Los Angeles has almost everything you could want from a modern metropolis. From fantastic food to vibrant nightlife, golden beaches, beautiful views, celebrity sightings, and of course professional sports, this Californian city boasts plenty of drawcards.

When it comes to sports, the City of Angels has the highest concentration of professional US sporting teams compared to any other city in the country.

Whether you are into football, hockey, baseball, basketball, soccer, or even minor sports like esports, cricket, or surfing, LA has everything a sports fan could ever dream of.

Perhaps the only thing missing from LA’s sporting culture is the opportunity to bet on matches. While many other states can place online wagers, Americans are restricted to opening new betting accounts when they are out of state or in countries with legal online sports betting – like Australia.

Wondering what makes LA the biggest sports city in the world?

Read on to find out!

The Biggest Sports City in the World? Los Angeles, California

NFL: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers

Just six years ago there wasn’t a single NFL team in LA, but since then the city now has two. Both the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers were founded locally, in 1936 and 1960, but they each relocated to other major US cities for a few decades.

Despite this, 2016 saw the return of the NFL to LA with the Rams coming back first followed by the Chargers a year later in 2017.

LA has also been home to the infamous Los Angeles Raiders who played at the LA Memorial Coliseum from 1982 to 1994, winning a Super Bowl title in 1983. The Rams also won an NFL championship in 1951.

The LA Rams and LA Chargers both play at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Image credit: Jack Kurzenknabe, nflsketches.com 

NHL: Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks

Many Angelenos don’t consider Anaheim a part of LA but if Long Beach can be considered a part of the Los Angeles area, then the Anaheim Ducks are also a local team.

That gives LA two professional NHL teams with LA Kings entering the area in 1967 and the Ducks in 1993.

Despite storied histories in the league, the Kings and Ducks didn’t see championship success until 2007 when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup followed by the Kings’ two titles in 2012 and 2014.

The LA Kings play at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles while the Anaheim Ducks play at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Image credit: pointnshoot (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

MLB: Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Anaheim-Los Angeles issue also comes up in baseball, as the LA Angels play in Anaheim, and have had various name changes which both include and omit the ‘Anaheim’ part of their name.

Despite this, the current name ‘LA Angels’ makes it clear in our minds at least that LA has two MLB teams.

The Dodgers have an interesting story that began when the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers moved from the East Coast to California in 1958. Since then, the Dodgers have been a key member of the MLB Western Division with 6 World Series titles – most recently in 2020.

The LA Angels play at Angel Stadium in Anaheim and the LA Dodgers play at Dodger Stadium in Elysian Park, Los Angeles. The Angels also won one World Series title in 2002.

Image credit: Chris Yarzab (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers

There is perhaps no Los Angeles-based team with a bigger name than the LA Lakers.

With 12 NBA finals titles, including one last year with superstar player LeBron James and past players including Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West the Lakers are the pride and joy of LA sports for most NBA fans.

Still, the LA Clippers (who are yet to win an NBA Championship), are one of the most exciting teams this year and many online betting sites are backing them to go far in the NBA playoffs.

Both the LA Clippers and LA Lakers also play the same arena – the Staples Center.

Image credit: Alexandra Walt via Flickr

MLS: Los Angeles Galaxy, Los Angeles FC

The MLS name gained international attention in 2007 after England star David Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy that year.

The Galaxy was the only LA-based MLS team for a long time, but thanks to the expansion of the league, they’ve now got a local rival in the LA FC – they entered the MLS in 2018.

The Galaxy is the most successful soccer team in the MLS’ 25 years of existence with a total of five MLS Cups.

The LA Galaxy plays at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson whereas LA FC plays at Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park, Los Angeles.

Of course, Los Angeles’ sporting scene is not just restricted to major professional US sports. Los Angeles is home to a number of other college teams and minor league teams like the UCLA Bruins, LMU Lions, Los Angeles Wildcats, and Sentinels League of Legends team.

Los Angeles has also hosted a wealth of major international competitions from the 1994 FIFA World Cup, to the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympic Games and was even scheduled to host an ESL One Dota 2 Major in 2020.

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 100+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.