Many people enjoy betting on favourite sports teams, games and tournaments. While in the past betting was often done at a physical venue such as bookmakers, betting online using a mobile phone is now an increasingly popular choice.
These days smartphones are an integral part of everyday life and are owned by over 90 percent of people under the age of 55 years. Mobiles are used for everything from shopping and searching the web to connecting with friends on social media,to enjoying mobile games.
In recent years the amount of people using their devices for gambling has grown rapidly. One activity that is popular is online betting and placing wagers on sports game outcomes, particularly football.
Research has shown that out of all those who had participated in a form of gambling within the last four weeks, 50 percent of those gambling online had done so using their mobile phone. This is an increase of six percent on the previous year.
One clear reason for the increase in people betting on mobile is the growing popularity and interest in sports betting in general, due to betting sponsorships. A lot of major football clubs such as Aston Villa and Birmingham Football Club have been sponsored by a sports betting company.
Due to this, fans of these teams have greater exposure to betting advertisements and are more likely to hear about the latest betting sites and mobile apps.
More people are also betting on mobile because of the convenience it offers…
Using smartphones to place bets removes the need to travel to a specific gambling venue and means that bettors can play in a more comfortable setting that suits them. This might be while sitting at home on the sofa or at the pub when watching a game with friends.
Another example is horse racing online betting. When punters are in the stands at large events like Cheltenham or Epsom races, they might find it easier and more enjoyable to place their bet while in the crowd from their mobile phone rather than going to queue at the counter. This allows them to make bets in real world time and save themselves the hassle of betting in the traditional manner.
It also gives bet makers 24 hour access to betting sites. With modern lifestyles becoming increasingly busy and rushed, being able to bet at a time that suits you is important to many.
There are other societal factors at play here too. Some types of gambling attract gender stereotypes, such as bingo being more popular with women. While women may have previously felt more excluded in on land bookmakers, these barriers are not as much of an issue online.
Better technology is another reason for more mobile betting
Before the existence of modern smartphones there was no easy way to place an instant bet on something. Today’s smartphones often have fast and reliable internet access, as well easily downloadable apps, that can be installed from the device’s app store.
The cost of smartphones has also become much more affordable over the last decade. While the price of top of the range mobile phones such as Apple’s iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy range are still very expensive, there is a growing range of smartphones aimed at more budget conscious mobile users.
Examples of lower priced models include Google’s Pixel 3a series and the OnePlus 6T. Even Apple have launched a more economically friendly phone with their iPhone SE series.
As more people purchase smartphones the size potential of the online betting market continues to rise.