Guest post written by Paul Micelli
The last 15 years has seen a huge number of changes in the way UK residents view gambling. The jaded image of an all-male clientele throwing betting slips on to the floor of a smoke-filled bookmaking outlet has given way to luxurious super-casinos, mind-boggling lottery games and, of course, the explosive growth of online gambling.
Sport betting, in particular, has seamlessly made the transition from town centre high streets to the internet because of the significant advances in user-friendly interfaces that stretch technology to ever-increasing limits. The result is a myriad of superb online resources that offer an excellent experience for serious and casual bettors alike. Indeed, there are a number of distinctive benefits that can be enjoyed when sports bets are placed online.
Convenience
Convenience is by far and away the most obvious benefit to online betting. Wagers can be placed from the comfort of one’s own home with nothing more than a home PC and a reliable internet connection. Indeed, many sports bettors now used mobile broadband technology and laptop computers so that bets can be placed from any location in the world. Online sports betting sites are particularly convenient for those who live in rural locations where land-based bookmaking outlets might not be present.
Variety of Sports
Online sports betting is a fantastic way of taking part in familiar sporting events such as horse racing, greyhound racing and football. However, another great benefit of placing bets online is the wider number of different sports that become available. Site members can spread their wings to all four corners of the world and many bettors now enjoy less traditional betting activities including NFL football, basketball and NASCAR racing.
Variety of Bets
Sports betting websites offer a much wider range of betting action than their land-based counterparts. Although many punters still prefer to place bets using the fractional odds system, online betting activity also incorporates decimal odds, tote betting and spread betting.
Spread betting, in particular, is a market that continues to enjoy unrivalled growth and also lends itself to a wider range of different betting choices. Large sums of money can be won (or lost!) on special bets such as the number of runs a batsman can score in an innings at cricket and football enthusiasts can even place wagers on the total number of points worn on the shirts of goal scorers in individual events.
Bonuses
The world of online sports betting is incredibly competitive and to attract new custom, most websites have introductory offers that provide bonus bets based on the size of an initial deposit from the customer. The more money that is placed into an account, the better the bonus will be. Bonuses can range from anything to a cash-match offer on the first deposit made (some sites offer up to 200%) or free matching bets.
Security
Many consumers remain nervous about online security and still feel wary about divulging sensitive personal information or credit card details. In the modern age, the vast majority of online sports betting resources invest huge sums of money each year to ensure that their software stays several steps ahead of those who indulge in fraudulent behaviour. Indeed, most websites offer unconditional protection for customers if their accounts are illegally tampered with.
