With the digital transformation in full throttle and the lenience of government regulations on gambling these days, the sports betting industry has undergone unforeseen transformations over the past few years and consequently increasing in popularity all over the world.
Some of the most popular games for sports betting comprise tennis, rugby, cricket, baseball, football, golf and basketball. And crazy enough, on top of the wildly popular sports fans people these days also bet on volleyball and games of snooker.
It is also evident that sports betting across the world becoming one of the fastest-growing industries, presenting massive potentials for both bettors and bookies. The revenues of many top-tier sports betting companies like VulkanBet and other emerging brands are also growing substantially every year thanks to their focus on offering players premium quality services.
However, while newer brands are picking up the pace in popularity and revenue growth, there are a handful of sportsbook brands that have been dominating the industry for a couple of years now. Even though the list of the key players keeps changing due to stiff competition, there are a few that have stood the test of time. Here's a quick highlight of the present-day market leaders in the sports betting industry:
888 Holdings
888 Holdings is one of the most widespread online gaming companies in the world. It currently operates several casino, poker and bingo brands, and sports betting outlets. Since its inception in 2008, it managed to successfully establish a strong online presence in the online sports betting market. The company is currently one of the most respected sports betting brands in the UK and Europe and has most recently been breaking new ground across the burgeoning USA market.
GVC Holdings
Being one of the key players in the sports betting avenue, GVC Holdings is well known for its distinctive proprietary technology stack that allows the company to offer globally recognized bingo, poker and casino products on top of its stellar sportsbook platforms. All its offerings are all available under the industry's top online betting brands like PartyPoker, Bwin, Betboo, Foxy Bingo, Sportingbet, Ladbrokes, and Casino Club, many of which came under GVC's wing after acquisitions.
After the repeal of USA's PASPA, GVC Holdings moved into the American market, after confirming a $200 million deal in July 2018 with the iconic MGM Resorts. The two companies have since been pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into their joint venture which has paved the way for a string of GVC controlled sports betting platforms across the US.
William Hill
From 2012, when UK-based bookie combined three businesses to create William Hill US, the company has since rapidly grown to command a 30% market share, a slice of the pie that has made it one of the biggest sports betting companies in the world. On top of being a force to reckon with in the UK and Europe, William Hill was one of the early benefactors of the early legalization of sports betting in the US. At the moment, the US-based branch of William Hill runs over 100 retail betting facilities in Nevada alone.
Bet365
After adding a wide range of betting markets and options to their platforms over the last few years, Bet365 has grown to be one of the biggest organizations in the sports betting industry. You may be interested to know that Bet365 was one of the first sportsbook platforms to start offering virtual sports betting options.
As we speak, this UK-registered sports betting company serves over 23 million players all over the world. Aside from its impressive sports betting portfolio complete with live streams, Bet365 is also home to Bingo, and casino games. To tap into the budding US regulated markets, the company started a partnership deal with Hard Rock Atlantic City casino in 2018, and later made an entry into New Jersey in 2019, and has been mauling over expanding into other states in the future.
Verdict
The sports betting expanse is evolving faster than ever before, and these companies are doing a great job in pushing the boundaries of the industry. You should, however, watch this space because up and coming stars like VulkanBet are also pushing hard to build a reputation for themselves. They might not be a big deal right now, but for sure, they have the potential to edge out some of the bigwigs that we've discussed here. Which other brands do you think are playing a significant role in the sports betting industry today? Let us know by dropping a comment below.
