As soon as online sports betting was first introduced, there was clear potential that it would change the sports betting game for good. Over the years, it has brought numerous and considerable changes to the betting industry in the form of new betting markets and ways to bet. One of the largest changes was live betting, giving bettors the opportunity to place bets in live matches.
Live betting has become the most popular way to bet on sports online in the past few years. Its popularity is on the rise as it offers a heightened sense of excitement that pre-match betting simply does not. Additionally, it puts bettors and sports fans in the driving seat, providing a sense of engagement that no other betting type can.
What is Live Betting?
Before we take a deeper dive into live betting’s impact on sports fan engagement, let’s see what it truly represents. Traditionally, all bets placed on sports matches are placed before the game begins. That’s called pre-match betting. With live betting, players get a front row seat to the game as it unfolds, betting on a match in play.
Also known as in-play betting, it keeps players engaged by betting on who scores the next point or goal, who gets a yellow or red card next, or if there’s a goal in the next 10 minutes. Those are just some examples of markets you get when live betting with Bet777. The trusted bookie has many others that change depending on the sport and event in play. The odds for these markets are often sharp, since you have a limited time to get in on the action.
How Does It Work?
Live betting was always in the back of the mind of bookmakers, although there was no delivery vehicle at the time. The Internet made it happen, allowing fans to get in on live action. By giving them a new an exciting way to bet, live betting has redefined the aspects of sports betting in general. Furthermore, it also serves another goal – to keep bettors engaged.
Sportsbooks post unique live betting markets that range from simple moneylines to individual and team props. The odds for these events constantly shift. For example, moneylines will go up and down depending on how a match goes. If a heavy favorite goes down in the beginning of a match, its odds will improve as it tries to claw its way back.
It is similar for other events such as next corner in soccer matches or next 3-ball in basketball. In-play betting applies to any sport, and it is up to the bookie to offer it on one or more events.
Immersive Sports Fandom
Beyond the betting angle, what live betting does for the sports betting community and fans is drive engagement up. Since bettors must react fast to the new developments in any match, they must keep track of stats or even watch the game live. Bookmakers capitalize on the latest technologies and such interest by offering live streams, which are often accompanied by even more engagement opportunities.
For example, some live streams are endorsed by major companies, which create an even more immersive and engaging experience. Sportsbooks themselves can keep players engaged via quizzes and similar options during the streams, so it is not just betting on live markets and being done with it.
Live betting—and online betting in general—has become the perfect partner for sports clubs and organizations. Their partnerships have produced smart fandom strategies, that make a whole experience out of watching the game live or via streams. From kiss cams to free hotdogs or discounts when ordering pizza while live betting, in-play betting has opened the door for new betting opportunities.
Increased Interest
In-play and more specifically live streams have resulted in increased interest about the sport. The betting industry has already raised interest in various sports. But with the introduction of live sports betting it really hit full speed, as more and more bettors cannot wait to place live bets.
To drive interest in live betting even further, sportsbooks use bonuses or in-game streams with special features. They do everything they can to keep bettors engaged. The goal is to be immersed in a gambling experience that fans will talk of for a long time. In that way, they’re more than like to come back again.
Live betting plays a strategic customer acquisition/retention role, and also drives interest about sports and betting up. Higher interest benefits everyone. More bettors will join the sportsbook, stadiums won’t stay half empty, and bettors get a unique experience like no other. It’s a win-win any way you look at in-play betting.
Deeper Knowledge
One of the main advantages of online sports betting and live betting is that it encourages bettors to look for information. If you want to place smart bets, you will have to do active and deep research. To do this, bookmakers offer live stats for all active matches, as well as information on blogs before the actual match begins.
With this insight, bettors and sports fans gain a deeper knowledge about their favorite sports. Player performance, weather, H2H stats, and other variables can give you a precise overview of what might happen in a live match. Sports fans broaden their knowledge using these stats and by reading the latest news, all of which can affect a game’s outcome.
The ongoing involvement essentially keeps fans engaged and informed. By strengthening the bond with the teams and athletes they support, they get a better understanding of how to perfect betting in live markets.
Final Thoughts
Sportsbooks have outgrown their usual pre-match betting offer with a range of other markets among which live betting takes the lead. They actively work on solutions to keep fans engaged, and live streams and live stats are among the top strategies. Live betting puts bettors into the driving seat, and the same can be said about all kinds of sports fans.
It will continue drawing interest from all bettors, and we can’t wait to see what the industry has in store for the future in regards to in-play bets.
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