_Sport betting, casino and poker apps have become wildly popular over the past couple of years.  Almost every week now a new sportsbook, Texas Holdem app or casino game is released for the iPhone and iPad.  If you ask any mobile gambler what the single greatest benefit these betting apps are, they will invariably tell you that it is their convenience and portability.

Thanks to betting apps for iPhones, Androids and BlackBerrys, you can now place a sports bet, play a few hands of Omaha poker or enjoy a game of Blackjack, whenever or wherever you are.  As a result, betting apps for iPhones have become indispensable for those who travel a lot.  For this reason we’ve put together a few tips for using betting applications while on the move.

NATIVE Vs WEB
Iphone betting apps that are downloaded from the App Store are called Native betting apps.  Native betting apps work great for all types of mobile gambling and are generally free to download and use on your iPhone.  The downside is Apple sometimes restrict the use of these type gambling apps to certain Countries and jurisdictions.  If an iPhone sportsbook app is licensed in the United Kingdom, then it will work perfectly in London but it will fail to activate when you arrive in New York.

Web apps look and function in the same way as Native apps, except that you access them via the iPhone’s Safari browser rather than the app store.  These are no restrictions on where these apps can be used. 

If you are someone who travels a lot, we would recommend you sign-up with mobile betting companies who offer web apps rather than native apps because they will work anywhere in the world.

USE FREE WiFi
Many airlines and train companies now offer free or subsidised WiFi to their customers.  Playing mobile casino or poker games on an iPhone does require a pretty solid connection.  Losing your 3G connection when you’ve got a dream hand would be a catastrophe.  It is always worth enquiring if free Wifi is provided regardless of where you are.

PRESERVE YOUR BATTERY
One of the great things about the iPhone is the great battery life.  When you run out of juice it usually pretty easy to find a charger that you can borrow.  If you do find yourself on a long journey and your battery is running a bit low, there are a couple of things that you can do to prevent it going dead. 
  • Turn Off Wifi - If you are not using WiFi you should turn it off in Settings as your iPhone is continually searching for a WiFi connection otherwise, which is a drain on your battery.

  • Switch Off Geo-location.  If you are using an application like Google Latitude that tracks your location, you should also temporarily disable this feature to preserve your battery life.

  • Lower Brightness Levels – Everyone who owns a smartphone knows that watching videos or playing games can eat your battery.  If you are playing a lot of poker and casino games while travelling, it is a good idea to lower the brightness level on your iPhone to extend the battery life.
BUY A DATA PACKAGE
Data roaming charges can add up pretty quickly and sometimes it’s just not possible to find a free WiFi connection when you need to place a mobile bet in a hurry. If you want to use your sportsbook or poker apps while travelling abroad, you should first purchase a data package from your mobile carrier.  For a few dollars or euros you can usually buy a data package that give you peace of mind and let you use your favourite mobile betting apps as much as you like.