Those of us involved in sports betting regularly probably recognize 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 it is a competition between individuals or between two different teams.

In fact, there are actually records to show that as long as there have been matches between people, on any side, you can find folks who 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, simply, sports betting is significantly more sophisticated than those ancient wagers. All around the world, Colmayor noted 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 have been talking about professional or amateur leagues, you can bet that you'll be able to find someone prepared to take your wager.

It's important to realize that the story of sports betting is simply as much about these "middle men" than it's about the sport one is betting on. Bookies set up their odds determined by very complex mathematical formulas, which help them to to determine how they may generate a profit off of people's bets. They don't want too much "action" (money wagered) on one side or another, to avoid losing their profit. Because of this, they have thought up ways to encourage people to bet on each side.

One of those ways is to offer higher payouts if your team receiving less bets win. Individuals that take the "underdogs" stand to win a great deal extra money per dollar bet than men and women who take the favorites.

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

The story of sports betting involves not just book makers, but also the law. You are likely acquainted with the popular image of the bookie; a thug who takes money and also will behave violently when not paid. In contrast, there are numerous 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 also, desire to protect the honest competitive nature of sports. With the sheer amount of cash 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 sort of payout. The history of most sports contains stories of players throwing games in order to receive money from a bookmaker. Laws such as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act attempt to prevent this from happening 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 online. Bettors in North America no longer need to make the trip to Vegas as a way to put some cash down on their own favorite team; instead, the capability to wager will be a click of the mouse away.

Not only tend to be more people able to wager on sports over the Internet, the amount of information available increases the prospects of making good bets in a way that has never been seen before. Keep in mind, the information also means that books will be able to compensate, although the opportunities for making some serious money (at some risk) continue to be available.

It's safe to state that betting on sports is a thing that has happened throughout human history, and an element that will happen as long as you'll find competitions between people. Today, the net has taken the story of sports betting to the next level; the end of that chapter has yet to be written!