Every year tens of thousands of students exchange their books for mobile devices as they head back to school. But what does the resurgence of the ‘pod’ mean for avid readers and those who love to place bets on competitions? Read on for our guide to the latest technological developments that might affect your gambling pursuits.
Why Digital Pads And Phones?
It is fair to say that the last few years have seen a notable decline in the sales of traditional books. The rise of the e-reader and the decline of the actual ink on paper book have heralded an interesting transition in reading habits. What used to be a luxury item to have a beautifully bound book is now considered a necessity to have on hand at all times.
This has led to a boom in the sales of digital reading devices, such as the Kindle and the Nook, not to mention the various apps that can be downloaded onto mobile phones and tablets. In fact, according to a 2017 report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), worldwide e-reader and tablet sales reached nearly 41 million units in 2017, a 22% increase over the previous year. This figure does not include phones, which is arguably where the real action is at these days. The global market for mobile phones and tablets was worth around US$260 billion in 2017.
Big Changes Ahead
Whether you’re a fan of John Steinbeck or not, you cannot argue that the writer’s 1934 novel, The Grapes of Wrath, was anything but prescient. The novel, which follows the fortunes of a group of farmers and their families as they travel from their homes in the Great Plains region of the United States to a refuge in the Southwest, paints a vivid picture of the struggles that many American farmers face in these trying times.
While Steinbeck’s depiction of rural life in the 1930s was arguably somewhat stylized, it remains an apt description of life for many American farmers who find themselves struggling to make a living in an increasingly complex and technologically advanced world.
One of the things that has made the novel so enduring is Steinbeck’s vivid descriptions of the migration that followed. Much like the farmers in Steinbeck’s fictional Grapes of Wrath, many American families find themselves unable to stay put and instead seek a better life elsewhere. This has led to a steady stream of emigrants moving to the big cities in search of work. This trend was summed up by one economic expert as ‘rural to urban migration’. It was a theme that Steinbeck’s fictional Grapes of Wrath, along with many other books chronicling the Great Depression, portrayed so well.
The City Of The Future
While the Great Depression was officially over at the end of World War II, many were surprised to see how many people continued to leave the cities in search of a better life. Even more surprising was the fact that many of those who stayed behind built more houses and developed an even greater demand for goods and services. This trend was summed up by one expert as ‘the urban revival”.
Even today, as the United States enters into the second decade of the 21st century, many people are still leaving urban areas in search of a more affordable and desirable lifestyle. While this has been a trend for decades, the ease of international travel has made it much more convenient for people to live in one city and work remotely. This trend has made the concept of ‘right-sizing’ cities popular, as communities look to reduce their oversized police and fire departments while providing the services that their residents need.
The trend is not just limited to the United States. Globally, we are seeing more and more people moving to cities, which are seen as a safe-haven from the uncertainty of the outside world. One expert even predicted that by 2050, 80% of the world’s population will live in cities. This trend has huge ramifications for those interested in betting on sports, as many of the most popular sports are now able to be tracked and analyzed with sophisticated statistics packages.
A Sports Revolution
One of the significant changes that have stemmed from the proliferation of information technologies is how sports have changed. Thanks to things like instant replay, graphics optimization and live streaming, fans are now able to follow events as they happen rather than having to wait until the event is over to verify whether or not their team won.
Teams and leagues now have the ability to closely track and study match stats, which have led to a complete revision of how wins and losses are tabulated. This has had a significant impact on the betting public, especially in the context of football. Thanks to things like the ever-present probability of an incomparable outcome in any game, along with the availability of expert betting advice, fewer and fewer people are likely to be caught out by the odd result.
More Than Meets The Eye
While many have focused on the ways that technology has affected sports and those who like to bet on them, it is important to remember that sports have also had a significant impact on technology. It is now possible to live stream sporting events as they happen thanks to advancements in the field of digital video compression, which led to the development of things like the YouTube video platform. The explosion of online viewership led to innovations in live chat systems and the creation of many sports-related websites.
The advent of online gambling also played a significant role in the development of sports and gaming. While most people think of sports betting when talking about online gambling, it was in fact the growing popularity of things like Fantasy Sports that really started the ball rolling. Thanks to things like live sports betting and daily fantasy sports contests, it is now possible to follow nearly all of the world’s top sports events from the comfort of your home.
Technology has undoubtedly changed the face of sports and gambling and it will continue to do so in the years to come. The ‘pod’ generation is now entering the workforce, which means that they will have an impact on how sports and gambling are perceived in the coming years. While it is exciting to see how technology has transformed sports and gambling in recent years, it is also important to remember that this is a constantly evolving landscape and that new challenges arise as the old ones are overcome.