Betting on horse racing has been around for a long time and with the advent – and advancement – of the internet, it’s grown by leaps and bounds. Nowadays, you can bet on the Kentucky Derby from virtually anywhere, including your desktop, laptop, smartphone and tablet.
Even so, it’s still a growing business as some bettors still prefer the old school methods of going to the track. That’s expected to change as a generation of new bettors will grow up using the technology to get their action in and not the old-fashioned way.
As per usual, there are some groups of people who are concerned about people having too much access to horse betting. They feel that too much access to gaming can cause problems but as the industry grows, this has not proven to be the case. Some people have wondered if those negative thoughts are fueled by land-based casinos who are concerned that online horse betting (such as Kentucky Derby betting) could take business away.
For customers, there’s no question that online betting and betting on the go is a huge win. Nowadays, those long subway rides don’t feel so protracted when you can go online and peruse the Kentucky Derby contenders. Or those waits in line aren’t so bad when you can glance at the early Kentucky derby odds.
The Growth of Mobile Horse Betting
The original seed was planted with online gaming. That was the first major transition from the old school to the new school as it created a way for bettors to wager on horses and not having to be at the track. Sure, certain land-based racebooks offered betting on all major tracks but that still forced the player to be at one of those casinos. While that was possible for some, it was an arduous task for others as most of us have to drive at least a couple of hours to get to a casino.
After the original transition to online betting was made, it was only a matter of time before bettors were introduced to betting on the go. As smartphone technology has advanced, along with the capabilities of mobile internet (such as 3G, LTE and Wi-Fi), so has the capabilities of online horse betting.
Nowadays, it’s blossomed to the point where bettors can walk around with an iPad or an Android smartphone and accomplish everything they need to at their racebook as if they were at a desktop. The sportsbooks and racebooks have optimized their sites to make the functionality smooth for bettors on the go. Most quality racebooks will even give you a bonus to try out their mobile product because they are confident that you’ll love it.
The technology isn’t perfect; it’s still being perfected. Remember, this is all still relatively new for bettors as well as the people who offer the service. Some people have criticized the withdrawal functionality with some racebook mobile clients as it seems to be pretty easy to deposit but withdrawing is still a work in progress. In due time, that’ll come. It’s also still pretty easy to just use your smartphone the old-fashioned way – to call – and just order your withdrawal. That still works just fine.
The best thing to do is to test out the product yourself. Just load up the website, see how optimized it is for your particular device, try it out on your tablet and see how speedy it is based on your cellular connection. Once you have an idea of what you’re working with, you’ll probably find it quite easy to bet on the go.
Which Online Racebooks Have the Best Mobile Options?
Pretty much every online racebook is rushing to the market offering their services in mobile form. Although the mobile feature is new to old school bettors, it’s a feature that new bettors expect to have wherever they sign up. Very soon, it will be a make-or-break deal for everyone. After all, you don’t want to be the guy at Churchill Downs just watching the race while the guy beside you is still analyzing, adjusting and betting on Kentucky Derby as everyone is settling into their post positions.
When you’re choosing an online racebook, you’ll want to double-check that they have a mobile version that’s friendly with whatever operating system you use on your device. Most mobile racebooks are iOS friendly (Apple devices) as well as Android friendly (Google’s operating system). However, those who use Blackberry and Microsoft phones will have to double-check to see which racebooks have gone the extra mile to be accommodating to everyone and which are still working on it.
Tips for Mobile Horse Racing Bettors
Just the thought of being able to bet on Kentucky Derby from anywhere – at a department store, at an airport, at the barber shop – is an amazing concept but there are a couple of caveats you’ll want to keep in mind. For starters, you’ll have to keep an eye on your data usage. Remember, mobile horse betting is also using mobile data, so just make sure you don’t go way over your cellphone plan when you’re betting. There’s Wi-Fi hotspots almost everywhere these days (coffee shops are great for that), so take advantage of it when you can to be able to keep your cellphone bill in check.
Beyond just the regular data charges, keep in mind that some people can take on roaming fees as well. If you’re traveling or simply outside of your specific zone, that might also incur a fee with your service provider.
Next up is to look for a good bonus from the racebook that you’re going to be depositing with. Many sportsbooks and racebooks offer a nice bonus that can give your account a boost before you even begin betting. That’s important to take advantage of as it’ll give you some of the house’s money to get started with. That’ll be handy to have in your pocket when you’re doing your Kentucky Derby betting.
Lastly, remember to choose your playing situations wisely. You wouldn’t text and drive, so don’t bet on horses and drive. It’s logical but just a friendly reminder to be aware of your surroundings because mobile horse betting can be pretty enthralling.