In 2016, one Gallup Poll indicated that up to 64% of Americans gambled that year. This figure was twice that of an earlier similar poll taken back in 2007 stating that only 24% of Americans visited a casino that year.

With an estimated market global worth exceeding $46 billion as of 2020, it is no secret that online gambling has grabbed its giant share of the market. And with its increasing popularity, it would be no surprise if it doubled its worth in less than a decade or so.

To meet the demand of its ever-growing number of punters, gambling firms have geared toward diversification which has seen to the rise of different types of online gambling. The obvious upside is that the variety of forms of online gambling makes it irresistible to any gambler out to try his luck.

Here’s a guide to types of online gambling to kickstart your quest into the world of online gambling.

Sports Betting

Sports betting is considered amongst the most popular types of online gambling which can be easily explained by the huge popularity of sports itself.

This form of betting is made easier with the emergence of mobile apps associated to the gambling sites which has made the process not only easier, but also incredibly quick.

All you have to do is choose the type of game, check for the scheduled day and time, and place your stake – all in a matter of seconds. Long gone are the days when you practically had to walk to your local based high-street bookmaker to place a single bet. This can now be achieved from any location provided you have your favorite betting app installed in your phone.

Whether its football, basketball, horse racing among others, its good to note that the betting on sport cannot be 100% predictable. Nonetheless, gamblers can make considerable returns with prior proper research, and a bit of a stroke of luck.

Take football as an example, the most common bet is betting on the team/side you think will win. But you can also place your bet based on goals such as over or under 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 among others. The same variety of betting options applies while wagering on other sports too.

Online Casinos

Online casinos offer pretty much the same features of a land-based casino, with only an exception that for this type, you can actually gamble at any place or time you find convenient.

The fact that anyone of legal age can be able to re-create their casino experience without necessarily having to be wealthy or leaving the comfort of their homes has made this form of gambling to peak in popularity over the last couple of years.

One attractive feature about online casinos is that they offer a wide range of games and slots with a captivating user experience. While this has often been meant to entertain the player and make them feel like they were in an actual casino, it has sometimes been also considered to hook players longer in the game; thus, encouraging them to spend more compared to other types of online gambling.

Their attractive and most of the time insane bonuses and jackpots have also become a major sell-off point to new players who often see it as a chance to get rich instantaneously.

Besides slots, players can also enjoy playing Blackjack, Roulette, Video Poker, Baccarat, Craps, among more than a dozen other features.

Whereas it has almost been proved impossible to cheat when dealing live, the same applies when playing games such slots and roulette. This is because the outcomes of the online casinos is based on randomly generated numbers which make the results fair. Provided you’ve verified a casino to be legit, the casino manipulating your results should be the least of your fears.

What to check when choosing an Online Casino

Getting to pick your favorite casino may take some little bit of sampling a couple of casinos. These pointers should give you a head start in knowing if the online casino is worth your time:

• Check whether the casino is supported in your country; It may seem as something trivial, but the last thing you would want is wasting time, or worse still money on a casino that will dispute your winnings just because it is banned from offering its services to your country.
• Check to see if the online casino has the games you’re looking for; if you’re in for specific game offers, make sure that the mentioned casino bears your answers.
• Confirm that the casino is Trustworthy/Reputable: remember the golden rule of checking the authenticity of any online casino before depositing your money. The good thing is that this is relatively easy as all you have to do is key in the casino name plus the word reviews in Google and see what people are talking about the casino.

Lottery

Even if you’ve never played the national lottery jackpot, it is almost obvious that you’ve heard of Lotto at some point in your life. However, with lottery as a form of online gambling, you don’t have to necessarily wait for the weekly draw only as they often hold a couple of mini-draws in a single week.

It is important to note that unlike the other forms of gambling, they have the worst odds and you would have to be extremely lucky to match all the numbers correctly to walk away with the jackpot. My advice; keeps your hopes and expectations low. But who knows?

You’ve got to be in it to win it anyway.

Online Poker

Probably when you hear of poker, what pops into your mind is some pinstriped suited mass-bodied dudes smoking cigars while in some casino in Vegas?

Well, the good thing is that poker has very much evolved over the recent years and has earned its title as among the most sought for online games. Introduction of live poker makes it possible for players to play against other real players, without either of them having to meet in person.

So, if you’re actually good in poker, this might be a way to make some extra bucks and kill that boredom.

Similar to the online casino preferences, you might also want to first check that the casino is reputable and has a fast/reliable software to facilitate a smooth experience while playing.

Conclusion

The various types of online gambling mean that there’s always a wide variety of options to satisfy you. You should, however, never gamble with money you would otherwise not afford to lose. Because as much as the odds may seem attractive, there’s always that chance that they might not end up in your favor.

It is also advisable to know when to stop, especially to new gamblers who often find themselves chasing after losses hoping to recover the previous ones. Happy Gambling!