For many people in the US, betting on sports is a privilege acquired one or two years ago. Before then, the only option was to visit Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Surprisingly, sports betting is growing at such a fast pace that it has overtaken land-based casinos.
With growth comes new companies that want to tap on the growing demand for sports betting. It also attracts trends aimed at beating the competition or making the industry better overall. In 2020, these are some of the biggest trends ruling the US sports betting scene.
Mobile Betting
Throughout the US, states are legalizing sports betting in two forms: land-based and mobile betting. The latter is more of a trend among states focused on making gambling as convenient as possible.
So far, at least half of states that allow sports betting accept online bets. From Illinois and Indiana to New Jersey and Iowa, the fever is spreading throughout the country. That said, some states aren’t allowing online betting based on the fear that it would add unnecessary competition to land-based casinos.
Is the fear justified? Truth be told, online betting is the most common way of betting in many states where sports gambling is allowed. However, it’s not spelling doom for land-based businesses.
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, brick and mortar sportsbooks have noted an increase in the number of betting customers that learned about betting online. In other words, mobile betting is providing a gateway for land-based sportsbooks to score more customers.
US Sportsbooks on the Rise
For many years, the only way of betting online in the US was through offshore casinos and sportsbooks. Not many companies allowed American punters. So, you had to research extensively to find a reliable bookmaker.
If unlucky, you would fall into the traps of a scam sportsbook and lose your money. Some sites were genuine, but their odds purposely kept low. Fortunately, those dark days are gone. And they were replaced by legitimate, competitive betting companies.
Thanks to sites like betting.us, which provide USA sports betting guides, finding a dependable American sportsbook is easy. The sites do the heavy lifting of analyzing multiple websites and ranking them from best to worst. Well, they avoid terrible sites, so let’s say best to average.
In-Play Betting
In-play is a form of mobile betting that involves wagering on games while they happen. It’s a fast-growing trend and for good reasons. For starters, it extends the deadline for betting on specific games.
More importantly, it’s an exciting way to engage with sports. Think about it. You’re a baseball fan that also likes to bet. With in-play betting, you don’t just place your wager and head home to watch the game.
You hold your mobile device in your hands while glaring at the TV to watch baseball. When a team hits a home run, you check the new odds given for the other side. If you like them, you can place a bet. If you delay, there goes your opportunity.
Many sportsbooks provide live betting opportunities for all sorts of sports. So, you can bet on football, soccer, hockey, basketball or even darts. The odds change constantly, but betting opportunities arise at every minute of the game.
Free Bets and Bonuses
If you bet on sports online regularly, you must have experienced a plethora of bonus offers. Nearly every bookmaker has a bonus these days, mainly free bets for new customers. They give out free bets hoping that new punters will spend real money over time.
Should you accept betting bonuses? It depends on the terms given. A free bet with no terms besides creating an account is a godsend. In contrast, a bonus that involves spending so much money afterward is probably not worth it.
In case you’re wondering, some sportsbooks have bonuses for loyal customers too. So, it’s not just new players that get free bets. In fact, some sportsbooks give out their best rewards to loyal rather than new customers.
Subscribing to Tipster Sites
Tipster websites are mushrooming throughout the US. And can you really blame them? There’s a growing demand for sportsbooks in the country and people want to win. Tipsters come in handy with their knowledge on sports gambling.
Of course, tipster sites aren’t created equal. Although they might claim to have winning records, only a handful of experts make correct predictions consistently. That’s why some professional gamblers advise against paying for betting tips.
Instead, they encourage that you research alone. And if you have to get a second opinion, read tips on free websites. If you want to pay for tips, though, choose your tipster carefully. Ask for verifiable records and read reviews to discover the best-rated sites.
Sportsbooks Providing Betting Data
Another new trend in the US sports betting scene involves betting websites providing betting data. Not only do they deliver injury reports, lineup and head-head statistics. Some sites also feature tipsters that predict popular games.
The explanation is that many sportsbooks want to attract customers at all costs, even if it means helping them predict games. Can you trust betting tips from bookie sites? In many cases, tipsters from betting sites provide hints rather than clear predictions. And they focus on analyzing stats, leaving you to make the final prediction.
Betting Sites with Live Streams
Analyzing games aside, some sportsbooks also provide a mean to watch popular games free of charge. The only requirement is to bet regularly. And then you can watch a variety of matches weekly on your mobile device.
Like providing betting tips, the explanation behind streaming services revolve around dominating the market. Some companies want to be a one-stop shop for everything related to sports. And in doing so, they can eliminate the competitors or take away some of their valued customers.
In all fairness, bookmakers that live stream games and provide sports betting data deserve success. They provide valuable services to their customers free of charge. And isn’t that the true purpose of a reliable betting website?
