Online betting is any form of betting conducted over the internet, typically with web-based gambling platforms. This includes casinos, poker and online sports betting among many others. The first online betting venue opened to the public, was ticketing at the Liechtenstein International Online Betting Casino in October 1994. Today there are dozens if not hundreds of online betting sites all over the world, that offer a variety of betting options, including sports betting, horse racing, baseball, football, soccer and even exotic games such as curling and keno. In some cases, online betting takes the form of high stakes, instant win games; while other venues offer combination betting, where bets are placed over multiple sessions or days, and then settled after the last session.

Online sports betting has grown in popularity in recent years, due to a number of factors. The most notable reason for this growth is the proliferation of internet technology and online banking, which enable online betting sites to offer more extensive, secure and reliable services. For example, betting exchange sites like Betfair allow you to place bets with real money, transfer your money around as you like, and generally just enjoy the experience of betting without worrying about dealing with a bookie. This provides an excellent alternative to betting at’real’ bookmakers where you are forced to deal with them and pay them, and often have to deal with their inefficiencies.

Promotions are another reason that online betting sites online have become so popular. Some sites offer ‘free’ promotions or discounted promotions, in order to attract new clients. Promotions can take many forms, such as reduced price for wagers, limited time period for bets to expire, special ‘teams’ to bet with, and so forth. As well as promotional offers, some online betting sites also offer ‘tourist’ specials, where for a small fee visitors can experience all the features and benefits of a website.