Sports betting in the US has always been popular. However, even at the industry’s ‘peak’, it was nowhere near as popular as it is today. So, what changed? In short, betting in the country is easier than ever. Pair this with big events enticing bettors to wager, and you have a (sports) match made in heaven. In this article, we’ll explore how sports betting is flourishing and look at some of the factors influencing its growth.

Online access

Until relatively recently, sports betting was rather inconvenient. With online gambling largely restricted in the US, sports bettors had to visit a physical sports bar or sportsbook to wager. For many people, the nearest legal establishment was quite some distance away. This naturally led to many would-be bettors staying at home and skipping the idea of betting on sports. However, within the last few years, this has begun to change.

With the exception of Atlantic City, New Jersey and all of Las Vegas, Nevada, gambling in the US was restricted in most areas. In 2018, the Supreme Court allowed individual US states to legalize or restrict sports gambling. Nearly half of the states in the country have legalized sports betting, with many of those also approving online access to sportsbooks. The ease of placing a wager in the country is rapidly changing.

Still, on its own, the legalization of online and retail sportsbooks probably wouldn’t have triggered such immense growth. Big events have played just as significant a role.

Big events

Unsurprisingly, the relationship between heavily hyped games and betting is a close one. The more excited people are for the event, the more they are willing to spend. Some examples of these large games and tournaments in the US include March Madness and the Super Bowl. In certain places across the country, it is almost impossible to avoid advertising for these large events. The number of people who tune in to these events is higher than other, less prevalent events. This is great news for marketers because sports fans are less likely to skip commercials.

Studies have found that media surrounding important tournaments, playoffs and other events has shifted to include sports betting advertisements. More specifically, they have found that over 20% of the live coverage of these matches includes either overt references to gambling or a logo of popular online sportsbooks. With so many people tuning in to these events, it is no surprise that the reach of sports betting – online sports betting, in particular – has expanded significantly.

Before you start your sports betting journey, research the team at TrustnBet.com, a respected sports betting authority. This will help you place smart bets based on the likelihood of a team’s success, rather than being caught up in the hype and placing ill-advertised bets based on emotion.

As you can see, sports betting as an industry is growing by leaps and bounds. The future also looks bright for bettors, with even more states poised to approve sports betting. Before long, it might be possible to wager in the vast majority of regions in the US!

By Chris Bates