The Rise of Women in Online Sports Betting

The world of sports and sports betting has long been a man’s domain. However, today that equation is changing with more and more women shining in the sports arena, as spectators, players and commentators. It only follows that the presence of women in sports betting is also getting stronger.

Women in Sports and Their Influence

Serena and Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova in Tennis, Saina Nehwal in Badminton, Alex Morgan in Soccer, Fu Yuanhui in Swimming, Lindsey Vonn in Skiing, Michelle Wie in Golf, Danica Patrick in Motorsports, Ding Ning in Table Tennis and Teresa Virtue in Figure Skating are just some of the names of women who have risen to the top in their respective fields.

Thanks to these sportswomen, millions of women across the world have gained a renewed interest in sports and sporting events. In fact, not only are these sportswomen gaining huge fan followings from their sisters across the world, but they are also inspiring other women to join the field of competitive sports as a viable career option.

Growing Popularity of Online Betting Among Women

Despite the fact that more women than ever are now interested in sports, many are still averse to cashing in on the wins through betting. Having said that, while sports betting still remains a male-dominated arena, there are many more women joining in to bet on their favorite sportspersons, games and events than ever before.

The reasons for women having stayed away from sports betting are many.

First is the taboo on gambling. Betting houses have traditionally been viewed as evil, and bookers have been looked upon as unscrupulous scammers, out to rip people off. Added to that is the societal belief that only women of ill-repute gamble, and those women who do so openly tend to garner bad reputations as being loose. In fact, many women also fear for their physical safety if seen at betting houses, betting on their favorite sports heroes.

Now, because of rapid advances in technology, online sports betting has gained a lot of popularity, and women can safely make their bets online. Online sports betting platforms allow for the privacy that brick-and-mortar betting houses do not, so women are protected with the negativity that comes along with visiting such places.

In fact, less than a decade ago, barely 17% of the online sports betting popular was women. Another survey done in 2017 revealed that that number had jumped to 43.8%! And of this 43.8%, a majority are women under the age of 30.

The Shift from Luck Based Gambling to Sports Betting

Traditionally, women have preferred to bet on gambling games based on luck, such as slots or the lottery. Sports betting has more or less been dominated by men.

However, along with the change in gender roles in the last few decades, there has also been a change in how women now bet. Women are openly more interested in sports.

And, according to Deakin University’s Associate Professor Samantha Thomas, a researcher on gambling, women who are avid sports fans are as exposed to messages with regard to sports betting as men. Which means that they too are as influenced by such messages.

Expanding Sports Betting to Include Women

The fact that more and more women are joining the sports betting arena is also bringing about changes in the overall betting industry. For example, the gambling advertising industry previously exclusively focused on men as their target audience.

Ads focused on young men sneaking in bets while enjoying chilled beers with their buddies at a bar, with a masculine voiceover egging other men to get in on the game. Now, however, a clear change in advertising strategy can be seen, where such ads have become more gender neutral.

These are not the only changes to be seen in the industry. Many sports betting companies have begun to expand their offerings to include sports that will appeal to women.

Today, there are many online betting platforms that offer forums that allow women to bet on several different sports, such as soccer, tennis, basketball, motor racing, wrestling and so on.

In fact, there are online sports betting platforms that have created special promotions targeted at women, such as the Ladbrokes bonus code, which allows players to bet on a massive variety of betting markets.

Conclusion
As with every other aspect of life, women are today feeling more empowered to step forward and do what wish to do, even if it is gambling. However, if women are to enter the world of online sports betting, then they need to ensure that they use regulated, legal sites. Sites that are regulated offer consumer protection in case of unfair losses, so it is best to bet in a safe environment.