Why Did Cricket Influence the Gambling Industry So Much?

Published on: May 21, 2020

In some countries in different parts of the world, cricket is a very popular sport. Many of these countries were earlier ruled by the British and are part of the Commonwealth. Though cricket may not be as popular as football worldwide, millions of people in these countries watch the national team. The top cricket players are the most popular and wealthiest celebrities in the country. These players are also role models, especially for young children who closely monitor all their activities and hope to emulate them.

Cricket fans looking to bet online

For many centuries, gambling has been closely linked with cricket. Historical records available indicate that people started placing bets on cricket games centuries ago, in the 17th century.

Though initially gambling was mainly in the form of bets which were placed on the results of the cricket matches and player performance, in the last few decades, gambling has evolved and includes online gambling.

Today, there are many cricket fans who like to bet online and then switch to other parts of gambling, such as live casinos with popular games like roulette or blackjack.

Evolution of online casinos

Though the casinos opened online first in 1994 when Microgaming developed the first gambling software, initially they were not very popular. However, only in 2015, the number of visitors to these casino websites increased rapidly. Millions of internet users preferred these online casinos instead of the traditional land based casinos for a number of reasons like fair play, ease of access and security. Since the expenses of the online casinos are lower, they offer better bonuses, promotions and higher percentages are paid out to gamblers. Globally in 2016, it is estimated that the revenues of the online casinos exceeded $60 billions. Experts believe that in the next two years, the online casinos are likely to double their revenues. Hence online casinos are likely to become the most preferred gambling option for many.

Different types of jackpots

The games featured at the online casino have extremely attractive rewards. In most countries, slot games are the most casino games, since they are extremely simple games. The players can choose from different options while also being awarded additionally through various bonuses and jackpots. These casino games are developed by some of the best gaming software companies in the world. Hence the graphics will be of excellent quality and the games are immersive.

Cricketing link

In terms of fans watching important matches, cricket remains extremely popular in some parts of the world. It is observed that India and the United Kingdom (UK) have the largest number of cricket fans in the world. Interestingly these countries are also the top market for online gambling. To attract these cricket fans, many of the casino sites worldwide started including games which featured the national cricket team or cricket clubs. The popular cricket players were also included in the casino theme. Statistical information available indicate that a majority of cricket fans are willing to consider online gambling and placing cricket related bets.

Using this information about the cricket fans, some online casinos started featuring games with a cricketing theme to attract new users. This was beneficial for both the players and the casinos. The online casinos were able to increase their membership, while the cricket fans found gambling at the casino entertaining, and in some cases, a way to make quick money. The game developers have developed the cricket related games after extensive research. This ensures that the games are extremely entertaining and enjoyable. Since these casino games are of the highest quality and the rewards for the games are very attractive, both the online casinos, and gamblers are finding that they get a good deal.