What Defines the Best Sports Betting Apps? A Brief Guide

Posted by Harry Kane on Tuesday, June 25, 2024

The worldwide mobile app mark achieved a cumulative value of $228.98 billion last year. What’s more, figures suggest that it will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% over the course of the next six years. The most popular app genres include entertainment, health and fitness and gaming. Sports betting apps are also becoming increasingly commonplace, especially since native operating systems like iOS and Android have fully accepted apps of this description.

This has also created two secure ways in which bettors can access gambling content on the move, through either responsively designed mobile websites or native apps. Overall, native sports betting apps are thought to be advantageous when compared to responsive mobile browsers, but why exactly is this the case? Let’s find out!

#1. Bet Building and Wagering – Structuring Your Bet Slip

One of the key distinguishing features when choosing a mobile betting app is the bet slip functionality that they offer. All applications are different when it comes to the look, function and design of their bet slips, with simplicity the key consideration here. Otherwise, it can be hard to build bets accurately, especially when looking to target in-play markets.

Remember, smartphone displays provide minimal real estate, so it’s important that bet slips are laid out clearly and easily visible. It should also be easy to construct bet slips and add betting selections, especially when building complex and large wager types like accumulators and round robins. Another key consideration is that the available betting markets are laid out clearly and concisely, with the use of intuitive drop-down menus key here.

Sites should also integrate additional features where possible, especially those that are intuitive and highly functional. For example, some apps create bet slips that allow one-click betting, making it easier to place a high volume of single wagers within a relatively short period of time. Once again, this is a coveted feature when betting in-play.

It should be easy and quick to add and remove betting lines, while you should be presented with options that can seamlessly combine selected picks in a single wager. You should also be able to experiment with different stake amounts and instantly calculate your potential returns, allowing for an optimised betting strategy at all times.

#2. Simple Signups and Accessible Payment Methods – Creating an Optimal Betting Experience

On the subject of simplicity, sports betting apps must also ensure that the registration and signup process is as straightforward as possible. After all, the UK’s iGaming market is incredibly competitive and packed full of licensed operators, many of whom compete according to the ease of their registration process and initial welcome offer.

If you want to register at an online casino or remote sportsbook, for example, you should be able to clearly identify the signup button and navigate the registration in one or two steps. Similarly, you should be able to seamlessly access and leverage relevant promo codes, while also opting in to receive the relevant bonus where possible (we’ll touch more on this below).

Ideally, the registration process should also minimise intrusion and be completed in as few screens as possible. Customers are increasingly cynical about the prospect of sharing personal data online, so it’s important that operators minimise this process where possible and ensure that screens are secured with 128-bit SSL encryption.

If you want to opt in and receive a welcome bonus (and who wouldn’t), it’s also important that you can easily opt in and quickly leverage promo codes. In fact, promo codes should be immediately visible when you complete your first deposit. The structure terms and conditions of the welcome bonus should also be clearly laid out, as should any restrictions regarding ineligible payment methods.

This also brings us neatly onto payment options. The best and market leading betting apps always offer a large and diverse range of banking methods, including debit cards, ewallets, selected cryptocurrencies and credit cards (where permitted). Most importantly, these methods are trusted and offer their own security protocols, helping to further safeguard your finances and sensitive datasets.

Payment integration is therefore a key consideration when selecting betting apps, as you look to identify your preferred methods (and currencies) and access minimal payment and internal processing times. This way, you can choose a site that offers an optimal transactional and backend experience!

#3. Enjoying a Safe and Secure Betting Experience – Look for Encrypted Betting Apps

Whether you wager through a sports betting app or responsive and intuitive mobile site, security must always be one of your main considerations. When accessing a responsive mobile website, the URL should start with ‘https’ and feature a padlock image in the left-hand corner. This confirms that the website in question boasts 128-bit SSL encryption, which protects your data and financial transactions online.

Ideally, apps should boast high levels of encryption, although this can take multiple and quite diverse forms. For example, symmetric, asymmetric and hybrid encryption may all be utilised by app developers, with the former considered to be the fastest and most efficient method of securing transactions.

Symmetric encryption uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt data, but this requires a secure way to share and store the key online. This is an important consideration that you should keep in mind at all times. This can work in a similar way to cryptography, where public and private keys are used to encrypt and decrypt data online.

Regardless, sports betting apps of any description should also be accredited and licensed by a reputable regulator, while its functionality and random number generator (RNG) software must have been tested by an independent body. These help to guarantee a safe and secure online betting experience, while making it easy to escalate complaints to a trusted third-party site.