Pickleball: One of the Fastest Growing Sports in the USA

Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the USA over the past four years. Participation has grown by 311% over the last three years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). In 2024, an estimated 19.8 million Americans were playing the game, and there were over 50,000 courts. It’s a cross-generational sport, and the average pickleball player is around 35 years old. The future looks bright, but there are also likely to be some challenges ahead.

What is pickleball?

Pickleball is a racket sport that was invented in 1965 in Washington State. Three dads lacking proper badminton equipment to entertain their children made adjustments to the net, paddles, and ball. They took inspiration from other racket sports to come up with the rules for the sport. It combines elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton.

Can Americans bet on pickleball? While online betting in the US is available in seven states, betting on pickleball is not yet available at most sportsbooks. It is still a relatively new sport, so this could change in the future.

Court and equipment

When you attend pickleball events, you will see that the court size of 40 x 20 feet is smaller than a tennis court but about the same size as a badminton court. A low net makes the game easier for beginners to learn.

Player equipment includes a paddle and a hard, plastic ball. The paddle is smaller than a tennis racket but bigger than a table tennis paddle. It is made of lightweight materials such as aluminum, graphite, or composite materials. The ball is hollow and typically white or yellow in color. The diameter of the ball is about three inches.

How to play pickleball

Players serve the ball diagonally across the net and underhand. The serve must clear a non-volley zone, an area of seven feet on either side of the net. Certain rules are different in pickleball than other racket sports.

The ball must bounce on either side of the net before a player can volley. After the double bounce, a player can either volley it or play off the bounce. This makes rallies last longer, and strategy and skill are important. A rally continues until a player hits the ball into the net or out of bounds.

• Only the serving player can score a point. If the receiving side wins a rally, they get the opportunity to serve.
• In a doubles match, both players on one team have the opportunity to serve before the other team gets a turn.
• The first side to reach 11 points, while leading by at least two points, wins the game.

The rise in popularity

Pickleball has become one of the most popular sports for both men and women. At first, it was seen as a sport for middle-aged people or retirees. However, this has changed thanks to the attention the sport is receiving on social media.

You can see videos about funny moments, gameplay highlights, and more. Many celebrities play the sport, and you can see them playing it on TV reality shows. Three hot spots for the sport are Dallas, New York, and Los Angeles.

Reasons why it is so popular are that it is easy to learn how to play it and you can play at any age and level of fitness. It isn’t as physically demanding as tennis due to the small court, but it can still provide a good workout. It also offers an opportunity to socialize and have fun. It’s a fast-paced game that a whole family can enjoy playing together.