When it comes to the world of sports betting, sports fans worldwide have witnessed an impressive evolution in the activity. Ever since the first online sportsbook was released to the world in 1996, operators within the industry have slowly been improving their services and products. Aided by advances in technology and programming, activity in the digital realm has significantly increased and online sportsbooks are reaping the rewards of that progression.
The Growth of Sports Betting
The concept of odds for sporting outcomes has been around for centuries. Origins for the first signs of betting odds can be traced back to the late 18th century, when Harry Ogden first started attributing odds to horses at Newmarket racecourse. This new system began to spread around the world and odds started appearing on a wider range of sports. A new experience was created and as a result, sports betting as an activity began to grow. Via high street shops, we have arrived at a point now where placing online bets is second nature to sports fans.
For perhaps the most popular sport across the planet, sports betting operators worldwide have focused plenty of effort into their football markets. Initially, odds would be created in anticipation of a match or tournament taking place. If a punter decided to take particular odds, they would be locked in as fixed or static odds.
Odds would change right up to the point of an event starting but once bets were locked in. The problem was, there was a lull while the action took place to decide the outcome. And at the end of a match, bets from the wide range of markets from first goalscorer to correct score, first yellow card and the number of overall corners would be settled. There was no filling in the sandwich.
Bet along with the action
However, that all changed with the introduction of in-play betting. As the clock ticked into the new millennium, sports betting operators were already eyeing up the next game changing feature to dazzle football fans with. The new innovative feature brought an immediacy to sports betting that covered topics only talked about in the terraces but never represented on betting platforms.
Betting odds were given an injection of dynamism and suddenly, there was more action to be had during a match. Live betting during football matches changed the way football fans interacted with the sport. In the past, the action would take precedence. However, with the introduction of live betting, fans could back up those conversations before and during the match with bets. All the speculation as to who would score next could be instantly backed.
Closer to the Action
The concept of “putting money where one’s mouth is” changed the matchday experience completely. Football fans now had a new avenue of interaction paved for them that created new levels of suspense and excitement. Live betting markets continue to be scoured by the day by football fans worldwide.
The concept changed the face of betting, with in-play betting now commonplace across all well-followed sports. New features have since emerged such as bet builders, scoreline freezes, and substitutes replacing players named in a bet. For the average football fan, he or she is brought closer to the action with experience-enhancing live betting feature.
