If you were betting on cricket ten years ago, you can attest to the many changes that have occurred since. And if your cricket betting career goes back two decades ago, well, there is a lot you can say about what it was like to bet back then. You were probably still in shock that you could place your wagers online. After all, a decade before then, the only way to place wagers was to go to the bookie. And now, thanks to sites like onlinecricketbettingsites.com, the bookie comes to you. How convenient is that! And no, they do not come knocking at your door but instead, avail themselves to you at the tap of a button.
Let’s look at how the cricket betting world has taken shape in the past decade and what this means for punters:
What Has Changed?
Most people are quick to state that the betting scene has changed. But is this true for the cricket world, and if so, what has stood out? Let’s find out:
1. More People Bet on Their Phones
A decade ago, betting on desktops was the in-thing. If you were not rushing to your bookie and battling the weather elements, you were at a cyber café or home placing your wagers. But this was not sustainable as desktops were heavy and not easily accessible. So, bookies found another way to tap into their market – mobile phones!
Cricket punters were soon able to place their bets using:
- Mobile Websites: These were the first to come along, enabling punters to load the same desktop sites on their mobile web browsers. At first, the pages were heavy and slow to load, but developers soon eased matters by optimizing the pages for mobile use. And to date, many cricket punters are using websites to access and place their wagers as they feature all the functionalities of desktop sites.
- Mobile Apps: These came second as app usage in the world increased. Punters could download these apps on their phones and use them to access their favorite cricket betting platforms. These still have a long way to go as they often come encumbered with device incompatibility, storage issues, and payment restrictions. Even so, more bookies have now realized the need to step up their game, and you can find some good options in the market.
What have these changes spelled for cricket punters? – Ease of placing wagers. If you thought desktop wagering was next-level, using your phone takes the cake!
2. Most Sites Have More Payment Methods
Even when you are placing cricket wagers for fun, money is exchanged. And in the past, you had to wire the money to the bookie or use your card when playing online. Of course, this brought about safety, speed, and cost issues. What did bookies do? As usual, they found a middle ground between themselves and the punters by availing two tech options:
- E-Wallets: Most cricket punters were generally uncomfortable availing their payment details to bookies. After all, they often feared getting their loan applications thrown out based on their side hobbies. But with e-wallets, they could create an intermediary between their banks and the bookies. Moreover, these payments were faster and cheaper. Almost every bookie offers a standard e-wallet to meet this need.
- Crypto Payments: The growth of blockchain has not only fostered transparency in the cricket betting world but also hastened transactions. How so? – Digital currencies. These decentralized currencies offer anonymity, speed, and cost-effectiveness. Besides, they are also an investment if you can hold on to them long enough to see them gain value. As a result, many bookies have integrated these currencies into their payment systems. However, this concept is still relatively new and may not be present on all sites – but the major sites accept the major currencies.
With these added methods, betting on cricket has become more anonymous and lucrative.
3. More Bookies Stream Live Cricket Matches
In the past, punters had to place their bets on the bookie site and then load the games on their TVs, phones, or other devices. Bookies soon realized that this change in the platform was an inconvenience to punters. And it was also robbing bookies of the chance to capitalize on momentary game changes. So, they introduced live streaming where punters could watch the cricket matches live. And that’s not all – they could also place live bets on the ongoing games! Thus, the betting options increased considerably, and punters now have more than enough choices on which cricket wagers they can place.
The Future
Can we expect a slowdown in the betting scene? Not at all! Two major changes are sure to shake up cricket betting as we know it. What are they?
- Virtual reality betting: As much as going to the bookie was inconvenient, it had its perks. You could place a wager, follow the game on screen, and cash out. Thanks to virtual reality, you will now have the chance to interact in the betting scene using an avatar. Not only will your wagers be more interactive, but you will watch the cricket matches as if you were in the stadium. Stand back live streaming; cricket matches are about to feel and look more realistic!
- Betting in the metaverse: You have likely heard a lot about the metaverse, so we will get right to it, not complicating things more than they need to be. Thanks to this virtual realm in which you will interact with bookies and punters as an avatar, you will now place wagers, cash out, and engage in so many activities from your home. The merge between the virtual and the physical betting world is only a decade away!
Are you excited about the future of cricket betting? In the meantime, you can sharpen your wagering skills to capitalize on these changes.