How Athletics Sports Betting Has Evolved Over The Years

How Athletics Sports Betting Has Evolved Over The Years

Pulse Sports Team 12:32 - 14.01.2025

Betting has become one of sports main attractions. It has grown from a simple piece of entertainment to a massive industry worth billions, all thanks to the development of the betting market and how, thanks to additions such as parlays, huge wins have been attainable for anyone at any price.

The best thing? It will only grow bigger and bigger thanks to the implementation of social media and the ability to place bets from the comfort of your home. This article will deeply explain how sports betting has gone from informal wagers between friends to one of the world’s biggest industries.

The Early Days

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Although Athletics sports betting has had a massive increase in both overall growth and popularity, things weren’t that big in the beginning. It all started with very simple sports where people could go and put their money on, this sport, of course, was none-other than horse-racing, which was responsible for the introduction of betting in sports. Betting, although it may not seem like it, has been around ever since the Greeks and the Roman Empire were the centre of the whole world.

However, what was back then known as betting is nowhere near to what we know as betting nowadays, as modern betting started to take shape during the 19th century. However, it wasn’t until the 20th century that betting became a popular pastime, with the UK opening its first betting shops in the early 20/30s, which enabled customers to bet more comfortably on what, still, was one of the most likeable sports in the world: horse racing.

However, it wasn’t until the first betting shops had developed that athletic sports were considered for betting, although once they did its popularity was imminent and its growth was considerable. Rapidly, betting, which was an unregulated and “illegal” activity, slowly started to meet the specific criteria to become a safer and, especially, legal form of entertainment, although things weren’t as such until the late 20th century, where a vast amount of laws and organizations arose to create a healthier and safer environment for an ever-growing industry that was rapidly catching everyone’s eyes.

Technology: the betting boom

However, if there’s one thing that has severely impacted the growth of betting, specially athletic sports betting, it has to be technology, whether it includes social media, the internet, or any other device/software that has had its impact on the rapid growth sports betting has had.

During the late 1990s, many betting shops decided to make a big step, creating web pages that enabled users to place their wagers from the comfort of their home, giving them the ability to get even more excitement from their favourite sport, all without needing to physically place a bet on the required betting shop.

With the launch of the smartphone and the development of apps, betting sites created their own accessible phone applications to give users a much better experience, creating, not only a much more comfortable way of betting, but also allowing for more diverse bets, which has directly affected the current betting landscape. Online betting sites such as Novibet emerged, guaranteeing users accessible wagers for all pockets whilst also enabling the betting industry to develop considerably.

The current landscape

It’s clear there’s been a huge development of what betting is if we compare it to its early days, but, considering how quickly the industry is changing, it will only grow bigger and bigger. Technological developments alongside easy and global accessibility have made sports betting closer as ever, with practically everyone being able to place a wager, any time, any place, anywhere.

Nowadays, betting has transformed from a simple activity based on luck to a research-based industry where masterminds can create generational wealth. Athletic sports betting has also developed considerably, as users can bet on any given sport, whether it’s football, cycling or even marathons and videogames, the options are countless.

Social media has played a massive role in the development of athletic sports betting, as it has transformed betting into a trust-worthy activity where individuals share their knowledge in order to guarantee the biggest wins.

The sky's the limit

As technology grows, so does athletic sports betting. With the shifting trends in technology and the appearance of AI-based tech, sports betting will become much more interactive, immersive and accessible.

The truth is only time will tell, but sports betting, although being one of the best-regarded activities in modern society, will only get bigger and bigger, creating a very strong industry where bettors will continue to play and adapt to technological changes that will only improve their overall experience.

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