Sports betting is an old trade that has evolved throughout the history of humanity. Historical evidence shows that over 2,000 years ago, ancient Greeks used to bet on various sports. These were the pioneers of athletic games such as running, javelin, long jump, discus throwing, boxing and wrestling. The Olympics were the brainchild of the Greeks in honour of Zeus, the god of the sky. Betting was also extended to animal fights. However, it is important to note that sports betting received criticism and support in equal measure from the Greeks. There were those of the view that betting had negative effects on the society, but with ideas that some of the Greek gods supported it, there was enough support for the people to bet on various sports. After all, the ancient Greeks loved democracy and were proponents of freedom of choice. The idea of sports betting spread to Rome where it was legalized, especially for the bloodletting gladiator fights in the arena. Nobles loved betting and some owned gladiators.

But as fate would have it, betting would suffer a major opposition from religious leaders who had an influence on the government. This pushed sports betting from the limelight to the back streets where it continued to thrive and spread to other parts of the world. It is important to mention that the English were pivotal in spreading the betting culture around the world. New sporting events such as horse racing brought more opportunities for betting. Although it was viewed as an illegal activity, the rich had the privilege to indulge in betting as a pastime activity. But this would change with the passing of the UK’s 1960 Betting and Gambling Act. This law allowed betting shops to operate in the UK and opened the doors for the industry to thrive. The advent of online sportsbooks coupled with the tremendous growth of the UK sports industry has brought betting to an all-new level. This article explores various betting opportunities in the industry and provides infallible tips on how newbies can succeed.

If you are a UK-based punter, you have all the reasons to rejoice because you will be wagering on the most secure sportsbooks in the world. This is because the betting and gambling industry in the UK is highly regulated. Here, there is a deliberate effort to make the playing field fair to the bettors. Although betting rules are set such that the house always has an edge, the regulator is keen on making sure that there is fair play for all players. All sports betting activities in the United Kingdom are monitored and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. For you to engage in any form of betting in the UK, you must be at least 18 years old. The main aim of this age restriction by the authorities is to protect children against the effects of gambling. This is understandable because minors may not have the capacity to make legally binding decisions. They also don’t own any assets so indulging in wagering may lead them to criminal activities in order to raise funds.

All bookmakers and sportsbooks operators are expected to enforce this requirement. That’s why they ask for identification documents from bettors. If they fail to do so they risk being fined up to £1,000. On the other hand, if minors are caught flaunting this law, any winnings from their bets are withheld. The commission is also not oblivious of the effects of betting on punters. It can be addictive and lead to self-destructive behaviours. It is common for addicted bettors to wager monies meant important things such as supporting their families. The ripple effect of such acts can be devastating to the social fabric of society. Therefore, bettors are provided with self-help resources that allow them to overcome the addictions that come with wagering. Here are some other things you should know about betting in the UK:

• Winnings on your bets are tax-free.
• Betting firms pay up to 15% tax on all revenue from bets.
• The law focuses on treating players fairly.

UK residents love betting. Statistics show that most bettors love playing at land-based sportsbooks with a Gross Gambling of over £3 million. This is almost double what online sportsbooks rake in a year. The industry is dominated by strong brands that have been in existence for decades. Such bookmakers continue to thrive in the betting industry because of winning the trust of the local bettors. Moreover, standardizing operating procedures across their shops allows bettors to get quality gaming experience irrespective of the shop they visit. However, as the popularity of online betting sites continues to grow, there is a high probability of land-based bookies to become less popular. There are about 9,000 betting shops spread across the United Kingdom. Most of these bookies are operated by the top four brands in the industry. This is an indicator of how the market appreciates strong brands.  

Statistics show that the population of punters in the UK has been on the rise since 2011. Even with the advent of online wagering sites, good size of this population continues to play at brick and mortar bookies. There are a number of reasons to explain this. For starters, the experience at the bookies allows players to socialize as they watch games. They share drinks with friends and catch up on social issues around them. This is something that doesn’t come with online wagering. Brick and mortar bookies allow punters to place big bets. It is therefore common for high rollers to frequent these joints. Unfortunately, online bookies offer small to medium bet limits. Although you will need to physically travel to a land-based sportsbook to place a bet, the process of wagering is a no-brainer. You will not need a bookie account.

Your bet slip comes with the details of your wager. These include the bet amount and the prize money in case you win. This is the same document you present to the bookie for you to claim your prize. Online bookies, on the other hand, require you to open an account with them. Moreover, land-based sportsbooks tend to focus on regional sports. They focus on what appeals to the local population, unlike online bookies that can focus on international sports.

Unlike land-based bookies, online sportsbooks come with lots of conveniences. You do not have to leave your busy schedule and travel to your favourite shop to bet. Technology has made it possible to place bets from the comfort of your home. And that’s not all! These wagering sites are also built to operate on mobile phones. This gives punters the power to wager on the go anywhere, anytime. You not only have spare time for other important things but also save on transport costs. For the average bettor, this cost-saving can come in handy to bankroll a few bets. This is because online bookies come with lower minimum bets compared to their land-based counterparts. Bets on these platforms are managed software and there are no human interactions. Sportsbooks rely on restricted access to manage how players interact with the system.

This allows players to open and operate private wagering accounts that are not accessible by other users. They also use data encryption technologies such as Secure Socket Layer to make sure that unauthorized persons do not intercept data flowing from users’ terminals, such as desktops and mobile devices, to company servers. Firewalls are also used to secure the servers and increase the level of data security. Remember that the bookies are required by law to provide a secure betting environment for punters. Non-compliance to this requirement can result in the cancellation of their operating license. Companies strive to provide platforms that are simple to understand and easy to navigate through. They achieve this by ensuring that the user interfaces of their platforms are not crowded with information and that menus are well-labelled. They also develop systems that are mobile-friendly to allow for on-the-go betting.

While land-based bookies focus on local games, their online counterparts have the advantage of providing international betting platforms. The opportunities provided by these sportsbooks are many. You can browse through the available sports and compare various betting opportunities before deciding which teams to wager on. This is something that you cannot find at the land-based sportsbooks. Odds are updated real-time on these gaming platforms. This means that you get all the details you need to make informed decisions.

If casino games are not your thing, you can explore sports betting. The good thing about wagering on sports is that you place bets on games that you love. If you are fond of a certain team, you can follow their performance through competitions while predicting their performance and stand a chance to win big. Most casinos have sportsbooks that handle bets placed on sporting activities. These gaming platforms come with the capability to track upcoming sporting events so that you can predict the outcomes. Before settling on a specific sportsbook, it is wise to find out what it offers. For instance, a good sportsbook will offer multiple games to bet on. It will also offer you multiple bets to suit various stages of gameplay. Another important factor to consider is how easy it is to navigate through the site both on mobile applications and web-based versions.

The game selection menu should be visible and not hidden under layers of information. The bet slip should also be visible and easy to access when playing on a mobile platform. This goes a long way in making your gaming experience a breeze. A good sportsbook will provide players with a comprehensive betting guide on all available bets. This will empower you with vital information on how to bet. Moreover, the best sportsbooks offer clients incentives such as Odds Boost on selected games to encourage them to bet. Occasional promotions that allow you risk-free betting can help you learn new games without risking your money. One secret to successful sports gambling is diversifying your gaming portfolio. For example, avoid placing all your bets on one team. Sports betting covers all manner of sports. Here are some of the commonly featured sports on sportsbooks:

• Football
• Horse racing
• Tennis
• Cricket

Football is arguably one of the most loved games in the world. Some of the most popular leagues include the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and Bundesliga just to mention a few. These leagues come with thousands of betting opportunities. Your ability to place winning bets will depend on how well you understand the game as well as the performance of your team. You will need to pay attention to team dynamics.

For instance, the overall performance of a team can be linked to the individual performance of players. Other factors to consider include team cohesion and how players match their capabilities. When you do your analysis, you will have a good basis to place your wager. Some of the popular bets associated with football gambling include Moneylines, Spread, Total Goals, Parlays, Futures, Proposition Wagers and Round Robins. Take time to understand how these bets work before placing them.

Horse racing is one of the oldest sports associated with betting. It is a sport that is fun to watch and you can enjoy it with your family and friends. Moreover, entry fees to racecourses are usually affordable. This means that many people can afford to participate in these games. One of the things you need to do before placing bets on a particular horse is to do a background check on their past performance.

This includes the personal best time in past races. Also, find out whether the pony has experienced any health issues in the recent past such as injuries or sickness. Horses that are recovering from such conditions may not perform optimally. Expand your check to all participating horses and compare their performance. This will give you the right information you need to place various bet types on your favourite horse. Also, find out who the riders are.

Experienced riders have a better chance of spurring horses to victory compared to novices. By comparing both the pony and rider information, you can predict how the horses will perform on the tracks and make better-informed bets. Some of the popular bets on horse races include Straight Bets which include wagers on wins, place, show and across the board. You can also place Exotic Bets such as exacta, quinella, trifecta, and superfecta.

Tennis is another popular game when it comes to sports betting. Wimbledon is probably the biggest event of the year for UK tennis bettors, but there are lots of other opportunities throughout the year. For example, the French and US Open, and the ATP and WTA tours. One of the reasons tennis is popular to bet on is that it’s a good sport for live betting as you can bet on each set while watching the match. This can make for even more exciting matches, especially when the players are evenly matched.

Just like other sports, it is important to understand how the game is played as this will help you to know the best bets to place. The simplest is straight wagers which predict wins, losses or place. In-depth knowledge of the past performance of a player and their current strength can be used to place Futures. You can also place In-Play bets based on the performance of a player in a match.

Cricket is one of the most exciting games to watch and one that has a large international following throughout the Commonwealth. If you are following the ECB National Club Cricket Championship or supporting the national team at the international level in the Ashes or the World Cup, you will have plenty of opportunities to place a bet. The bottom line is to understand the rules of the game and what constitutes a win and a loss. You will also need to analyse individual teams.

Develop a betting strategy that works best for you. For instance, you will need to identify the key statistics such as team strength and how they are likely to influence the competition. You will also need to be keen on trends and patterns that will make your predictions laser-sharp. Be deliberate about honing your ability to forge gaming strategies. For instance, combining live and simple wagering techniques can help you advance your prediction skills.

There are various types of bets you can place during a cricket tournament. These include Match Betting which focuses on which team will carry the day in a match. Tied Matches predict which matches will end in a draw. Teams can play a series of matches in which case Series Winner wagers can be placed. Other bets include the Outright Winner in a competition and team propositions such as Win Toss and Toss Combination.

As mentioned earlier, sports betting is broad. It covers games not featured in this writing. For instance, games such as boxing, motor racing, tennis, golf, baseball, and darts have a huge following in many parts of the world. With online gaming, you can find opportunities to place bets on your favourite sport. The only catch is to make sure that you have sufficient information to develop a gambling strategy that works.

The advent of GSM technology and smartphones made it possible for people to access the internet even in remote places. Today, billions of people around the world access the internet through mobile devices. Betting firms have not been left behind either. They have built online gaming platforms that are mobile-friendly. This allows players to play games both for fun and for real money on the go. This has contributed to the rapid growth of the industry.

While some platforms are built to be mobile-responsive to all modern browsers, some sportsbooks prefer to build native mobile applications based on the operating systems of the target devices. This approach comes with its benefits such as improved user experience in terms of speed and smooth gameplay. Native apps also provide better graphics and crisp animations which contributes to the overall user satisfaction Most standalone betting applications are built for:

• Android apps for smartphones and tablets
• iOS apps for Apple's iPhones and iPads

Although betting can be rewarding, if not checked it can be destructive. There are some basic rules that you need to adhere to help you succeed as a bettor. For starters, avoid wagering on games that you do not know how they are played. This is equivalent to wagering blindly and you will surely lose. When betting, use money that you can afford to lose. For instance, this could be money set aside for fun.

Develop a gaming schedule that allows you to take breaks. Do not forget the priorities in your life such as family and career. This way you will make sure that you do not gamble away money meant for family. When you lose, avoid playing to recover your money. Avoid gambling when you are intoxicated or angry as your judgment may be impaired. Bet for fun and not as a means of livelihood.

When it comes to choosing the right bookie, there are various factors to consider. For starters, you want to play at a sportsbook that guarantees fair play. The gaming platforms offered by the company should not be biased. Top firms in the industry get third party experts to audit their systems and issue certification for fair play. Also, good bookies are highly regulated by renowned government authorities who ensure player interests are protected.

Another important factor to consider is the security of your wagering account. Since you are playing for real money, you need to make sure that the cash in your account is safe. Online sportsbooks offer various bonuses and rewards schemes. For instance, welcome bonuses that are based on initial deposits are common. Choose bookies that have great bonuses with lenient terms and conditions. This makes it easy to access your winnings that are attached to the bonuses.

Consider the quality of customer service offered at a sportsbook. Most online sportsbooks choose to offer 24/7 customer support services to their clients through online chats, telephone, and emails. The best bookies guarantee clients responses within 24 hours. This ensures that your concerns are addressed promptly. Always find out the payment methods that your favourite sportsbook supports. These may range from e-wallets to bank transfers. Choose a platform that supports fast payout.

Sports betting has been around for thousands of years. Although its legality has been challenged in many jurisdictions throughout the history of mankind, others have embraced it in equal measure. Today, the global gambling industry is worth just over £86 billion. It employs over a million people. Online sportsbooks are some of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. There are thousands of people who have grown their skills to become professional punters.

If this is your desire, you need to be diligent in how you do it. Take time to learn the game of your choice before you bet real money. Also, embrace responsible gaming habits as betting can be addictive. If you find yourself sliding into addiction, get professional help as soon as possible. As long as you are in control of your gaming, it can be a fun hobby to explore!