While the online gaming sector may have drawn significant criticism over the course of the last decade, there is a sense that it’s time may finally have come. Already widely accepted and well-regulated in the UK market, there are also a rising number of U.S. states that are processing legislation to legalise online gambling sites. This represents excellent news for both professional gamblers and the sites in question, while local governments may also be able to benefit by taxing earnings and generating revenue.
In terms of sports betting, the UK market is particularly advanced and had an estimated value of more than £2 billion in 2012. This is primarily thanks to stringent regulation in the marketplace and the emergence of resources such as smart phones and mobile apps, which enabled football betting to grow by 69% between 2011 and 2012 alone. While these markets may be extremely popular, however, the question that remains is whether individual gamblers can make significant money from the practice over a prolonged period of time?
The presence of professional gamblers certainly suggests that this is possible, while it is also important to note that successfully predicting the outcome of sporting contests requires a certain amount of knowledge and understanding. This is in stark contrast to games of chance such as roulette and blackjack, for example, where players’ are largely restricted by factors that remain outside of their control. The nature of sports betting also favours knowledgeable and disciplined players, as bookmaker odds offer them an opportunity to make considerably more than their initial stake.
For those who remain uncertain about sports betting as a method of generating income, it is important to remember that this practice bears a considerable resemblance to spread betting. A common financial trading method where investors bet on the outcome of a specific event, pay-outs are determined based on the accuracy of the wager rather than a simple win or lose equation. This is especially true with accumulators and understanding will enable you to bet responsibly and successfully going forward.