Over the past couple of decades, the sports betting industry has boomed worldwide and, in few countries, has it enjoyed the level of success that it has in the UK. Famously, the general British public enjoy placing a punt on a sporting outcome but the advent of accessible betting through online gaming platforms, has completely transformed the marketplace.
Inevitably, there are trends within the sports betting industry that ring truer with punters than others and key sports such as horse racing and football continue to create the most traction for sportsbooks in the UK. There are plenty of bookmakers that can feasibly lay claim to being the best online football betting sites in the UK and such competition within the sphere has only added to the growing returns sportsbooks are enjoying annually.
Pinpointing an exact moment or rationale behind the UK betting market booming is no easy task but the advent of accessible sports betting coinciding with the developments in daily lifestyles transferring into the online sphere, has certainly played a big part in how popular sports betting has become in the UK.
With the British sports betting industry showing absolutely no sign of slowing in relation to its growth, here is a rundown of some of the most influential factors in the boom within the UK sports betting sphere:
Accessible Betting
Being able to bet on any sporting outcome, at any time and any place is hugely appealing to sports fans and it is that accessibility that has seen the concept of sports betting transcend to a whole new level.
Prior to the advent of the online sports betting boom, players would have to place a physical bet in-person, nullifying the accessible nature of betting in its current guise and often prolonging any potential winning returns.
For many, placing a casual sports bet as the action unfolds has become part of the action and the increased markets available to players, has given the whole vocation of sports betting a far less elitist feel and the concept of sports gambling has certainly made it into British society.
Market Variety
The aforementioned popularity of football and horse racing betting is a staple within sporting society in the UK and nothing will ever remove that from being ingrained into the psyche of millions of British sports fans.
However, plenty of players are starting to see the value in accessing other sports betting markets – whether that be due to winning potential or having a better knowledge of a different sporting discipline.
Sportsbooks have been quick to the draw when it comes to accommodating different market offerings with traditional sports such as tennis and golf, holding their own in a betting market alongside the likes of e-sports and speedway.
As with any commercial industry, offering out more services and markets is generally a sign that a business sector is growing and with every sportsbook in the UK seeking out specific niches that can enable them to attract more custom, the boom in the UK sports betting world looks fully set to continue.
Fierce Market Competition
Another sign that a particular industry or sector is performing well is the accompanying bandwagon jumping that tends to take place. If a company is seen to be performing well and returning good numbers, then similar or rival companies will be doing all they can to up their game to pick up a piece of the pie financially.
Whilst sportsbooks have been part of the fabric in the UK for over a century, the reality of the online boom is taking hold and there are as many as 200 different online bookmakers in the UK alone – all offering sports betting services.
An essential part of the output for bookmakers is the way in which they manage to entice new and existing customers to place bets with them. This has made way for a burgeoning free bet offer and promotion market, which sees bookmakers look to essentially outdo each other, in relation to the offerings they serve up for players.
Of course, this works both ways and if a punter can exploit these opportunities within the industry, there is scope to potentially see some financial returns however, most bookmakers are looking to acquire as many sports betting customers as possible and with market competition fierce, it is very much dog eat dog in the sports betting industry.
