Those of us involved with sports betting frequently probably realize that in truth, there was never really any “start” point when folks began betting on sports. It seems pretty natural to place some kind of wager whenever there is a contest between two different sides, whether or not it is a competition between individuals or between two different teams.

In reality, there are records to show that as long as there are already matches between people, on any side, you will find people that want to add some excitement to the competition through wagering. From the gladiatorial contests in ancient Rome to foot races on North America’s Great Plains, all cultures have put bets involving money or goods once they are watching a competition.

Today, of course, sports betting is significantly more sophisticated than those ancient wagers. All over the world, bookmakers both big or small follow a number of different systems which allow them to make money off of people’s penchant for punting. Whether we are talking about professional or amateur leagues, you may bet that you’ll be able to find someone willing to take your wager.

You need to realize that the story of sports betting is just as much about these “middle men” than it’s about the sport one is betting on. Bookies setup their odds based upon very complex mathematical formulas, which help them to determine how they can make a profit off of people’s bets. They do not want too much “action” (money wagered) on one side or another, to prevent losing their profit. So, they have thought up ways to encourage people to bet on each side.

One of those ways is to offer higher payouts if the team receiving less bets win. Those that take the “underdogs” stand to win a whole lot more income per dollar bet than those that take the favorites.

Similarly, the point spread is used to encourage betting on both sides associated with any given match. Both methods permit the sports books to come out of each match with some money.

The story of sports betting involves not just book makers, but additionally the law. You’re probably knowledgeable about the popular image of the bookie; a thug who takes money and also will behave violently when not paid. Alternatively, there are many legal, above board sports books today who are legally sanctioned to take sports bets. In North America, all of these books run out of Las Vegas.

In other areas of the world, sports betting is legal but is additionally highly regulated. Governments, and sports bodies as well, desire to protect the honest competitive nature of sports. With the sheer amount of money being bet on the outcome of games, it can be tempting for players to forget about competition in favor of a bribe or any other type of payout. The history of most sports contains stories of players throwing games so that you can receive money from a bookmaker. Laws for example the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act seek to prevent this from taking place by prohibiting sports betting in certain cases and places.

Keep in mind, the next chapter within the story of sports betting may make such efforts moot. Today, sports books are among those businesses which have capitalized on the opportunities available learn online soccer gambling. Bettors in North America no longer need to make the trip to Vegas to be able to put some money down on their own favorite team; instead, the ability to wager is simply a click of the mouse away.

Not only are more people able to wager on sports through the Internet, the amount of information available increases the chances of making good bets in a way which has never been seen before. Remember, the information also implies that books are able to compensate, but the opportunities for making some serious money (at some risk) are still around.

It’s safe to say that betting on sports is one area which has happened throughout human history, and something that will happen as long as you can find competitions between people. Today, the internet has taken the story of sports betting to the next level; the end of that chapter has yet to be written!