................................................................12
2.4.3. Vietnamese football.....................................................................................................13
2.5. Rugby..................................................................................................................................14
2.5.1. What is rugby?............................................................................................................14
2.5.2. The British cultural characteristics reflected in Rugby..........................................15
2.5.3. Comparison of Rugby and American football..........................................................15
2.6. Animals in sport.................................................................................................................16
2.7. Other sports........................................................................................................................17
2.7.1. Team sports in the UK: Netball, ice hockey.............................................................17
2.7.2. Individual sports in the UK: Tennis, athletics, and other individual sports.........18
2.8. Gambling............................................................................................................................19
2.8.1. The popularity of gambling........................................................................................19
2.8.2. Gambling on................................................................................................................19
PART III. CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................23
REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................24
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, we would like to send our sincere thanks to all our teachers at English Faculty
of Thuongmai University who have created favorable conditions for us and provided us with
references to study this course.
Secondly, we wish to express gratitude to our instructor – Ms. Le Thi Phuong Mai, an
English teacher of English Faculty, who has always been willing to give us valuable advice and
suggestions in order that we can complete this course successfully.
Despite many efforts, this report can not avoid shortcomings due to our limited knowledge
and experience. We would like to receive guidance as well as suggestions from teachers and
partners for better research.

Hanoi, November 2022

 PART I. INTRODUCTION
Commonly known as Great Britain or the UK, the United Kingdom is one of the most
populated states in the world. Athletes from this region sometimes compete as the United
Kingdom or Great Britain, and othertimes they represent their home country of England,
Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Sport in the United Kingdom plays an important role in British culture and the United
Kingdom has played a significant role in the organisation and spread of sporting culture globally.
In the infancy of many organised sports, the Home Nations, England, Scotland, Wales, and
Ireland were heavily involved in setting out the formal rules of many sports, and formed among
the earliest separate governing bodies, national teams and domestic league competitions. After
1922, some sports formed separate bodies for Northern Ireland, though many continued to be
organised on an all-Ireland basis. for this reason, in many though not all sports, most domestic
and international sport is carried on on a Home Nations basis, and England, Wales, Scotland and
Ireland are recognised as national entities. The United Kingdom is home to many sports like
cricket, rugby, football, and so on.
 PART II. MAIN CONTENTS
2.1. A national passion
Sport probably plays a more important part in people's lives in Britain than it does in most
other countries. For a very large number, this is especially true for men, it is their main form of
entertainment. Millions take part in some kind of sport at least once a week. Many millions more
are regular spectators and follow one or more sports. There are hours of televised sport each
week. Every newspaper, national or local, quality or popular, devotes several pages entirely to
sport.
Modern sport in Britains is very different. There was a known-saying “winning is not
everything, it is only a game”. So it reflects the amateur attitude of the British towards sports in
the past. But to modern professional, sport is clearly not just a game. Top players in any sports
talk about having “professional attitude” and doing their works well. In pubics chool, the students
are enthusiastic for sport. It influences on the nature and role of sport in Britain.
The British are only rarely the best in the world at particular sports in modern times.
However, they are one of the best in the world in a much large number of different sports than
any other countries. The British are so fond of competition. In Britain, sports not only used for
entertainment but also used to competition between everybody, the other country, etc.
 Vietnamese’s passion
In general, Vietnamese people have quite a passion for sports. On the media, social
networking sites, Vietnamese people follow sports information very popular. The number of
users expressing interest in sports content on the Internet is 3 times higher than the rest. Out of 4
respondents, only one person is outside the influence of sports. The sports that are loved by users
are also quite diverse from swimming, volleyball, etc. to tennis. The most prominent among them
is still football with about 85% of votes from users. It also can be said that sport for Vietnamese
people is football. Explaining more about the reason why Vietnamese fans are increasingly
interested in sports, many cultural experts say that it is patriotism, national pride mixed with
sports spirit based on the principles of transparency, equality, compassion and impartiality.
A specific example of the passion of Vietnamese people for sports is Vietnamese people
“go to the storm” though the night after the matches of the U23 Asian football tournament in
Changzhou, China. People together celebrate the victory of the Vietnamese team. The image of a
red flag with a bright yellow star in the sky makes international fans very surprised and admired.
2.2. The social importance of sport
 The importance of participant is legal recognized in Britain. Every local authority has duty
provide and maintain playing fields and other facilities, which are usually very cheap to use and
sometimes even free. In annual sport occasion, it is not a game; it is an event because it just is
seen on satellite channel. For example, every year the Boat Race and the Grand National are
watched on television by millions of people. In modern times, standard of rugby at the annual
Varsity Match is always shown live on TV.
Sometimes the traditions which accompany an event can seem as important as the actual
sporting contest. Wimbledon, for instance, is not just a tennis tournament. It means summer
fashions, strawberries and cream, garden parties and long, warm English summer evenings.
The long history of such events has meant that many of them and their venues have become
world-famous. The Grand National, for example, attracts a television audience of 300 million.
The cup finals of other countries often have better quality and more entertaining football on view
but more Europeans watch the English Cup Final than any other. The standard of British tennis is
poor, and Wimbledon is only one of the world’s major tournaments. Every football in the world
dreams of playing at Wembley, every cricketer in the world dreams of playing at Lord’s.
Wimbledon, Wembley and Lord’s are the “spiritual homes” of their respective sports. Sport is a
British export!

 Comparison of sport and competition between UK and Vietnam

UK Vietnam
Similarity Both countries have many sports. However, football is the most popular
sport. Sport and competition attract a lot of interest from citizens.
Differences  During the Olympic Games and  Vietnam national football team is
some other sporting events, the UK the only team representing for
is represented as one team. Vietnam.
 Traditionally, the favorite sports of  Traditionally, Vietnam engages in
the British upper class are hunting, some traditional sports from
shooting, horse racing and fishing. China such as mini-soccer. Some
of Vietnam’s sports include
taekwondo, karate and judo.
Local or Traditional Sports of
Vietnam such as Vovinam, Dau
 Vat - Vietnamese wrestling. Golf
 Cricket is not only a sport, it is one of the sports.
symbolizes a way of life - a slow  The sports industry in Vietnam
and peaceful rural way of life. has not set an official body for
 Some other popular sports: rugby, cricket.
hockey, gambling, etc.  Some other popular sports:
Badminton, volleyball, bicycling,
chess, etc.

2.3. Cricket
2.3.1. What is cricket and how to play this game?
2.3.1.1. What is cricket?
Cricket is a beautiful bat-and-ball game. And with an estimated 2.5 billion fans worldwide,
it is the second-most popular sport in the world behind soccer. In England, Cricket has a mass
number of followers, around 65% of the population. Today we will talk to Callum Bacon, a
young English gentleman to know more about the sport.
It was centuries ago, I think. Cricket probably began sometime around the thirteenth
century, but no one is sure. It originated in southeast England, became more and more popular,
and became England’s national sport in the 18th century. It is said that the game was generally a
children's game for many generations before it was taken up by adults around the beginning of
the 17th century. And now, as you can see, it has developed globally. The first international game
was between the US and Canada in 1844, in New York as I remember.
2.3.1.2. How to play this game?
Cricket is a team game. Each team consists of 11 players. Every team should beat and fed
the ball. The main idea is to destroy with the wicket of other team. The winner is that team,
which scored in the beating more points (runs).
So, the main aim of the game is to score a greater number of points than the players from
the other team. Points are awarded for the distance that the player will run from one “gate” to
another. In the rules it called runs. The player can run while the other team tries to back the ball
to the center of the field. The task of each player is to hit the ball so hard, that the ball flew as far
as possible.
 Cricket Matches has different time. Very often they lasted not for hours, but for the days.
Some people are sure that for these days nothing is happening on the field, and players just stand
idly and do nothing. Often it can take a few minutes between the runs. This game is sometimes
slowly but interesting. To understand the whole process you need to read all the rules.
Nowadays cricket is impossible to see on the terrestrial television and many people are
outraged by this. That’s why a lot of people decided that the cricket popularity is on the decline
and this kind of sport soon will not be national.
2.3.2. Cricket as the national sport of England
Cricket is considered to be the national sport of England. The national sport is always a part
of the country or its history. And it doesn’t matter how many citizens are fond of this kind of
sport or is it established by a law. If we are talking about the national sport we don’t meant that
this kind is the most popular. For example, in the USA the national sport is baseball, in Scotland
– golf, in Italy – football, in Czech Republic – ice hockey. We can continue this list, but I want to
say, that sometimes in a lot of countries not the government make some kind of sport a national
one, but just historical past, which was created by the whole nation.
When people refer to Cricket as the English national game, they are not thinking so much
of its level of popularity or of the standard of English players but more of the very English
Associations that it carries with it. Cricket is much more than just a sport. It symbolizes a way of
life of a slow and peaceful rural way of life. Cricket is special because it combines competition
with the British dream of rural life. Therefore Cricket is the national English game in the
symbolic sense, however, to some people, Cricket is more than just a symbol. The comparatively
low attendance at the top class matches does not give a true picture of the level of interest in
country. One game of cricket takes of terribly long time which a lot of people simply don't have
to spare. in fact, there are millions of people in the country who just who don't just enjoy cricket
but an are passionate about it. When they get a chance they watch the beat of the live television
coverage. Some people even do both at the same time.
2.3.3. The history of the game
There is no single version of cricket origin. But people say that firstly such a pastime
appeared in England and specifically in the southeast. At the 13th century sometimes people were
bored and for the entertaining they had the game which looked like the modern cricket. This
information we can read in the historical papers of King Edward I.
The “cricket” was at first “cric” – it means the special stick which the shepherds used in
their everyday work. With its help workers locked the gate, which led out to pasture. At first
cricket was popular among poor young workers and later the game became popular among rich
people. In the 18th century was created the first Cricket Club. Later the cricket center was based
in London. Nowadays in the capital we can see the Lord’s Cricket Stadium. Later at this stadium
the Marilebonsky Cricket Club has been opened. It was the most successful club in the country,
thanks to the club’s activity were changed some rules, and nowadays there is a world cricket
management there.
2.4. Football
2.4.1. In the past
2.4.1.1. The attraction to class in society
British football has traditionally drawn its main following from the working class. In
general, the intelligentsia ignored it. But in the last two decades of the twentieth century, it started
to attract wider interest. The appearance of fanzines is an indication of this. Fanzines are
magazines written in an informal but often highly intelligent and witty style, published by the
fans of some of the clubs. Light-hearted football programs have appeared on television which
similarly give attention to “off-the-field” matters.
2.4.1.2. Many team sports, especially football, tend to be men-only, “tribal” affairs
In the USA, the whole family goes to watch baseball. Similarly, the whole family goes
along to cheer the Irish national football team. But in Britain, only a handful of children or
women go to football matches. Perhaps this is why active support for local teams has had a
tendency to become violent. During the 1970s and 1980s, football hooliganism was a major
problem in England. In the 1990s, however, it seemed to be on the decline. English fans visiting
Europe are now no worse in their behavior than the fans of many other countries.
2.4.1.3. Attendances at British club matches: falling for several decades
Many stadiums are very old, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous. Accidents at
professional football matches led to the decision to turn the grounds of first division and
premiership clubs into “all-seater” stadiums. It means that fans can no longer stand, jump, shout
and sway on the cheap “terraces” behind the goals. It is assumed that being seated makes fans
more well-behaved. It remains to be seen whether this development will turn football matches
into events for the whole family.
2.4.2. At the current
2.4.2.1. A king sport
The full official name of “soccer” is Association football”. This distinguishes it from other
kinds such as rugby football, Gaelic football, Australian football, and American football.
However, most people in Britain call it simply “football”, which shows the indication of its
dominant role.
Everywhere in the country except south Wales, it is clear that football is the most popular
spectator sport, the most-played sport in the country’s state schools and one of the most popular
participatory sports for adults.
In terms of numbers, football, not cricket, is the national sport, just as it is everywhere else
in Europe.
The Premier League, often referred to as the English Premier League or the EPL (legal
name: The Football Association Premier League Limited), is the top level of the English football
league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with
the English Football League (EFL). Seasons run from August to May. Most games are played on
Saturday and Sunday afternoons. There are some name of really famous football club like:
Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle, Southampton,
Everton, Tottenham, Leicester City, West Ham, etc.
And one more extremely interesting thing of these football clubs is their nickname, special
name. These names usually originated from color of shirts that those football club wear in
competions, or their strength and their victory.
2.4.2.2.Why British interested in football?
I believe their love relates to values and spirit that football – the king sport brings back and
shows. Spirit of football is seen as the team spirit when they play and support their co-players and
compete with their competitors. Their solidarity and well –going together are crucial factors help
players win. And, British love this dynamic spirit, they love the feeling to be the fan of the
winner. In addition, surprising factor in a match also attract audiences . British also have
connections with others if they are both fans of a club. They absolubly have many things to share
about football and their idols.
2.4.3. Vietnamese football
Football is one of the popular sports in Vietnam as well as around the world. It is also
considered a king sport, the reason it is one of the popular sports in Vietnam because it has easy-
to-understand rules.
Football is suitable for all age groups to participate in Vietnam because it has very simple
rules of the game. We easily see children playing football on the school grounds. Streets,
residential areas, etc. With just a simple ball that can be made of plastic or rubber with passion,
this sport can be played anywhere. The drama of each ball game also makes the audience
captivated, unable to take their eyes off for any moment.
Football matches in Vietnam is mainly organized at the club level. These matches have the
competition of some clubs such as: Than Quang Ninh, Song Lam Nghe An, Hoang Anh Gia Lai
and matches broadcast on national television channels. When there are regional and international
tournaments, the National Team Coaching Board will select the best players from clubs above
and set the national team. There are a number of regional and international tournaments such as:
U23 Southeast Asia, U23 Asia, etc.
Vietnamese people love football very much, especially in recent years when the
Vietnamese national team has gathered a bright young team and won in regional tournaments.
The feelings of the whole nation are like one and change with every movement of the players of
the national team in important matches, and that emotion is like breaking when the goal is scored.
That spirit, that emotion are the factors that creates Vietnamese's love with football.
2.5. Rugby
2.5.1. What is rugby?
Rugby is a team sport in which two teams compete with an oval ball on a grass field and it
was played in schools in England during the 19th century.
There are two versions of this fast and aggressive ball game: Rugby union and rugby
league.
Rugby union is the older of the two. In the 19th century, it was enthusiastically taken up by
most of Britain’s public schools. It is mainly for the middle classes. Except in south Wales.
There, rugby union is a sport for all classes, and more popular than football. Rugby union has had
some success in recent years in selling itself to wider audience, as a result, just as football has
become less exclusively working class in character, rugby union has become less exclusively
middle class. In 1995 it finally abandoned amateurism. In fact, the amateur status of top rugby
union players had already become meaningless. They did not get paid a salary or fee for playing,
but they received large ‘expenses’ as well as various publicity contracts and paid speaking
engagements.
Rugby league split off from rugby union at the end of the 19th century. It traditional home
is among the working class of the north of England, where it was a way for miners and factory
workers to make a little bit of extra money from their sporting talents. Rugby league is seen as
working class sport. In Wales, the phrase ‘international day’ means only one thing – that the
national rugby team are playing. In the 1970s and 1980s some of the best Welsh players were
persuaded to ‘change codes’. They were ‘bought’ by one of the big rugby league clubs, where
they could make a lot of money. Whenever this happened it was seen as a national disaster
among Welsh.
2.5.2. The British cultural characteristics reflected in Rugby
Since an actual middle class stratum arose rather late out of the working class it is no
wonder that the favorite middle-class sport rugby emerged, compared to the other sports,
relatively recently. In the beginning it was accredited to have a highly educational factor. The
public schools saw rugby as very important in training discipline, fairness and community
cohesion.
Overall it was supposed to create gentlemen and promoted strong lifelong solidarity
between school members. But from these bonds created in school, a further dissociation of the
social classes evolved. Due to the fact that the students, who were registered in these public
schools, mainly came from the new middle class background, members of the lower and upper
classes were excluded. But as well as middle class evolved from working class, middle class
rugby emerged from working class football and thus is strongly bound to British society hence
popular as sporting activity.
2.5.3. Comparison of Rugby and American football
It can be seen that American football and rugby are in many ways similar sports, both
featuring a great amount of physicality, running, and aggression.
However, there are some fundamental differences between the games.
In terms of the ball, American footballs and rugby balls look similar at first glance but they
are different. Rugby balls are about 27cm long and weigh about 1lb whereas American footballs
weigh a few ounces less but are slightly longer at 28cm.
In terms of the number of players, rugby teams are much larger than their American
football counterparts. Rugby teams have fifteen players on the pitch at any one time whereas
American football teams have just eleven.
In terms of substitutions, in rugby, teams are allowed to make up to seven substitutions in a
game (dependent upon specific league/tournament rules) and once a player has left the pitch, they
cannot return to the field of play except if there is an injury and there are no other substitutes
available. In American football, however, teams are allowed an unlimited number of substitutes.
In terms of protective equipment, rugby players play with minimal of protective equipment,
most playing only with a gum-shield. In American football, however, a large amount of
equipment is worn including a helmet, shoulder and chest pads, leg protectors, in addition to the
gum-shield. These are not optional and must be worn by all players.
In terms of physical contact, Both American football and rugby are games that feature a
huge amount of physical contact and are physically demanding to play. Impacts in American
football can often be heavier thanks to the amount of protective equipment worn. However, rugby
players make many more tackles than their American counterparts, averaging sixteen per game
compared to American football's average of just four.
2.6. Animals in sport
Traditionally, the favorite sports of the British upper class are hunting, shooting, and
fishing.
Foxhunting is the most widespread form of hunting. This is popular pastime among some
members of the higher social classes and few people from lower social classes, who often see
their participation as a mark of newly won status.
Shooting is killing birds with guns. It is a minority pastime confined largely to the higher
social classes; there are more than three times as many licensed guns for this purpose in France as
there are in Britain. The birds which people try to shoot (such as grouse) may only be shot during
certain specified times of the year. The upper classes often organize ‘shooting parties’ during the
‘season’.
Hare-coursing is that in which greyhound dogs chase hares. The only kind of hunting is
associated with the working class. However, because the vast majority of people in Britain are
urban dwellers, this too is a minority activity.
Fishing is one kind of hunting that is popular among all social classes. In fact, this is the
most popular participatory sport of all in Britain. Between 4 and 5 million people go fishing
regularly. When fishing is done competitively, it is called ‘angling’.
When it comes to horse-racing, this is a long-established and popular sport in Britain, both
‘flat racing’ and ‘national hunt’ racing (where there are jumps for the horses), sometimes known
as ‘steeple-chase’. The former became known as ‘the sport of kings’ in the seventeenth century,
and modern British royalty has close connections with sports involving horses. Some members of
the royal family own racehorses and attend certain annual race meetings; some are also active
participants in the sports of polo and show-jumping (both of which involve riding a horse).
2.7. Other sports
Sports have always held a popular place in Britain, with many passionate fans and the
origin of many sports taking place here. In the United Kingdom currently, the most popular sport
for most is football, rugby, or cricket. Besides, other sports such as tennis, netball, ice hockey, etc
are also popular within the United Kingdom. We usually mention two kinds of sports: team
sports and individual sports.
2.7.1. Team sports in the UK: Netball, ice hockey
The British have a preference for team games that help bring up team spirit, the ability to
work in a team, fairness, honour, and the ability to win and to lose such as basketball, netball, ice
hockey, etc. In such kinds of sports, they do best of all because individual character traits that are
often considered to be achievable through participation in team competitive sports and games
include such positively regarded qualities as loyalty, honesty, compassion, humility, respect, and
responsibility.
2.7.1.1. Netball
Netball is the second largest team sport for women after football and is growing in
popularity. Sport England’s focus is to close the gender gap in sports, by giving girls and women
of all ages the chance to be active however they choose that is the reason why netball is popular
in this country. Team sports can be life-changing, and England Netball is doing a great job of
growing its sport.
Netball is typically played by women and girls. However, at many universities, there are
mixed netball leagues in which teams must have both male and female players. In the UK, there
are many different schemes to try to inspire people to play netball. One such scheme is called
‘Back to Netball’ which encourages women who have not played netball since they were at
school to rediscover their love for the sport and get back on the court! Walking netball is another
variation of the sport aimed at older women and those who want to exercise in a gentler way.
2.7.1.2. Ice hockey
One of the biggest changes to ice hockey in the U.K. is the game’s fan experience. A
decade ago, the game was perhaps a bit too polite. There was little interaction, little collision, and
little engagement among the players as well as the fans watching. However, ice hockey in the UK
is experiencing a peculiar moment of popularity. In terms of live attendance, it has become the
most watched indoor sport in Britain, and the third most popular winter sport, after football and
rugby.
Another undeniable factor in ice hockey’s burgeoning popularity is the presence of
domestic teams on local channels. The availability of local matches paired with the increase in
“flashy” viewer elements such as the food, the lights, and the conflict described above, make the
sport a natural option to fill spare time even while at home. Some channels show both weekend
and midweek games, too, making the game a convenient one to turn on whenever the interest
strikes.
2.7.2. Individual sports in the UK: Tennis, athletics, and other individual sports
While individual sports such as athletics, cycling, gymnastics, and swimming have
comparatively small followings. The more popular individual sports are those in which social-
izing is an important aspect (such as tennis, golf, sailing, and snooker).
2.7.2.1. Tennis
Individual sports are also extremely popular in the UK, and there’s plenty of crossover
between the most popular sports amongst American and British audiences. Tennis is the largest
individual sport in the UK in terms of players and audiences – the world-renowned Wimbledon
Championships take place in London each summer and attract a huge global audience.
2.7.2.2. Athletics
As we mentioned above, individual sports like athletics just have comparatively small
followings. However, large numbers of people become interested in them only when British
competitors do well in international events, and the only athletics event which generates a lot of
enthusiasm is the annual London Marathon. Most of the tens of thousands of participants in this
race are ‘fun runners’ who are merely trying to complete it, sometimes in outrageous costumes,
and so collect money for charity. The biggest new development in sport has been long-distance
running. ‘Jogging’, for healthy outdoor exercise, needing no skill or equipment, became popular
in the 1970s, and soon more and more people took it seriously. Now the annual London
Marathon is like a carnival, with a million people watching as the world’s star runners are
followed by 25,000 ordinary people trying to complete the course. Most of them succeed and
then collect money from supporters for charitable causes. Many thousands of people take part in
local marathons all over Britain.
2.7.2.3. Other individual sports
Other individual sports like golf, cycling, and equestrian events also enjoy a large following
and huge amount of popularity amongst recreational and competitive athletes alike. Sport lovers
really are spoilt for choice in the UK. Golf is Scotland’s chief contribution to British sport. It is
worth noting here an interesting feature of sporting life in Britain, namely, its frequently close
connection with the social class of the players or spectators except where a game may be said to
be a “national” sport.
2.8. Gambling
2.8.1. The popularity of gambling
 Sports gambling has a long history in the United Kingdom, having been controlled for
many decades, and more recently relaxed. Even if they are not taking part or watching, British
people like to be involved in sports. They can do this by placing bets on future results. Gambling
is widespread throughout all social classes. It is so basic to sport that the word 'sportsman' used to
be a synonym for “gambler”.
2.8.2. Gambling on
There is a large market in the United Kingdom for gambling on competitive sports at
bookmakers (betting shops) or licensed websites, particularly for horse, greyhound racing, and
football. The last of these also has an associated form of gambling known as the football pools, in
which players win by correctly predicting the outcome of each week’s matches.
Horses
Every year, billions of pounds are bet on horse races. So well-known is this activity that
everybody in the country, even those with no interest in horse racing, would understand the
meaning of a question such as “who won the 2.30 at Chester?” (Which horse won the race that
was scheduled to take place at half past two today at the Chester racecourse? The questioner
probably wants to know because he or she has gambled some money on the result.) The central
role of horse racing in gambling is also shown by one of the names used to denote companies and
individuals whose business it is to take bets. Although these are generally known as
‘bookmakers’, they sometimes call themselves ‘turf accountants’ (turf is a word for ground where
grass grows).
Horse race betting is popular across the world for many reasons: The first reason is
blending Betting and Fun. Horse racing is a social event, and it brings towns and neighbourhoods
to a standstill. It is a glamorous affair where sport lovers take their families to socialise and place
bets on their favourite horses. Bettors exchange information and talk animatedly about different
horses and races. Families catch up and have fun before, during, and after the races. If you are a
sports betting fan, try this new experience and have fun while you track your horse. The second is
legal Betting. Betting on horses is one of the oldest forms of gambling. It’s as old as the sport
itself, and this rich heritage has helped in developing laws and regulations to guide the industry.
Some countries which ban online gambling still allow horse race bets. The last reason is horse
racing remains a popular sport, and this is one reason a lot of gambling revolves around the sport.
There are more factors that make horse racing popular for betting, including quick results, large
payouts, legality, and diverse betting options.
Dogs
 Despite a number of Britain tracks closing in recent years, greyhound racing remains a
popular betting product with punters due to the simplicity of the fast-paced action. Greyhound
racing betting can be a great way to enjoy a night out with friends or family, as well as a fun and
exciting way to gamble.
There are many reasons why greyhound racing betting is so popular: It is a very exciting
sport to watch. The dogs move very fast, and the races are often coming close to each other, so
it’s a sort of fast betting type, where you know the outcome in the next 5 minutes. This makes for
an exciting and unpredictable event that can be thrilling to watch. Additionally, it is relatively
easy to pick a winner. Unlike other sports, there is not as much randomness in the outcome of a
greyhound race. The dogs all start from the same position and the track is generally the same
every time. This means that there is less chance of an upset, and it is easier to predict who will
win. Finally, greyhound racing betting is popular because it is a relatively cheap way to gamble.
The stakes are usually low, and the payouts can be high. This makes it an affordable way to have
some fun and potentially make some money.
Football pools
Apart from the horses and the dogs, the most popular form of gambling connected with
sports is the football pools. Every week, more than ten million people stake a small sum on the
results of Saturday's professional matches.
What are the reasons betting on football is so popular? The first reason is the love of the
game. British love football, and rightly so. Football unites fans and brings a sense of camaraderie
and competition, with many friendships formed along the lines of clubs that we support. People
flock to see them playing either at a stadium or a local pub or a friend's house. Betting on football
is a hot topic and is discussed openly among fans, both before, during, and after matches, sharing
tips and odds. Secondly, football betting is easily done with brick-and-mortar betting
establishments on almost every high street, and online casinos and bookmakers are easily
accessible at their fingertips. Last but certainly not least, is safety. In the UK, punters are
protected under the watchful eye of the Gambling Commission, which has some of the strictest
gambling laws worldwide.
 PART III. CONCLUSION
Sport plays an important role in people's lives in Britain more than it does in most other
countries. The British are great lovers of competitive sports, they are neither playing nor
watching games, they like to talk about them or when they cannot do that, they think about it. It is
the main form of entertainment, especially true for men.
However, modern sport in Britain is very different. There was a well-known saying
“winning is not everything, it is only a game”. So, it reflects the amateur attitude of the British
towards sports in the past. But to modern professionals, sport is clearly not just a game. Top
players in any sport talk about having “professional attitudes” and doing their work well. In
public school, students are enthusiastic about sports. It influences the nature and role of sport in
Britain. The British are only rarely the best in the world in a particular sport, but they are one of
the best in the world with many different sports than other countries. There are hundreds of other
sports are played in Britain from tennis to football, table tennis, rugby, boxing, and cricket, their
passion for competition and ambition has helped fuel some of the best athletes and clubs of all
time. All of that heritage, knowledge, and innovation is present in their sports degrees too.
Each year, thousands of international students choose to study in the UK and draw on their
overlapping passions for medicine and technology when they do. With some of the best sports
programs in the world, they are the best possible place to start your sporting career. When you
live in the UK, you are immersed in a fanatical sporting culture, and if you want to take part, you
will be spoiled for choice, from university teams to the London Marathon.
 REFERENCES
1. Christine Pham Keaney, All About Sport in the UK, The UK Study Expert,
https://www.theukstudyexpert.com/blog/all-about-sport-in-the-uk
2. Alex Moshakis, Get your skates on: the rise of British ice hockey, The Guardian,
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/sep/23/get-your-skates-on-the-rise-of-british-ice-
hockey
3. James O’Driscoll, Britain – Oxford University Press