Breaking Boundaries: The International Surge in Sports Betting in Activity
Unless you live under a rock, there are good odds that you’ve seen a sports betting ad on TV. Maybe you saw the ad on Instagram. Or you spotted a billboard featuring your favourite celebrity promoting a bookmaker.
Betting companies have been promoting their businesses left, right and centre. Most of them give you free bets to earn your trust. A few bookies will even buy you tickets to watch the Super Bowl or the World Cup Finals if you are a VIP customer.
How did sports betting become such a huge business?
Increased Legalization Globally
It’s estimated that over 100 countries support legal betting OR sports betting. In the US, legalization started in 2018. States have the power to accept or reject betting. Thirty-eight out of 50 states have so far approved the industry.
Around the world, sports betting is legal in nearly every country, from Canada and Mexico to Britain and Australia. It is also legal in South America, some parts of Africa, most of Europe and a few Asian countries.
Unlike casino gambling, sports betting is socially accepted by many cultures. People might oppose slots. But where there are sports fans, there’s a market for sports gambling.
Another explanation is that many countries with legal sports betting laws permit online gambling. You don’t need to leave your house to bet on sports. You just need a smartphone and Internet access.
Fast and Easy Payments
Mobile banking makes it easy for millions of people to deposit and bet on sports online. Companies like PayPal, Apple Pay, GPay, and Skrill provide fast and smooth transactions in multiple countries.
The best part is that you don't need a bank account to deposit money through mobile apps. You can fund an account using a card like Visa or MasterCard. You could also fund it with Bitcoin or your preferred local payment method.
Many betting sites have a minimum deposit of $10. Depending on your chosen payment option, you could deposit as much as $100,000. Choose a fast payment option for convenience.
Mobile wallets and cryptocurrencies offer the fastest way to deposit funds to a betting. Bank transfers are great for withdrawing large amounts of money. But they can take time to process a transaction.’
Free Bets and Bonuses
Let’s face it. The opportunity to bet on sports free of charge is one of the main reasons people join sportsbooks. Imagine you’re a football fan who watches the English Premier League weekly.
There’s a big game between Manchester City and Chelsea. You’re confident Chelsea will win the game. Then you spot an ad promising you a bonus to wager on any game of your choice at no cost. There’s a strong chance you’ll claim the bonus.
Betting bonuses come in different forms. Some bookies give you a ‘Second chance’ bonus. This means you receive a free bet if your original bet is a loss. Others match your first deposit 100%.
Although betting bonuses are lucrative, they're not free money. They have terms you must fulfil. For example, you need to roll over your bonus 2x or 3x before you can cash out your profits.
Comprehensive Sports Coverage
In sports betting, everyone has a chance to wager on their favourite team or athlete. It doesn't matter where you live. If you cheer a legitimate sport, you can bet on it.
Do you live in Australia? You can bet on Australian rules, rugby, soccer or basketball. Are you a Canadian? Hockey, lacrosse, Canadian football and baseball are all offered online.
Many betting sites arrange every popular sport in one section. However, they prioritize particular leagues and events. For example, American bookies focus on March Madness in March. But they switch their attention to baseball once the basketball season is over.
That being said, football is the most popular sport for betting. Outside the US, most betting sites have hundreds of football betting odds. The beautiful game comes first while others play second fiddle.
Mobile Betting
More people bet with their smartphones than through any other device. It is easy to see why. Smartphones are cheap and easy to access in all parts of the world. In some countries, up to 80% of the population access the Internet through a smartphone.
Betting on a mobile device is easy and convenient. You don’t even need to download an app. With today’s sportsbooks, all you need is a functional browser like Safari, Chrome or Firefox.
The best mobile betting sites are packed with sports and bonuses. They have intuitive features and load pages fast. If you need to bet on an upcoming game, you can place your wager in a few clicks.
Another reason people prefer betting on their phones is that smartphones are convenient. Most people travel with their smartphones everywhere they go. But no one carries their cubicle desktop out of their house unless it is broken.
Safety and Transparency
Gone are the days when betting online was a risky affair. In this age of strict regulations, scams are few. It is easier to find a genuine bookmaker with a few Google searches.
Genuine sportsbooks are in the business of earning your trust. They give you fair odds. If you win, they process your cashout requests fast. Additionally, modern bookies have secure websites that encrypt your data and give you tools like 2FA to protect your data.
Of course, it is difficult to trust a new sportsbook even if it has a secure website. However, thanks to online reviews, you can learn about a bookie’s trustworthiness before you create an account.
Unless a bookie is completely new, you can discover everything you should know about it online. You can read about its odds, bet types, sports coverage, bonus terms and payout speed. This way, you only choose sites you love and trust.
In Conclusion
Sports betting is surging globally because of several factors. First, governments are legalizing it. Legalization gives people the confidence to bet on sports. Secondly, betting sites are easily accessible through smartphones. Some of them actually lure customers with amazing freebies.
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