Did you know that volleyball is one of the most popular sports? And not just in Europe but across the globe. It’s no wonder that bookies must cater to a wide variety of bets and offer more specialties than you would find in other sports. Oh, and you can bet on volleyball all year round, making it one of the best sports to wager on – the opportunities keep presenting themselves. And from this 1xbet review, you can feast your eyes on the many other ways to enjoy volleyball betting – including live betting, great odds, a range of events, etc. But how did volleyball come to be, and what propelled its growth over the years? Let’s find out:
How it Started
It might shock you to know that volleyball has only been around for a century or so. The game started back in 1895, an invention credited to William G Morgan. The reason? – Back then, and even now, some people could not keep up with basketball due to all the movements. But they also wanted to have a sport which they could enjoy. So, he figured that volleyball was a great alternative.
Volleyball was a culmination of the best aspects of the games that existed back then. He used the net found on tennis courts, hand movements from handball, and a ball like you would find in basketball. And later, he borrowed the aspect of sets from baseball. Just like that, he had created a game that would rise to the ten most popular sports globally.
Armed with his invention, William debuted the game at a YMCA Physical Director’s Conference in 1896. And while the game did not have a clear format, the YMCA attendees were happy with it. It soon became a part of the YMCA network, known as volley ball at the time.
How was the game played? There was no limit on the number of participants, and they could dribble the ball in the air continuously four feet from the net. Moreover, there was no limit on hits, and players could assist a served ball across the net. The rules also stated that any balls hitting the net were a fault.
The Evolution
The coming years saw the game become even more popular. It spread through South America, Africa, and Asia. There was a need to come up with rules that would make the game much easier to coordinate. The basketball-inspired ball was also deemed too heavy for use in volleyball. So, in 1900, a new ball was introduced. It was much smaller and weighed less than the basketball. Players could thus shoot it in more ways, opening up a range of strategies.
At this point, the rules were still not standard. Instead, they were a draft on which the YMCA could build on over time. So, in 1900, they raised the net to 7 feet and 6 inches, eliminating the dribbling line. And they also changed the length of the game to 21 points. These rules persisted for 12 years before the committee saw it fit to change the gameplay.
Thus, in the years that followed, the following changes occurred:
- A special ball was made for the game,
- The set and spike offensive style was introduced,
- The game changed from 21 to 15 points,
- Back row attack rules came into play.
Even so, seeing as volleyball was played across the globe, there was no standard to the gameplay. Each region adhered to different gameplay as there was no inter-competition.
The Global Reach
In 1947, regions came together to establish the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), comprising representatives from 14 countries. This association was held accountable to regulate volleyball globally. Thanks to its formation, volleyball was granted Olympic status in 1957 and finally made its debut in the 1964 games.
The FIVB has grown in the past seven decades and now comprises more than 200 affiliated bodies. This growth enables it to host championships throughout the year, including world championships, world cups and FIVB grand championships cups. Thus, there are numerous chances to wager on this popular sport, including beach volleyball – have fun!