Sports betting is one of the world’s most popular pastimes. With so many quality providers in the industry, one of the leading ways that companies can welcome newcomers is by offering welcome deals. For example, one type of popular offer is free bets, which are activated when a user places their first deposit.
These types of free bet deals lessen the risk for those who want to bet on a new sport or bet for the first time. However, deals like free bets, deposit matches, and risk-free wagers aren’t the only reasons that punters will sign with a new company. Instead, many are on the hunt for the markets they can use these wagers on.
And when it comes to new trends in the betting world, in-play (or live) betting is becoming more sought-after.
A Century in the Making
For those who don’t know about wagering on sports, live or in-play betting is a type of wager that occurs while a live event is unfolding. And while virtual betting technology has greatly simplified and streamlined this type of wager, it’s actually been around for well over a century.
Back in the day, oddsmakers would camp out in the far-right field at Boston’s Fenway Park to offer live wagers on baseball games. Punters could bet on whether the next pitch was a strike, ball, or a walk. However, the lack of technology and a subsequent squash on sports betting set this trend behind. Fast forward to 2002, and the first online bookmakers began offering a more reliable type of in-play betting. Though rudimentary, these in-play markets set the stage for the recent boom.
Staying Quick on Your Feet
In 2018, the US Supreme Court lifted a federal ban on sports betting. Though the activity has been around for decades in places like the UK and Las Vegas, the betting boom in the US has led to plenty of competitive innovations. In-play markets might be one of the biggest.
But why would a bettor choose to wager live on an event rather than wait to see how their original bet pans out? It’s all about timing. A heavy favourite might balk (literally or figuratively) after the game begins, or an underdog might see a major come-up early on, which means the odds will shift.
For some bettors looking for high-value odds, it makes more sense to stick to in-play markets as they keep a hawk’s eye on the event. Still, live bettors will need to be wary, as in-play markets roll over quickly, and it’s easy to get carried away with the next attractive offer.