Nigeria is one of many countries in the world where online sports betting has taken off, and the industry has recorded a remarkable rise in the past few years. Nigerians have always been passionate about sports, especially football, and the growth can also be attributed to the increased availability of different mobile devices across the country.
Why Sports Betting is So Popular In Nigeria
The gambling market hasn’t always been thriving in Nigeria, but thanks to the much broader availability of stable internet connections, and a staggering rate of mobile penetration within the country, more and more people are choosing to try their luck with online wagering.
In the year 2020, the internet penetration rate reached 42%, while the number of mobile device subscribers stood at 169 million. Since the nation is crazy about sports, this type of betting quickly jumped to the position of the most popular one, with more than 60 million Nigerians who regularly place bets. Since the demand for online bookmakers keeps growing, the selection of providers is also constantly on the rise. There are more and more operators that you can easily find, and if you want to be sure you’re sticking with trustworthy online providers, you can create your account through the registration.ng platform.
The Latest Trends
Check out some of the top trends in online sports betting:
Mobile Gaming
Technology has become a key factor in the development of the majority of industries in the world, and sports betting is no exception. As online bookmakers try to adopt new technological advancements and keep up with emerging trends, most of them have already launched mobile apps that allow the players to enjoy amazing user experiences on all kinds of mobile devices. The apps are also a great way for the players to easily check the latest results on the go, and stay on top of all the new odds and games.
eSports
eSports has gotten lots of attention recently, and it is slowly rising to become one of the top forms of wagering in many parts of the world. In fact, the potential of the new industry is so big that some of the key sports entrepreneurs and popular players already formed organizations of their own so they could take the lead in the market. eSports was expected to thrive on its own, but the growth got an additional boost from the Covid-19 pandemic which forced the cancellation of a number of large events. This led to an increase in the number of punters who choose to switch to eSports where they can conveniently access the content on their smartphones without having to leave their homes.
Live Streaming
Streaming live games on smartphones and laptops is another way for sports fans to enjoy the thrill of their favorite games without leaving the comfort of their home. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the number of online betting sites that support live streams is also on the rise, especially now that the popularity of streaming platforms like Twitch skyrocketed. In addition to that, many bookmakers also added the option of live betting which comes with higher odds than traditional wagering. Punters love the immersive experience of live betting since it allows them to make predictions based on the course of the game.
Last-Minute Bets
Although some punters enjoy analyzing the odds long before the games actually start, many of them place their bets just a few moments before the official beginning. Some do it because they lack the skills that would help them make faster predictions, and some simply have busy schedules that do not allow them to spend a lot of time looking at the odds. Whatever the reason may be, there are many players who appreciate the option of last-minute betting, and a number of online bookies did their best to introduce modern technologies that support it.
Just like the rest of the continent, Nigeria is experiencing an incredible rise in online sports betting, and the growth is very likely to continue. Thanks to all the technological advancements, as well as the nation’s undying interest in football and other sports, it will be interesting to see what the future has in store for Nigerian punters.