Random Thoughts

A global industry that generates billions of dollars each year, modern sports betting can trace its roots back to ancient times. As far back as 1000 BC, the Chinese would wager money on races between different animals. By 400 BC, the Greeks combined their love of betting with a passion for athletics and made a transition from wagers on animals to bets on the Olympics, which involved people boxing, wrestling, and running against each other. During the third century BC, the Romans took sports betting to a new level with gladiator competitions, pitting warrior against warrior as they battled to the death.

In these early times, people bet on everything from animals to humans, but there were very few organized sporting competitions. In the 19th century, both England and the U.S. began to unify their sporting contests. Rugby and soccer organizations developed in England and became quite popular for sports betters. During this same time, horse racing and baseball took off in America and throngs of people placed their bets on these sports.

Even though sporting contests became more organized, sports betting still lagged behind. Placing wagers wasn’t easy, and betters lost more than their fair share because the house often presented unfavorable odds to gamblers. In many countries, including the U.S., the government heavily scrutinized any hint of gambling, which forced people to deal with shady characters if they wanted to place bets on sporting events. Eventually, governments legalized sports betting. This change paved the way for more reputable booking agents.

Other advances that have facilitated the growth of sports betting included the invention of the TV and the arrival of online sports betting. These developments contributed to the added convenience and mass appeal of sports betting. People could now watch their favorite sports from their own homes, and then eventually, place bets from their own computers.