Once upon a time, betting on your favorite sport was a labor of love for only the most dedicated fans.
You’d not only have to go to a physical location to place your bet, but you had to get creative to get the information you needed.
Poring over newspapers and staying glued to the TV were pretty much the only sources of information you had. And that data wasn’t always accurate, upping the odds of you losing.
Technology has, luckily, changed all that. As a result, the world of sports betting has evolved so that anyone can join in on the excitement. Let’s look at some of those changes.
Mobile Betting Apps
You no longer have to go to a betting shop to wager. However, you don’t have to be in front of a computer either. Instead, you can place any bets you want right from your smartphone.
You can go to your favorite sports bar, hang out with friends while watching your favorite games, and still place your bets.
No matter what your preferred sport is, you can bet on it from your phone. Everything from football to horse racing is available, and most bookmakers have their own apps.
Easy Access to Data
Access to information is vital in sports betting as it helps you make wiser decisions. However, it used to be very difficult to get hold of.
Sports almanacs, newspapers, and the TV were about the only options. Even worse, plenty of scammers tried to trick people by providing inaccurate data.
Nowadays, though, you have all the data you need at your fingertips. You also know the information is valid because it’s easy to verify using multiple sources.
Furthermore, all that data is up to date. No need to wait weeks to see recent data. You have it all available at your fingertips, no matter where you are.
Virtual Reality Is Changing the Game
Virtual reality is having a significant impact on sports betting. You can now watch your favorite games as if you’re there.
Even better, with VR headsets, you can even see angles you wouldn’t be able to if you were there in person.
VR is also adding an entirely new slant to sports betting through “live” virtual fantasy games like hockey, football, and basketball. You can bet on them to your heart’s content, or you can even join in on the game yourself.
Improved Betting Margins
Before online betting, you didn’t have many options in terms of bookmakers. Unfortunately, the low level of competition often translated into a poor customer experience, such as poor deals on betting lines and margins.
Companies would take a large percentage out of the total bets, but you couldn’t do anything about it. You couldn’t bet with someone else because there was no one else.
Nowadays, competition is stiff. Not only are there many more bookmakers, but you’re no longer limited by geography. You can live in the wilds of the jungle or the middle of Siberia and still bet on your favorite sporting events, as long as you have internet access.
All this competition means that betting margins have dropped as bookmakers try to entice punters. Of course, lower margins mean higher profits for you at the end of the day, which is always a good thing.
Complete Betting and Gambling Platforms
Nowadays, you don’t have to travel from one place to another to enjoy all sorts of betting and gambling.
You can easily do it on one platform. You can even choose to use cryptocurrencies to bet with instead of cash, thanks to multiple casinos and bookmakers accepting a wide range of cryptocoins, including Bitcoin.
No matter where you are, you can enjoy any form of betting and gambling you like.
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology is rapidly changing the world and that includes the sports betting industry. You can use cryptocurrency to place your bet if you sign up to a BTC casino, which will help you maintain anonymity.
Even better, blockchain technology ensures faster processing times for payments, meaning that you can get hold of your winnings quicker than ever.
Live Streaming
With live streaming, you can now watch all your favorite sporting events right on your bookmaker’s website. You no longer have to rely on sports channels to provide you with access to your preferred games.
You can watch whatever you want, whenever you want. Thanks to live streaming, you also have more opportunities because of in-play betting.
In-play betting means that you place bets as the game evolves live. That’s pretty tough to do if you don’t have live streaming and easy access to your bookmaker.
Plenty of Extra Value
Little competition in the world of sports betting meant that you would never see extra value from your bookmaker. Well, not unless you were a “whale.”
Now, though, all the competition has resulted in a better customer experience and a lot of extra value.
Sports betting companies provide all sorts of special offers, bonuses, access to tools, and much more.
All these extras mean that you have a much better chance of leaving with a profit than ever before.
Conclusion
Thanks to technology, the sports betting industry has seen a lot of great changes. Punters can now bet from anywhere while having access to all the data they need to make better decisions.
It’s also far easier to watch the games, thanks to live streaming. You also have access to more opportunities, so betting on sports is easier than ever before.