The changing face of Sports Betting

The old days of popping into a bookmakers and putting on a bet can seem very old fashioned for today’s crowd. Of course the rise in betting apps is in large part responsible for that, with anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection able to place a bet from the comfort of their  own home, or while out with mates watching the game and having a pint.

The betting shop days used to be a bit haphazard with a sometimes a frantic push to put a bet on before a big event or race, and occasional issues with betting slips (often due to poor handwriting!). Online of course that’s no longer an issue, and really the only mistake you can make is betting at the wrong odds or putting too much on, and that is your own issue.

The advent of online bookmakers and its ease of use also brought with it an avalanche of different bet types. I don’t by default mean those we’re used to via horse racing accumulators and the like (singles, doubles, trebles, heinz, trixies, yankees, the list goes on), instead very specific outcomes within events. Take football for instance, where you can now bet on the number of corners, cards, assists, and any number of other outcomes within a game at the click of a button. There are of course also more typical best such as half time – full time result, number of goals and so on.

With increased access to what amounts to a bookmaker in your pocket there have been pushed by some to clamp down on betting, and ensure that those having a flutter be it on a World Cup game, or a big race like the Grand National, stay within their limits. The government is still (after several delays) deciding on the structure of new gambling laws, and punters, the general public and betting companies alike waiting to see what is thrashed out, so that there is an awareness of where we go from here!