Retirees Have a Passion for Pickleball — and One Man’s Related Side Hustle Rakes in Up to $5,000 a Month Bahman Mody saw an opportunity he couldn’t ignore on Instagram.

There are more than 4.8 million “picklers” in the U.S., according to a 2022 report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association — devotees of the pickleball pastime often described as a combination of tennis, Ping-Pong and badminton.

It even claims the title of America’s fastest-growing sport, with a 40% jump between 2019 and 2020, per the report. And though all ages are getting in on it, more than half (52%) of players participating eight or more times a year are 55 or older, with nearly a third (32.7%) 65 or older.

Related: Pickleball Injuries May Cost Americans $400M, Especially Seniors