Betting on the FINA Championships Online

Sasa, ever wondered how the global pond party kicked off? It all started on 19 July 1908 when the International Swimming Federation—better known as FINA—was born right after the 1908 Summer Olympics. Back then, eight national swimming bodies—Belgium, Britain, Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and Hungary—teamed up. Fast forward to today, and FINA counts 209 federations across five continental confeds: the African Swimming Confederation, Swimming Union of the Americas, Asia Swimming Federation, European Swimming League and Oceania Swimming Association. Poa!

The inaugural World Aquatics Championships splashed onto the scene in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, from 31 August to 9 September 1973 at Tašmajdan Sports Center. That debut drew 686 athletes from 47 countries. Fast forward, and now over 2,000 swimmers, divers and water-polo stars show up.

Evolution of the meet

Between 1978 and 1998, FINA’s crown jewel ran every four years, filling the even gap between Summer Olympic campaigns. But in 2001, FINA switched gears to a biennial format. The latest edition before COVID was the 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, from 12 to 28 July 2019—191 nations plus a Refugee Team of FINA Independent Athletes turned up. The 2020 and 2021 shows went on hold due to the pandemic, but the splash is back: the 19th Champs run 18 June to 3 July 2022 in Budapest, Hungary, and the 20th hits Fukuoka, Japan, from 14 to 30 July 2023.

The USA rules the medal table with a whopping 622 medals (268 golds), China clocks in next with 326 (146 golds), followed by Russia, Australia, Hungary, Italy and Germany. At the athlete level, Michael Phelps leads with 26 golds, then Svetlana Romashina (21), Natalia Ishchenko (19), Ryan Lochte (18) and Svetlana Kolesnichenko (16). Achana na mimi—Kenyan fins are yet to snag a medal here, but local swimmers are making splashes in domestic meets and open-water races.

Aquatic events line-up

The first Worlds featured four disciplines: diving, swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo. Later, open water swimming debuted in 1991, and high diving joined the roster in 2013—bringing the total to six. FINA also offers men’s, women’s and mixed events. Whether you’re googling "diving meaning" or checking "rules of water polo," there’s plenty to follow.

Swimming’s roots go way back—think Stone Age paintings of early paddlers. Modern competitive strokes emerged in 1830s England, with the National Swimming Society hosting races as early as 1837. Today, pool lovers in Kenya search for "swimming pools near me" and enjoy variants like pool races, synchronized displays, water polo scrums and even open-water challenges.

The FINA World Swimming Championships rank among the biggest sports events on earth—over 4.5 billion people tuned in (live and tape-delayed) for the 15th edition in 2013. With that global buzz, it’s no wonder "sport betting online" now includes "odds on bets" for aquatic action. Kenyan bettors, who already love football markets, are diving in here too. Mambo!

Secondly, local sportsbooks like Betika, Sportpesa and Mozzartbet have upped their game, adding swimming, diving and water polo to their menus. From "betting odds" on 100 m freestyle winners to "5 sure odds today" parlays mixing EPL picks with aquatic specials, the FINA Worlds are drawing serious punters.

1. Know your sports. There are six aquatic games in FINA Worlds—get the gist of each, from pool sprints to high diving. That’s the core of any solid betting tips strategy.
2. Find the right bookmaker. Not every bookie covers water sports, so look for platforms that accept M-Pesa and Airtel Money for easy deposits and withdrawals.
3. Study form and odds. Just like you follow the English Premier League and bet on your favourite teams, you can apply similar strategies to FINA World Swimming Championships. Compare "betting odds" on swimmers with familiar football markets—lower odds often signal favourites.
4. Snap up local bonuses. Kenyan sites often offer welcome boosts—think a free bet worth KES 1,298.70 at Betika or deposit matches at Sportpesa. Check the latest sports betting bonuses.
5. Play safe. Always pick a licensed operator under the BCLB and stick to your budget. Remember to gamble responsibly. For help, call 0800 722 200 or visit Responsible Gaming KE.

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