Using Social Media when betting

Social media has impacted on most areas of our life, from the role of film stars to the power of the voice of influencers to the way politicians announce policies and opinions. It is no surprise that social media is also a significant power in betting. We are now a long time away from those years when making a bet meant a walk to the high street, to sit in smoky, poorly lit rooms with a slip and a pencil. Now, you can get instant access to form, news and odds, as well as suggesting bets of your own.

For the sportsbook

There are nearly 2.5 billion social media users across the globe. It is thought that this will only continue to grow, with an estimated 3 billion active users by 2021. This is a consumer-base that any self-respecting sportsbook would want to access.

Sport is also no longer limited by borders and markets from any country could be a potential profit for these companies. There is not only a revolution in terms of access to customers but also to a range of markets outside the host nation. Social media, along with satellite television, has made it possible for UK fans to become engrossed is basketball and baseball. Although there has always been a market of sorts for US-based sports, social media makes it possible for serious gamblers to follow teams and make more educated bets.

Following the latest news

All the major leagues and teams have a social media presence, whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or all the above. Social media users can interact with officials and employees, finding out the latest news and data. It is now possible to happen upon internal analysis of players and plays every day. This is invaluable fodder for the serious sportsbook bettor.
You will also find that most footballers, indeed, most sports people, are now online and tweeting or ‘gramming regularly. If you want to gauge the mood in the dressing room or assess progress towards fitness, there is no better place to get your latest news. Social media is a definite bonus to all those serious gamblers around the time of transfer window deadlines in particular.

Remember, when you are seeking to make a profit from betting, you are looking for those areas where there might be more value than the sportsbook thought. If you have some insider information about team news, strategy or attitudes leading up to a game, then you could definitely put this to your advantage.
Twitter is also an excellent place for following serious tipsters. They are likely to use social media to promote click-throughs to their site. However, some of the last-minute information about the best bets might only be available through their social media accounts.

Getting the best offers

Almost all the major sportsbook run social media. This is the place where they will promote offers, such as cashback deals and free bets. There might also be some last-minute odds offered to prompt a run on a specific bet, so following social media could give you insight on those markets where bookies feel they might be about to lose out.

Sportsbook social media is also a place that betting fans will congregate and converse. It is always a great idea to scan through the comments and get a feeling for what other gambling fans feel about an event, a market, a deal, or a company.

Suggesting your bet

Things will always continue to evolve, and the next evolution in social media seems to be direct communication with the customer service teams at a Sportsbook. It has always been possible to design your bet and ask the bookie to offer you odds. It usually required a conversation over the phone and a short wait as they calculated odds and terms. Now, some sites are allowing punters to throw out a possible market that they would like to bet on using Twitter and the appropriate hashtag. The company then comes back to the individual with the odds and a link to help them make a bet.

You might think that this is hardly a revolution. However, what is new is that this can happen in an instant. It can happen for events going on that day, maybe even in-play betting. Before such bets were restricted to future events or special occasions, now they are an everyday occurrence.

And, this is probably only the beginning of the power of social media and betting.