It’s no secret that bukmacher internetowy is big business. All over the world keen-eyed gamblers wager astronomical sums on every sport under the sun. From horse racing to soccer, rugby to tennis, there’s an endless line of savvy betters willing to risk it all on a sure-fire bet.

At last count the global sports gambling market totalled an eye watering $3 trillion , with Australian sports betters making up at least $26 billion of that pie. In particular punters in Australia seem to love putting up stakes on NRL, and AFL results; with tennis, soccer and betting at the races rounding out the rest of the market.

But where did this love affair with sport betting actually begin?

Ancient History

While sports betting in its modern more regulated form can trace its roots back to the 19th century. The actual activity of sports betting seems to be as old as sports itself. Ancient Greece is widely credited with the development of modern athletics with the establishment of the Olympic Games more than 2000 years ago. Sure enough, records from this period seem to indicate that spectators betted on the results of events, even back then.

The practice seems to have carried over to the citizens of the Roman Empire, who often wagered on the outcome of events at the colosseums, including chariot races and gladiatorial battles.  Indeed, the emperors themselves seemed to have taken a huge interest in arranging these activities; in particular Augustus Cesar was widely acknowledged for his ability to pick a winner at the races.

As sport and civilization grew, so did sport betting. With many attempts made to regulate the practice along the way. In medieval times church leaders even made attempts to ban gambling, citing the activity as immoral and sinful.

The Birth of Modern Gambling

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a curious sport known as pedestrianism began to gain traction among the working class and even the elite. The object of these games was simply to see how long it would take an individual to run, jump or hop a pre-set distance.  As might be expected of such a tedious “sport”, gamblers soon began to add some stakes to the events by betting on finishing times. Quite soon, bets as large as £20,000 began to come in, and a new craze was born.

In time, the interest of gamblers moved towards more exciting newly organized sports such as rugby, cricket and soccer. At the same time established individual sports such as golf and tennis also began to gain popularity amongst sports betters. With the sudden influx of money came the possibility for corruption and gamesmanship. In America, betting had become so lucrative that the 1919 World Series is widely considered to have been fixed, in favour of much derided underdogs the Cincinnati Reds.

By mid 1950’s governments had begun to develop legislation and regulations to monitor these sports betting activities to ensure no unfair practices. Today sports betting is legal across U.S states such as Nevada, Oregon and Delaware. Throughout Europe, the practice is regulated but not illegal. In Australia, sports betting both online and offline is handled through a number of licensed sports books that operate under government regulations.

Sheri Croll