Those of us linked to sports betting on a regular basis probably understand that in truth, there was never really any "start" point when individuals began betting on sports. It seems pretty natural to place some sort of wager whenever there is a contest between two different sides, whether or not it is a competition between individuals or between two different teams.

The truth is, you will find records to show that as long as there are already matches between people, on any side, his response you'll find individuals 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, keep in mind, sports betting is much more sophisticated than those ancient wagers. All around the world, bookmakers both small and big follow several different systems which permit them to earn money off of people's penchant for punting. Whether we are discussing professional or amateur leagues, you may bet that you're going to be able to find someone willing to take your wager.

It's important to understand that the story of sports betting will be as much about these "middle men" than it's about the sport one is betting on. Bookies setup their odds determined by very complex mathematical formulas, which enable them to to determine how also they can generate a profit off of people's bets. They do not want too much "action" (money wagered) on one side or another, in order to avoid losing their profit. Therefore, 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. Folks 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 of the given match. Both methods allow the sports books to come out of each match with some cash.

The story of sports betting involves not only book makers, but also the law. You are probably knowledgeable about the popular image of the bookie; a thug who takes money and may behave violently when not paid. In contrast, there are several 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 as well, desire to protect the honest competitive nature of sports. With the sheer total amount being bet on the outcome of games, it can be tempting for players to forget about competition in favor of a bribe or other type of payout. The history of most sports contains stories of players throwing games as a way to receive money from a bookmaker. Laws such as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act look to prevent this from occurring by prohibiting sports betting in certain cases and places.

Remember, the next chapter within the story of sports betting may make such efforts moot. Today, sports books are among those businesses that have capitalized on the opportunities available online. Bettors in North America no longer need to make the trip to Vegas so that you can put some money down on their favorite team; instead, the ability to wager is simply a click of the mouse away.

Not simply tend to be more people able to wager on sports throughout the Internet, the total amount of information available increases the probability of making good bets in a way that has never been seen before. As always, the information also means that books are able to compensate, although the opportunities for making some serious money (at some risk) will still be out there.

It's safe to claim that betting on sports is something which has happened throughout human history, and an element that will happen as long as there are competitions between people. Today, the internet has taken the story of sports betting to the next level; the end of that chapter has yet to be written!