For those that take part in in-play betting, once a ball has been kicked, their eyes remain firmly fixed on the prize. The expansion of technology means that sports betting can now be undertaken in every minute of every game, meaning that sports betting itself has grown exponentially.
Most popular in-game bets
There is a standard money line, points spread and totals which are offered at almost every minute – not just an interval.
For those that want faster returns, most take on roulette-style wagers. That is, the next player or team to score in football for example.
Origins of in-game betting
Of course, in-game betting has not always been a thing; in fact, it has been a concept that has developed over a period of two decades which first began in the late 1990s when bookmakers would take bets over the telephone as the game progressed.
Naturally, if you have placed a bet on before a game for one side to win and by half-time that bet looks almost impossible to come in, you lose interest.
In-game wagering was a way of keeping the punters interested in what was happening throughout a 90 minute game of football, for example. As might be expected, it was the rise of online betting that allowed in-game betting to grow too, with wagering at the touch of a fingertip rather than a drive to a local bookmakers.
The challenges
Customers are demanding more, and competition means that product will be driven to include more betting options. With this growth, data must be tracked and knowledge of each market must be held on to whilst any extraordinary occurrence must be accounted for – a facet which is extremely difficult to do. And, with an extraordinary occurrence comes better opportunities for punters to raise more money as they take advantage of a soft line.
The statistics
According to the 2016 Gambling Commission, up to 25% of online gamblers have placed a bet in-play. And, in 2015, a Bet365 review declared that 80% of all their sports betting revenue came from bets made in-play.
A larger number of bets can be made with the introduction of in-game wagering too; the match result at half and full-time, the number of goals and cards and the goal-scorers’ names can all be wagered on, and, it’s no surprise that punters are fixed to their technology throughout a game.
The dangers
Naturally, with betting comes dangers, but with in-play betting these dangers are enhanced. Impulsive and compulsive betting are commonplace following inducements in live play. Of course, the illusion of control that comes with mobile betting can lead to a spiral of negative behaviour.
With almost any event of a match/fixture present to bet on, the opportunities are endless, hence the incredible consumer usage of these markets. But as in-play betting continues to rise, so will the dangers.
