Don’t let the tight restrictions on gambling in the U.S. fool you — betting is actually a huge global industry:
- 2300 B.C. The date of the earliest record of gambling. According to the American Gaming Association, the ancient Greeks, Chinese, Japanese, Egyptians, and Romans are all known to have engaged in various sorts of dice and gambling games.
- $600 billion The estimated amount of money the changed hands in 2013 as a result of gambling.
- 13% The percentage of the global gambling market which is occupied by sports betting alone.
Gambling has also held an important place in American culture for many years:
- 30 million The number of visitors that come to Nevada every year to place sports bets.
- 1643 The date when explorer Roger Williams wrote about gambling games invented by Native Americans; it is known that early European colonists brought gambling over to the Americas, but the native populations had their own games even before that.
- Four The number of states in the U.S. where sports betting is legal.
And even for casual sports bettors, placing wagers on games is becoming increasingly popular:
- 67% The approximate percentage of college students who participate in sports betting
- 50% The percentage of American adults who place bets on the Super Bowl each year.
- One The number of U.S. states where sports betting is not only legal, but is also taxed and regulated.
Based on these statistics, it’s clear that sports betting is an important part of American culture and it’s no surprise that the demand for expert betting picks is only growing. Whether bettors want to buy sports picks online or just browse the web for free sports picks daily, it’s clear that the world of sports gambling is only growing (and the men and women who supply the expert betting picks don’t have to worry about losing their jobs any time soon). For modern bettors, the competition is high and the desire to be well-informed is becoming more essential each year.