Betting exchanges: The future of sports betting?

Abstract

Sports betting and sports have always been strongly connected. Traditionally, these betting markets have been cleared by bookmakers, who accept bets on certain events. These bookmakers carry the risk of paying the amount wagered if the event occurs. Recently, a new type of betting market has appeared, so-called betting exchanges. In these markets, punters bet with each other directly, and the organization that creates the market does not carry any risk that depends on the occurrence of the event. In this paper we provide an analysis of this new type of markets, using a SWOT-analysis. Issues like competitiveness and survival of betting exchanges are addressed. We argue that liquidity is the prime determinant of long-term success of betting exchanges. © 2009 West Virginia University.