With the 2016-2017 NFL season upon us, it is time to take a look at online sports betting and all of its history and lore.
From the New England Patriots to the San Diego Chargers, here is a brief overview of how online sports betting has evolved and has been around for quite a long time.
Online Sports Betting is Not New
One of the most common misconceptions about online sports betting is that it has been around since the dawn of the internet. This is just not true.
It wasn’t until the 1990’s that sports betting started to take off, and it was only then that major companies like IBM, Bally, ufabet and Pala Casino & Resort began offering their own online sports betting platforms.
To be fair, even those companies were using their own internal systems. It wasn’t until 1991 that the internet really started to evolve into a global system and the first online sportsbook was born.
The History of Sports Betting: 1980 to 1992
In the 1980’s, sports betting was more of a local affair. You went to your local bookie and made a bet. You either asked him for a price or he gave you one. If he agreed with your bet, you placed a wager. If he didn’t, then you left empty handed.
The most popular sports to bet on at this time were boxing, football, baseball, and hockey. The only thing that has changed today is that you now have the ability to bet on almost any sport imaginable.
The History of Online Sports Betting: 1991 to 1996
In 1991, sports betting really started to gain momentum. The first online bookmakers were formed and they began to sell sports betting to the public.
Here is a brief history of how online sports betting came about.
In 1992, International Game Technology (IGT) was formed and their online sportsbook was launched in 1994.
In 1995, USAGCO, a company that was established to create and manage the World Series of Poker, launched a sportsbook.
In 1996, Sportingbet and Betsafe were formed. Sportingbet was founded by Andrew Black, the founder of Optus, Australia’s largest telecommunications company.
The History of Online Sports Betting: 1997 to 2003
In 1997, the first international online sportsbook was launched, and it was called Onlinebet.net. In 2003, ufabet the name changed to BetMGM.
In 1998, online sportsbooks began to grow in popularity and the first online sportsbook to reach over $100 million in total gross revenue was established. That bookmaker was Sports Interaction.
In 2001, Intertops Group, a US-based bookmaker, established a US online sportsbook that has become a benchmark for online sports betting.
The History of Online Sports Betting: 2004 to 2009
In 2004, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment was founded. Bwin was one of the first major companies to launch an online sportsbook.
In 2005, Bet365 was formed. This was the first sportsbook to be established in a regulated sportsbook environment in the UK.
In 2006, Unibet, one of the most well-known online sportsbooks, was established.
In 2007, Betsson was launched. Betsson is one of the first betting websites that began accepting online sports bets.
In 2008, Pinnacle, one of the first online bookmakers, was founded.
In 2009, DraftKings was founded. DraftKings is the largest daily fantasy sports site and one of the top online sportsbooks.