It’s been around for decades, but streaming has swiftly become the go-to way to enjoy entertainment content. Obviously, the big hitter of the streaming world is Netflix, which has several new shows and movies coming to Canada and all other regions this month. Outside of the Chris Rock special, however, Netflix and its fellow streaming platforms have been notably absent from the incredibly popular area of live streaming.
Particularly since 2020, live streaming and live video have taken off in the mainstream. Their ability to connect people in real-time offers a level of immersion unmatched across entertainment and creates a sense of “fear of missing out” in the audience. While the industry was already leveraging live streaming at least a decade before 2020, online betting firms are now able to double down on the tech because of its widespread adoption.
Integrating live streaming into real-time betting platforms
Source: Unsplash
Technically, live streaming has been around since Xerox Park hosted a live gig in California from a group of employees who had formed a band in 1993. In the more modern sense, live streaming can be traced back to 1995 and 1997 through RealNetworks and their commercialization of live video streaming. It didn’t take off as a popular technology then, with YouTube’s 2008 event YouTube Live seen as the first mainstream application.
That said, even before 2008, fans around the world would tap into live streams to watch sports. It’s been a common practice for close to two decades, spurred on by location-locked broadcasting. As such, betting sites across the US decided to step up and bridge the gap between those who want to watch the more niche or unavailable sports and the live events themselves.
Now, in most states of the US, you can find a betting platform that will live stream many of the games, matches, and events that it presents odds for betting on. There’s a wide array of platforms offering Iowa sports betting bonus codes so newcomers can claim a second chance bet and watch live sports to get started. It’s a feature that proves to enhance the experience.
Live stream platforms embracing the betting possibilities
Source: Unsplash
Easily the biggest name in live streaming right now is Twitch. Not only does it command an audience of millions, but popular live streamers can go on to become modern celebrities. In late 2020, the platform introduced its own take on betting. As many live streamers pose themselves challenges or are battling in games, the Channel Points Predictions feature allows Twitch viewers to wager their points on the potential outcomes to win a split of the pool. Of course, in the more traditional sense, there’ve also been live streamers rise to prominence by streaming their betting and casino gaming sessions.
Live streaming and betting are now going hand-in-hand to bring a much more immersive, varied, and even interactive experience to the gambling activity and the viewing of real-time events.