Sports betting has been a popular pastime long before it was officially legalized. The earliest archaeological evidence of sports betting dates back from the end of the Bronze Age.
Around 700 BC, Ancient Greece began its first sports betting activities. Soon enough, sports betting activities spread to other parts of the world and were used by other empires as a form of entertainment.
The Romans legalized sports betting, leaving records of gambling activities during gladiator events. In terms of American history, the first forms of sports betting were usually linked to horse racing.
Betting on horse races was a common practice during the 19th century in the United Kingdom and in America. Fans of betting games then began to bet on other activities and sports over the years.
Baseball, basketball and football betting followed and prospered throughout the 20th and 21st century. Nowadays, websites even exist to help sports bettors to compare statistics and assess each team’s chances of winning.
For example, bettors can look at NFL odds before betting on a NFL team or a NFL player.
But how has technology really impacted sports betting? Are such websites truly changing sports betting itself?
Will it change the future of sports betting? This article will explore the influence of technology and new apps on this long-standing activity.
What technologies are impacting sports betting?
The twenty-first century is a century full of new technological developments and tools. Some of them are directly impacting the sports betting industry.
Here are the technologies and developments that have most influenced the industry.
- Mobile apps
Mobile apps have made sports betting more accessible, convenient and accessible to bettors than ever before. Players can now instantly place their bets and can do so from the comfort of their home.
They can send out money instantly and securely and do so at any time of the day. They are beginner-friendly and therefore perfect for those who are just starting their sports betting journey.
There are also many sports betting apps with different types of interfaces. Players can find the one that they find most user-friendly and that suits their needs best.
Some apps also specialize in a specific type of sports betting. For example, some of them might focus on baseball betting whereas others might specialize in horse races.
Players now have plenty of betting apps to choose from and can easily find the one that suits them best.
Mobile apps are revolutionizing the sports betting industry by making sports betting more accessible. These apps are helping the industry expand and conquer new markets by attracting new players.
- Live features such as live betting
Thanks to the internet, players can now participate in live betting activities from almost anywhere in the world. They no longer have to be present in person at a sports betting event.
They can follow it remotely and place their bets as they go and as the game unfolds.
Live betting is a fun sports betting feature that helps make sports betting more accessible, even to those who cannot necessarily afford to attend an expensive in-person event.
It helps bettors connect with others particularly through live chat rooms offered by some sports betting providers. On top of that, live betting makes gambling more exciting and thrilling.
It raises the stakes and makes betting more entertaining and exciting for players.
- Websites with forecasts and team’s statistics
Many websites and AI tools now help bettors predict potential winners ahead of a race or match. These tools allow sports bettors to make more strategic choices and increase their chances of winning.
There are many websites to choose from with different types of interfaces. Players should bear in mind that these forecasts are not always correct as shown during the more recent FIFA 2022 World Cup.
The winner might just be the underdog who nobody expects to win.
Regardless, these websites are useful for bettors as they include each team and player’s statistics. Bettors can always use them to develop a betting strategy based on these statistics.
- Betting offers offered by sports betting providers
Sports betting providers are using different marketing strategies to attract new clients and gamers. These include offering attractive and advantageous betting offers.
These offers are sometimes reserved for certain types of betting activities or sports. They are changing the industry in the sense that they are helping to promote lesser-known sports and betting activities.
For example, providers might offer very advantageous welcome packages to players who bet on a lesser-known horse race. By doing so, they bring attention to that race and help boost its popularity.
Final thoughts
The sports betting industry will most likely continue to rise in popularity over the next decades. These different technologies are contributing to its growth and success.
As shown in this article, bettors have plenty of options to choose from and can easily find the app, sport and/or provider that works best for them.