Like almost every section of the business arena, technology has changed the gambling industry. If you are new to wagering on the outcome of sports fixtures, it may seem like something from the dark old days, more suited to a Flintstones movie than the industry we know and love today. But a few years ago, all bets were at land-based sportsbooks, jotted down on paper slips with stakes paid in cash. How times have changed.
Today, high-street betting offices are dwindling in numbers and look set for extinction. We’ve also tracked the decline in bet slips registered at gambling websites covering sports, casinos, and bingo. The reason shops and websites are falling out of fashion with bettors is smartphone gambling apps. They’re fast, secure, reliable, and free to download. It’s like having a sportsbook in your pocket.
Mobile users can add funds, withdraw winnings, contact customer services, place bets, and collect promotions. There are also several features designed to help improve your sportsbook gambling experience, including the betting odds calculator, cash-out function, in-play betting, and even live streaming of top sports.
Tricks of the trade
Bet on the NFL, watch the game live and consider gambling in-play during the contest. Bettors have these features and more at their fingertips. And this article explains how you can join them. Our guest expert explains the best but underused features that can boost your success rate when making sports predictions.
The components covered include the odds calculator and live streaming tab. But there’s also information on bagging a welcome bonus free bet. Keep reading as we dive into online gambling, showcasing how technology helped shift the landscape forever.
The most crucial feature of sportsbook betting is picking winners at the correct odds to secure a profit. But some tools professionals use can also help land you winners and profits.
Odds calculator
When using any respected gambling app, you may notice the availability of an odds calculator. The top apps have offered this feature for quite some time now. But it’s less popular than it should be and that could be because it’s become part of the furniture. Online gamblers have grown used to seeing the odds calculator tab and stopped noticing it as much, while new players are sometimes trying to figure out how to use it properly when betting.
Thankfully, we’re here to help. The odds calculator may be tucked away and ignored by most online gamblers, but we don’t want to see you make the same mistakes. The feature can improve your gambling knowledge and success in many ways. The most basic way to use the odds calculator is to predict the potential returns for a bet. Use it for singles by adding the odds and results. But it’s better suited to multiples.
Suppose you have placed a Lucky 15 bet on four horses at the Kentucky Derby Festival. The first two won, while the third horse failed to place. Enter the odds of the four picks and the result of the first three. The odds calculator will display your returns so far, how it’ll change if the fourth runner wins, and the damage another loser would do to your profits.
Having this information at your fingertips makes cash-out easier than ever. If the bookies offer an amount to end your bet after three legs, you can judge by the potential returns for two winners and what you’ll get back for three correct predictions. You’ll now know if the cash-out amount is worth taking before the next race or if you’re better off hanging around in the hope leg four comes good.
Promotions
The promotions tab attracts more attention than the odds calculator, but it’s still not where it should be with average gamblers. The main promo offered to new players is the welcome bonus, a free bet given to all those creating an account with an online bookie for the first time. In most cases, it’s a deposit-matched free bet.
The new customer promo is generous and worth grabbing, but there are plenty more deals for existing members. Most recurring offers concentrate on cashback, enhanced odds, or profit boosts. Bookies reward good players and refund unlucky gamblers to help drive repeat business. It’s worth checking the promos page before each bet to see if there’s a deal that’ll help protect your stake.
Cash-out
We have already touched on the cash-out feature when explaining the odds calculator but let’s look closer. When you strike a bet, the trading team will apply a cash-out value equal to your stake. The offer will rise and fall depending on how well your selection performs, and it’s your job to get the best deal possible.
The perfect cash-out is for a profit as close to the potential returns as possible. The best way to achieve that is to time your cash-out to perfection. Monitor the contest and your offer, clicking to confirm if everything is going your way.
In-play betting
Before a sports fixture begins, you can bet on all the pre-match markets. But when the game starts, the original betting options switch to in-play and are updated by a live betting trader.
Most pre-game options are available throughout the contest, with the odds updated to reflect the score and flow of play. Watch the action and look for any hints, tips, or patterns. If you spot a trend, quickly secure the bet before the live trader changes the odds.
Live streaming
Watch live horse racing and sports on your smartphone through an HD-quality live stream. The coverage is as good as you’d find at any TV station, with expert commentary, exciting camera angles, updated results, stats, and more.
Some bookies require customers to bet on the outcome of a game to view the live stream, but the best apps offer free coverage to all members. The live-streaming feature allows members to cheer on their picks or bet in-play. It’s the finest example of how much sports betting has progressed.
