Sports Betting Trends in 2022

Nowadays, it feels like the sports industry and the betting sector are interconnected. From the basketball and baseball to Euro football and tennis, every modern sport is working closely with sportsbooks.

Why has sports betting become so influential? What trends are propelling the industry to the next level?

Esports

Esports is the fast-growing industry that involves betting on video game competitions. It took off at the beginning of 2010 but got really popular in 2015 after sportsbooks began covering the competition.

In the past couple of years, eSports has become a legitimate sport with organized leagues, teams and competitions. It has also attracted large sponsors like Coca-Cola, Toyota and Mercedes, helping secure over $1 billion in revenues.

What are the most popular eSports games?

• Dota 2
• CS: GO
• League of Legends
• Call of Duty
• FIFA 22

Should you get started with eSports betting? If you love video games, you can give it a chance. After all, many bet types in sports are related to other sports. You’ll need to predict match winners, total kills, spreads or place parlay bets.

Mobile Betting

In this era of smartphones, every sportsbook has to support mobile betting or risk losing customers. Up to two billion people own smartphones and 78% of them install apps on it within a week.

Now, using android or iOS apps for betting has become outdated. Instead, people prefer to bet through browser websites. That way, they can save on storage space and still own accounts at multiple betting platforms.

The good thing about mobile betting platforms is that they support all the sports and leagues covered by PC websites. If you love to predict soccer results, you can bet on the Champions League, the MLS, the World Cup or Big Five leagues through your phone.

Besides betting on soccer results, there is a clear trend towards online poker. More and more gamblers are choosing poker for betting because it is a game of skill. Also, it has loads of betting opportunities, from daily cash games to the World Series of Poker.

In-Play Betting

Also known as live betting, in-play betting is one of the coolest features in a betting site. It is a means to bet on live games. Let’s say Barcelona are having a game against rivals Real Madrid.

The odds before the game begins favor Madrid. In other words, betting on Real won’t make you as much money as backing Barcelona. Thanks to live betting, you can wait for the game to start.

If after 30 minutes of playing the game is still 0-0, the odds will have changed. At this time, you can bet on Real Madrid with better odds.

With that in mind, betting on live games calls for quick decision making. If Real scores in the first 30 minutes, the odds will become even worse. But if you’re watching the game and Madrid is dominating, you could bet before they score the first goal.

In-play betting is exciting because you on games while they happen. However, odds change fast, meaning any delays can change your profits fast.

Streaming Options

If you’re like many sports fans, you have to pay subscriptions to watch football, baseball or tennis on TV. But what if you could watch your favorite games free of charge? No, we don’t mean using illegal streaming apps.

Many of the top-level betting companies have introduced live streaming to their fans. All you need is to own a betting account and place bets regularly. Then you’re allowed to watch a number of live matches.

Live betting is an excellent marketing strategy. Bettors don’t have to watch games on TV and get lured by betting ads from competing brands. They can watch the games a betting app while also having access to in-play betting.

Early Cashout and Special Bonuses

Betting bonuses are like shopping discounts. They help you save money or increase your profits. Many bookmakers have bonuses like first deposit bonuses, reload bonuses and VIP rewards.

However, there’s a new trend in which betting sites offer unique freebies to their customers. For example, you can earn a cashback on your losses. Or you could benefit from an ACCA booster.

To expound more, ACCA boosters increase your profits with multipliers. Let’s say you accumulate five bets and win. A bookmaker could x2 or x3 your winnings.

Early cashout isn’t exactly a bonus. Instead, it is a way to withdraw some of your ACCA/parlay profits. For example, you wager on five games. The first four games are all winners.

If your fifth prediction is correct, you could end up winning €200 from a €5 bet. If you’re wrong, you will lose everything. Some bookmakers have an option to cash out €100 before the final game. This way, you’re guaranteed of some profits regardless of the outcome of the last match.

Sports Partnerships

A decade ago, many sportsbooks marketed their brands on TV, newspapers and billboards through adverts. In 2022, sponsoring sports and leagues is the new trend.

In Europe, sponsorships from betting companies are so prevalent that some governments think it’s a problem. In the UK, nearly half of the English premier League teams have a betting sponsor. The percentage is even bigger in the championship.

In North America, betting sponsorships were never a thing until 2018, when the Supreme Court legalized sports betting. Now, the NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA all have multi-million-dollar partnerships with renowned betting companies.

Why do betting brands spend so much money in sports partnerships? First, sports leagues and franchises have millions of fans. Although not every fan bets, it’s a huge market opportunity for sportsbooks.

Secondly, sponsoring successful sports teams and players makes sportsbooks credible. People want to bet on sites that look genuine. It’s even better when their favorite sports team recommends a specific sportsbook.

Conclusion

There are plenty of trends in the sports betting scene. Bookmakers are constantly partnering with sports teams. On the other hand, they are providing live streaming services. What’s more, they have live betting, special bonuses and mobile betting.