Budgets are a constant concern in life. Everyone wants to reduce their spending as much as possible these days. But what about when you’re spending money on something you believe in? Something you enjoy?
The concept of ‘spending wisely’, ‘being thrifty’ and ‘saving’ have changed dramatically in the last few years. We’re now seeing the rise of the ‘sporty rich’. People are enjoying life and want to be able to bet on their favorite sports teams. And what does betting on sports have in common with saving and spending?
The number ‘150′ is frequently used in sports betting. It indicates how much a person should wager on a given sporting event, according to the accepted guidelines and traditions of that sport. For example, a tennis bookmaker may offer odds of 150-1 for a certain match. This means that for every $1 you wager, you’ll win $150. Win or lose, it’s up to you.
Some books will even allow you to make parlor games with friends and family by putting together teams of celebrities, sports figures and fictional characters. You can have them each put in $100, then you’d divide the pot according to how much someone won or lost. The more you bet, the more you win.
More Than Meets The Eye
It’s a bit of an unfair assertion to say that sports betting is a new phenomenon. After all, people have been placing wagers on the outcomes of various sporting events for as long as there has been betting. What is new is the way in which technology has made it so much more accessible and simple. And what is making it more accessible and simple is the internet.
In the old days, if you wanted to place a bet on a sporting event, you’d have to visit a bookmaker, place your wager and then wait for the outcome of the game. While waiting, you might get lucky and win or lose some small amount of money. Not to mention that you were limited to what they had to offer and needed to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.
With the advent of the internet and electronic gaming, all of that changed. Now, you can place your wager from the comfort of your home. You can also keep an eye on all of the games that interest you, even when you’re on the move. This is mostly due to the fact that leagues, organizations and broadcasters have adopted internet betting as a norm. It’s simply safer and more convenient to do business online. Plus, there’s no chance of getting ‘greased’ or ripped off when you’re playing from home.
More Than Meets The Eye (Cont’d)
Online sportsbooks are also much more selective in terms of which countries they’ll allow players from. For example, most of the bigger sites won’t accept Canadian dollars, which means that you’ll have to use a VPN to connect to a US-based site to place a bet. But the convenience of online betting, coupled with the explosion of mobile gaming, has made a massive difference in terms of how people are able to get involved in sports gambling, whether they like it or not. The lines between ‘real’ and ‘casual’ gambling have blurred greatly.
And what about that number ‘150′? Why is it used in sports betting and what does it mean? Let’s take a step back and examine the history of sports betting. Where does it come from?
The first official sportsbook was established in the United Kingdom back in 1881. The industry in the UK really took off in the 20s and 30s, with tracks like Epsom and Cheltenham adopting a betting format and creating a more formalized environment for sports wagering. In the UK, the term ‘tipster’ was used to refer to a person who gave expert tips on sporting events, and many bookmakers gave credit to these individuals, in part, for the volume of wagers that they generated. Eventually, this concept of ‘tipsters’ evolved into ‘tipsters’ websites’, which allowed people to get in-depth analysis of sporting events, often with detailed odds, straight up or otherwise, for each team or player involved.
The first tipsters’ website that I am familiar with is Betfair, which was launched in the UK in 2001 and is now available to users from across the globe. This is mostly due to the fact that, at the time of its inception, Betfair allowed its customers to place bets from anywhere in the world, provided that they had an internet connection. Hence, the reason why it is frequently used in conjunction with VPNs when betting from outside the UK. More and more sportsbooks are following suit and allowing for online betting from anywhere. It’s simply a matter of time before this is the case for every sportsbook.
It was back in the UK in 1933 that sports betting first received legal recognition. Prior to that point, it had been largely regarded as an illegitimate activity, akin to ‘gambling’. But with the coming of the ‘video’ age, along with the convenience of online betting, this all changed. In the UK, it was initially banned by the 1967 Gambling Act. But this was more of a formality, as far as the law was concerned. The fact of the matter was that the industry had already begun to permeate society, both legally and otherwise, and it was only a matter of time before the legalities were brushed aside once more.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Inevitably, with any new industry or habit, there are drawbacks and advantages. Sports betting is no different. As with any other form of gambling, there are some obvious pitfalls that you need to avoid. But, at the same time, there are some benefits that you may not have considered. Perhaps the most important thing for those interested in sports gambling, particularly professional athletes, is to stay wise. Know when to bet and know how much to bet. There are many scenarios in which an athlete or a team could benefit from some sports betting involvement, but only if they keep things within the spirit of the rules.
As with any new industry, the popularity of sports betting is creating a problem for those trying to keep up with demand. While it’s always nice to see a business grow and prosper, there are certainly indications that this is becoming a bit too much for the industry to handle. Even now, many sportsbooks are struggling to keep up with the increasing traffic, as more and more people want to place bets after the sporting events that they follow have finished. This is creating a problem for those operating these sportsbooks, as they need to ensure that enough servers are in place to handle all of this traffic, otherwise, everything will grind to a halt, which would be a major problem for the bookmakers, as well as the customers, who may lose access to their funds.
If this is your experience when placing a bet on sports, then why not give it a try instead of risking your financial security every single day by going into debt? You might find that this is a much more enjoyable and sustainable way to live your life. And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll look back on this time and chuckle, knowing that it was all because we were too scared to let our personal finances get tangled up in unnecessary risk-taking.