Sports have always been a vital part of the human civilization from ancient Greece, Rome, to Mayas. In order to make sports more appealing, people started betting on how it might end. Therefore, sports betting is one of the eldest forms of gambling if not the eldest.
History of Sports Betting
First recorded sports bet is older than 2 thousand years and comes from ancient Greece. It is the ancient Greeks who invented the Olympics Games which included betting. From ancient Greece, betting went to Rome where it became a legal and widely accepted form of behaviour. Romans had Arenas where gladiators fought and they gambled on the gladiators.
From Ancient Rome, it went across Europe. During the dark ages, when everything was prohibited by the church, sports betting went behind the radar where it stood until it was time to emerge as a legal form again. This occurred in England where horse racing became highly popular. If you saw the Peaky Blinders, you would know a thing or two about it. Sports betting and is highly popular in England and from there, it spread across the world and to the US In the US, the federal ban on sports betting has been lifted in 2018 and over twenty states have already legalized some sort of sports betting.
The development of the different types of sports alongside globalization has further popularized sports betting throughout the world. Now, it is a highly lucrative industry.
The Emergence of an Online Market
Sports betting has been profoundly influenced by the emergence of an online market. Prior to the internet, sports betting hasn’t been as popular as nowadays since it is now available 24/7 on all devices all around the world. Nowadays, players don’t have to visit a physical sportsbook in order to place a bet, they can do it from a bus or their home. Or even whilst on a trip to a different country.
Furthermore, the online sector is large and competition is high which provides a lot of decisions for players and the operators constantly have to race and provide competitive odds and bonuses.
The Future
As we saw, people started to bet on sports since they have been invented. Sure, sometimes it was illegal and under the radar but it never ceased. Therefore, it is logical to assume that sports betting will never stop to exist. Additionally, the online sector is continually growing and will most likely further develop in recent years. It will be interesting to keep up with the pace of technology and see how it unravels. What do you think the future of sports betting holds?
