When it comes to sports betting, most people instantly think of it being a past time dominated by men. This is because, for the most part, sports such as football and horse racing do have more male fans than they do female but while it’s accurate to suggest that the majority of those people betting on sports are male, it really doesn’t tell the full story. In fact, more and more women are now gambling on a regular basis than ever before and this includes placing bets on sport.
Having a chance at winning money is something that appeals to most people, regardless of their gender, so it’s no surprise that women gamble and place bets. Women in the past have been commonly associated with gambling in the form of bingo for example and bingo halls around the country are notoriously frequented by more females than they are males. So, you could say that the reason betting shops see more male customers than they do female is because of the environment. It could be slightly intimidating for some women for example.
When the Internet came along, what it offered was a chance for people to gamble online from the comfort of their own homes. With a huge number of online bingo sites out there, women started playing online on a regular basis. This kind of opened the door for them to bet on other things, including sport. Being able to place a sports bet online also means it’s no longer necessary for people to visit betting shops, land based casinos or dog tracks and the like. So ultimately women will feel more comfortable gambling, due to the fact that they can do it in an environment where they feel relaxed.
Surveys conducted by Unibet have shown that when asked over 40% of women have said they have gambled at one time or another in their life and it’s likely that these figures will continue to increase, especially due to the rise of betting on the move through the use of smart phones and tablets. What’s more, sports betting site operators are already taking note of the rise in numbers of female bettors. More and more gambling sites, specifically targeting female bettors, are springing up all over the place on a regular basis and this is due to the increase in demand first and foremost.
It’s not like women don’t play or enjoy all the sports that men do. There are female supporters of each and every sport but in terms of betting the industry, it has at times been a strange and intimidating place for women. Not anymore though thanks to online betting. Being able to bet online has opened the door for everyone in terms of accessibility and convenience. It’s a huge step in the right direction too for operators as they now have a much bigger audience to aim at and this will only serve to increase their customer base. You never know, one day the split of male and female bettors could become more equal.