Sports betting has become a major topic of conversation around North America, primarily because the U.S. is legalizing it fairly rapidly. While several states have yet to get on board, the legalization process is now permitted by the federal government, and the common thinking is that there will be something of a domino effect over the next few years. That won’t simply mean that more states allow citizens to bet legally – it will also mean massive revenues, new companies and mobile apps, and a general boost to the industry that will likely have effects elsewhere in North America and around the world as well.
Interestingly enough, this is all happening just as some new technologies are demonstrating the potential to significantly change the ways in which we engage in sports betting. While there’s no indication that the good old-fashioned model of going online or loading up an app to make a bet is going anywhere, there are changes on the way – specifically via virtual and augmented reality – that will at least give people the option of engaging in a far more interactive style of betting.
Augmented Reality Betting In Person
We haven’t yet been introduced to everyday augmented reality glasses for mainstream consumption, but if you’re to believe tech rumors that have been making the rounds for a while now, it’s just a matter of time. Some even believe that the AR glasses that are on the way will be advanced enough to essentially replace many of the minute-to-minute tasks we now use our smartphones for. What we’re interested in here though is the possibility that AR glasses could help to facilitate a new kind of sports betting. Real-time, in-play betting is getting trendier, which is to say more people are making bets on sporting events that are already underway. With AR glasses, this would become an enticing option even for those attending live sports. Imagine it: you’re sitting in an arena watching your favorite NBA team play through your glasses, and a listing for a new in-play betting opportunity flashes right before your eyes. It’s a fairly amazing thought, yet a very feasible idea.
VR Viewing & Live Betting
Now consider the same concept outlined above, more or less, but such that it all occurs from the comfort of your own home. This is a likelier reality for millions upon millions of fans who are already looking forward to major sporting events that only so many people can attend. Betting markets are already ramping up for the NHL early in 2019, and it won’t be long before the NBA playoffs are a hot topic as well – not to mention NCAA March Madness. yet how many people can actually attend these events compared to the number who would like to follow along and bet on them? Thanks to VR, even those watching from home can feel like they’re doing both. Through VR goggles, we can enter programs that simulate the experience of watching a live sporting event in person, complete with similar live betting options to those described above regarding AR.
Interactive Assessments
This is a slightly more out-there concept, but it’s one that carries some very exciting potential. It’s come up specifically with regard to professional hockey, with the basic idea being that VR can put you on the ice, with the players. This is meant to give you an in-person look at the action even better than what you’d get from the stands – and, for betters, to provide a more in-depth look at the players they’re wagering on. It’s unclear exactly how bettors might apply this kind of tool, but given that those who bet on sports are always looking for fresh insights and deeper understanding, it would certainly be put to use in one way or another. Then again, there’s also the chance that getting this close to the action might just overwhelm people!
