The “mobile versus desktop” debate is as potent today as it was ten years ago.
With the online sports betting industry expected to reach a $67.17 billion market value by 2027, fans and stakeholders want to know where the money comes from.
Why are significant providers like Betway offering mobile and desktop versions of their casinos? How many sports bettors prefer mobile apps to PC betting websites?
In this guide, we examine the numbers behind this debate and what they mean for the future of online sports betting.
How Many People Use Mobile Devices to Bet on Sports?
About 75 percent of bets placed in 2024 are made through mobile devices. More specifically, 3 in 4 people who visit a sport betting site do so through a mobile phone or tablet.
The domination of mobile devices in this market has risen steadily over the past few years.
In 2020, only 50 percent of sports wagers worldwide were placed through mobile devices, up from 44.6 percent in 2019.
Mobile phones are expected to continue to dominate the market, especially as smartphones and the internet become more accessible to bettors. Stakeholders predict a 61.5 percent market share for mobile devices in Europe by 2026 from the current 53 percent.
Why Are Mobile Devices So Popular with Bettors?
Mobile phones are popular with bettors because they deliver your favorite sports to your pocket. Their portability means you can bet and keep track of your active wagers from wherever you are at any time.
When surveyed about why they prefer mobile to desktop betting, 78 percent of respondents cited the convenience of mobile devices. Another 75 percent said they enjoy the easy deposits.
Beyond convenience and ease of use, mobile devices also offer:
1. More flexibility
2. Specialty betting options
3. App signup bonuses and promotions
In developing countries where smartphones are more affordable and available than desktops, mobile betting is also more accessible than desktop betting.
How Popular Is Desktop Sports Betting?
This is not to mean that people don’t bet through desktops anymore.
In 2022, desktop betting accounted for 48 percent of the online sports betting market revenue.
Unfortunately, this number has fallen steadily over the past few years as the market shifts towards younger bettors who prefer mobile devices.
What Are the Benefits of Desktop Sports Betting?
Nonetheless, many bettors, especially millennials and boomers, maintain an allegiance to traditional forms of sports betting, such as desktop and in-person betting.
Desktop betting is famous for many reasons. The larger desktop screen provides a more immersive betting experience, allowing you to view odds, stats, and other data.
You can also open more tabs on a desktop computer and conduct research or watch live games as you place your wagers. Other benefits of this medium include:
1. Improved picture and audio quality
2. Higher processing and storage capacity
3. Intuitive user-faces and easy navigation
Mobile Vs. Desktop Sports Betting, Which Is Better?
It’s hard to crown a winner without taking into account the fact that player preferences differ.
Although the numbers suggest that more people use their mobile devices than desktops to bet on sports, both mediums have their merits. They also have their fanbases.
Mobile sports betting will continue to dominate the market as smartphone and internet technology improves. However, traditional gambling avenues like PCs and desktops will continue to provide viable alternatives to bettors who appreciate large screens and multitasking.
