Sports Then and Now

Online sports betting began in 1996 when the first online wager was placed on a website for an FA Cup soccer game. Since then, sports betting has changed, and it has gone on to be one of the most profitable gambling sectors in history.

Today, many use the internet to place their wagers on sports events. It’s contributed heavily to the online betting industry, which is now worth billions of dollars. With its seemingly unstoppable rise and popularity, it’s also expected to expand and reach even greater heights in the near future.

But as we all know, the future wouldn’t happen if there was no history. This article will focus on how online sports betting got to where it is today. Here’s how online sports betting evolved throughout history.

Regulation and legislation changes

When the sports betting industry first took off, it wasn’t regulated closely enough. Most websites had licenses to operate and provide services without having to comply with strict requirements. So back then, scam sites were difficult to distinguish until someone’s already been victimized by one.

Nowadays, thanks to the regulation and legislation changes in different countries, players are now more secure. They can be confident that their information and money are safe, especially now that many online gambling jurisdictions exist to legalize and license those who want to operate and provide gambling services online. There’s still room for improvement, but we definitely have a safer betting environment now.

Increase in betting sites

Intertops was the first website to provide online betting services. In fact, it was where the first online wager was placed. Many more followed suit after them in 1996, and until today, more and more websites are being launched where you can bet on sports.

The fact that the current volume of online gambling websites exists means the industry is very competitive. The growth in their numbers is also because more and more countries have started to legalize sports betting. Now, you can do sports betting in the Philippines and other regions where no one could because of the laws. Bettors now have virtually unlimited options where they can place wagers.

Wider event coverage

Most sites have sportsbooks that cover so many events that one person can even count. Different types of sports mean plenty of different types of wagers. The more choices, the better, because many casual bettors enjoy betting on various sports and events.

Improvement in user experience

Obviously, the technological advancements in our era today has brought upon a much better user experience on betting websites. There have been many improvements in quality, such as more options in withdrawing and depositing, and the speed of settling wagers is much faster than before.

User experience has improved drastically that it’s tough to see where it can get from here. There’s sure to be more improvements in the coming years as more online gambling operators aim to be at the top of their competition.

More competitive lines and odds

This is a development that many bettors like in online sports betting. The odds and lines are more competitive, although there haven’t been massive changes in terms of this aspect. Even just the small differences in odds and lines can significantly impact your earnings, and that should be good enough for any player.

Mobile betting

Mobile betting has been on the rise in recent years. Some sites have released smartphone apps where you can place wagers on whatever is on their sportsbook. This makes betting even more accessible to anyone since the use of smartphones have been part of most people’s lifestyles in the past decade. Ultimately, this makes online sports betting more convenient.

Final thoughts

The online sports betting industry has gone through quite the developments since it existed. Various trends influence the online gambling industry as a whole, and what it says is mainly that the industry will change at a faster pace. We can only be sure that it will undergo more developments, and it will progress as the years go by.

Author’s Bio:

Luther Abrams is an online game and sports enthusiast who spent his younger years playing and watching basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and badminton games, among the many others. Today, as an early retiree, he continues to write about his love and passion for sports. On most days, he also loves to play ball with his two kids.