The Rise of Sports Betting and the Technology Behind its Surge in Popularity

Sports betting has become the most prominent figure in online betting. There is no online wagering avenue that is as popular as sports betting. You might be asking yourself how this has come to be. The last time you checked, online poker and blackjack were still at the forefront of it all. But over the last few years, there has been a sudden shift toward sports betting. There are quite a few factors regarding this surge but all of them lead back to the advancements in technology. It is tech and the software linked to tech that has truly made sports betting what it is today.

This article aims to shed light on the tech surge behind the rise of sports betting that has made this industry as famous and illustrious as it is today.

Increased Visibility and Globalization

One of the biggest reasons for the rise in sports betting is the increased visibility and global scale that the sport now receives. Don’t believe it, read more about it here if you want to take a deep dive analysis into the figures and trends. Never before have people been able to bet from so many places in the world. A decade ago people in South Africa knew about rugby but didn’t know so much about American football because those two worlds never crossed. However, now, due to the global nature of the sport, being able to watch any game at any time and then place a bet on it, people all across countries know the finer details of a sport that ten years ago they had never even heard of. An interesting development to say the least.

The Nature of Betting is Digital

The interesting thing about betting is that its nature is actually digital if you think about it. You might disagree with that statement, especially if you’ve been gambling since the brick-and-mortar ages, however, how online casinos operate today, the digital aspects of the game are undeniable. One of the main reasons sports betting has become so popular is because people can not only bet from anywhere and on any game in the world but also because of the pace of technology that works with betting.

 You see, with betting, you don’t have a lot of time to make up your mind. You need to get your bet in as fast as possible, especially with sports because if you wait too long, the moment is already over. This is where the speed of the Internet, the speed of sites and the speed of people’s at-home Wi-Fi come into play. Being able to partake easily and speedily has turned betting into quite a digital phenomenon.

Micro Betting at the Helm

Another aspect that has led to sports betting’s popularity and is rooted in technology is micro betting. Never heard of the term before? Well, you’re in luck because you’re about to learn everything you need to know about it.

As the name implies, micro betting is the process of placing bets on small actions. This does not mean that the investment you put down needs to be small per se, however, it is more typical for it to be on the more reserved side, as there are thousands of micro betting opportunities in every game. Getting lost? Alright, stay with it and you’ll understand. For example, say you are watching a game of NFL football and you want to place a micro bet. You would look for the seemingly small moments of the game to get your bet in, such as whether or not the umpire is going to award the penalty or not, whether the linesman saw a fault and whether a tackle was incorrectly executed. These are all smaller moments that happen in a game but ones that you can get on easily.

Now, the main reason you can make these bets is because of, you guessed it, the speed and stability of the Internet and online gaming sites. An online gaming platform needs to be extremely robust to handle as much online traffic as a football game would bring, it also needs to be fast enough to save the bet in those few seconds before a call is made and then issue a win or a loss to the gamer. This is why the job of a gaming software developer is in such demand because it’s really rough to program and code all of this but it’s imperative for the success of sports betting online.

The Power of Technology

As you can see from the above, technology has had a massive impact on the world of sports betting. This makes a lot of sense, seeing as people say that the world is living through its fourth industrial revolution, whereby technology and specifically advanced technology is at the helm of how the world moves and operates.

An interesting thing to keep your eye on over the next years is just how much artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) will start to play a role in sports betting. They’re already part of the betting world but just how engrained they become as a technology will be a fascinating development to observe. Chances are it will turn the industry on its head but who knows, the only thing you can do is wait and see.