Sports fans are enjoying access to their favorite games like never before. 24 hour sports channels like ESPN were revolutionary when they were introduced but now that access has evolved into the next wave. Each major sport has their own satellite TV package which makes out-of-market games available to fans around the globe. Online streaming sites mean you don't even need a TV to watch these games. At any given time 24/7 a person call pull up a game or a horse race from their phone or tablet. It truly is the best time ever to be a sports nut.
Let's not kid ourselves – one of the major reasons why all these different sports packages thrive isn't just because people like to root on their favorite team, it's because they like to cheer for their wallet as well. Pretty much the only reason viewers are still glued to a 34-10 NFL game late in the fourth quarter is to see if the total of “45” is going to hit.
Let's not kid ourselves – one of the major reasons why all these different sports packages thrive isn't just because people like to root on their favorite team, it's because they like to cheer for their wallet as well. Pretty much the only reason viewers are still glued to a 34-10 NFL game late in the fourth quarter is to see if the total of “45” is going to hit.
It makes sense that the convenience of watching sports coincides with the increased access for bettors to place their wagers. Think about that evolution in itself. When you first wanted to place a bet or settle a wager back in the day you had to meet your 'local' almost like an illegal substance deal. Legal betting shops made that a lot easier but then Internet wagering changed the game completely.
The next revolution in sports betting was the combination of Internet wagering combined with smartphones. Forget finding a local or even visiting the betting parlor anymore, now you can place your bets for the day from your phone on the morning train ride to work. Devices like the Apple Watch mean you can place a bet essentially while on a bathroom break.
Even Betting Apps Have Gotten Easier
When first released many of the sports betting apps were simply mirrors of their Internet web sites. This was actually pretty convenient for customers of those sites – it meant you didn't have a new layout to get familiar with. Now wagering apps are being released independently of a web site and they're so easy to navigate that you can sleepwalk into placing bets.
888 Sports has released a Pokemon Go-style betting app that makes users collect free bets just like they would a Pikachu. Granted the app is designed for adults but it still means you're constantly searching for a bet. A different adult-inspired app was also an inspiration for a betting app in the form of the Tinder-ish swipe left, swipe right program called Bookee.
So Is Convenience a Bad Thing?
It's easier to bet than ever and there's countless numbers of sports available to watch from home to make your man cave resemble a sportsbook. This raises a question that should be addressed in that “is this convenience encouraging people to bet?”
There are two schools of thought to this. First, the simplicity of the wagering is only benefiting people who were going to bet anyways. Instead of logging onto their computer to wager, consistent bettors are now just doing so from their phones. There's no additional wagers, they're just being placed in a different manner.
Then there's the approach that the influx of betting apps and sports gambling advertisements is subliminally driving people to wager. If somebody has a problem gambling history they would have had access to slots and lottery tickets regardless. It could be argued that their odds are a bit better with sports wagering then they would be on those random games of chance.
As for the increase in streaming sites, all that does is make sports betting even more exciting. Now instead of placing a wager and either checking scores later or following along waiting for a refresh on a sports websites you can enjoy the thrill of the bet live. Win or lose, that still stretches a bet out 2-3 hours which is a much better investment than pulling a slot reel.