News

Sports Betting Thriving Despite Lockdown

Published

6 years ago

September 4, 2020

Wanna Make a Bet?

The global pandemic put North American professional sports on the shelf for nearly five months but bettors soon found leagues that they never knew existed and, well, if you’re dying of thirst in the desert and someone offers you water, you don’t ask if it’s Fiji. Soon there were millions of experts on Belarusian soccer and Taiwanese paddle ball willing to put up or shut up. Even eSports became a mainstream betting vehicle with everything from League of Legends to Madden NFL simulations.

Sports betting may not be the oldest profession but it is quickly becoming one of the most compelling. After decades in the shadows, it has recently been legitimized due to it finally being legalized in many parts of the United States. But gambling, whether it be legal or illegal, will always be pervasive because it’s fun, and potentially profitable if you know what you’re doing.

Adam Burns, an industry sportsbook director, stated, “Business is booming. “We probably took in 10 times more money than last year on the 2020 NFL Draft. It goes to show people are looking for something to bet on. The draft is always big, but I couldn’t believe how much money [was bet] when I woke up the next morning.”

In April of this year, betting was up 50 percent at New Jersey sportsbooks over last year on sports other than basketball, football, and baseball, to the tune of $21.7 million.

Prior to the reopening of sports in North America, Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayUSA.com network, stated, “The rise in bets on nontraditional sports has been interesting, and with auto racing and golf closer to starting, that trend could increase.”

Books are Booming

Now that the NBA, MLB, and NHL are in full swing, business is booming even more as evidenced by reports from the best online sportsbooks in the industry. But with the king of kings, the NFL, drawing closer, the numbers are expected to soar as long as the leagues can remain open for business.

In August of 2019, a total of $744,065,765 was legally wagered in the United States and $61,762,233 in revenue was hauled in as a result. But industry experts are nearly unanimous in declaring that this August will dwarf last year’s take, not to mention what the offshore books will do as well.

But few believe the take this month will beat the record-breaking month of November 2019, when U.S. sportsbooks handled over $1.8 billion, due to the fact there is no preseason football. “It’s a reach,” opined ESPN gambling writer David Purdum when asked by US Bets whether the month that starts Saturday can break the November ’19 record, “especially without preseason football, which accounts for more than most would believe. Last August, around 25% of the total handle bet in Nevada sportsbooks was attributed to football wagers. The NBA will probably make up for the lack of football, but even then, eclipsing a regular-season football month seems unlikely.”

As Purdum noted, the NBA and NHL are both playing in August which is a first for both leagues and will only add to what should be a robust betting handle this month. SportsHandle Editor-in-Chief, Brett Smiley, echoed Purdum’s sentiments regarding his skepticism of a record handle in August of 2020, “There are so many moving parts here, including players going in and out of quarantine. Over/under on games played for any of these leagues, I mean, who knows? We’re in completely uncharted territory here and there’s too many unknowns in the equation. I think people may watch in record numbers, but hopefully people who have taken a serious economic hit — and that’s an awful lot of Americans — are not using limited resources to gamble on sports. Betting 10 bucks is fine, but that doesn’t impact handle much.”

Purdum referenced the uncertain economic times and the looming election as another hurdle to climb for a record-breaking month, “The U.S. betting market is expanding and growing. We have more visibility than ever at how much is being wagered, which may lead to some record-setting numbers in some states. Records seem to be set routinely these days. But, to me, the pandemic, the pending election, and uncertainty surrounding the economy and sports in general will, at some point, have a negative impact on the betting market.”

Whatever happens this month, one thing we do know is that Americans have a growing passion for the action. Sports betting is now mainstream and records will be routinely shattered for several years to come as more states enter the fray and become beneficiaries of all that additional tax revenue. Legalized sports betting in the USA has been a long time coming but at long last, we’re glad it’s arrived.

Related Topics:Dustin Gouker Esports North American professional sports

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N1 Partners Drops Prediction Markets Vertical — Expand Your Traffic Strategy!

Published

12 hours ago

May 20, 2026

Master Editor

N1 Partners team has launched a new Prediction Markets vertical on the N1 Bet product, which is a new betting format for real events with simple yes/no mechanics. This is the first and so far the only SOFTSWISS product that works with this niche.

This vertical opens up expanded opportunities for partners: it provides access to a fresh audience, and also allows you to monetize and scale traffic from various sources — from politics and finance to entertainment and show business — as efficiently as possible.

What is the real benefit for partners and how does it work? Read all about the Prediction Markets vertical in the article.

Prediction Markets vertical: what is it?

Prediction Markets is a unique betting format for real non-sporting events, where the user chooses “yes” or “no” to the potential event outcome (for example, elections, the Eurovision Contest, the Oscar Awards).

Users can bet on topics in the following areas:

politics (elections, geopolitical events)
cryptocurrencies and financial markets
technology and business
social trends and global narratives
entertainment and show business

The format is as simple as possible, does not require experience and knowledge in classic betting, therefore it may be of interest to a wide audience.

Why is the Prediction Markets format worth a test?

It is crucial to note that Prediction Markets is not just another feature; it is a unique vertical that gives access to a new, previously non-converting audience.

Reasons to test Prediction Markets:

The threshold for the first conversion is lower than in betting;
Works great with SEO and content traffic (news, trends, cryptosphere, politics, entertainment);
High interest in the vertical during trending events;
Opportunity to monetize an audience that doesn’t bet on sports or casinos.;
It is possible to transfer users to the casino and vertical betting;
Provides a smooth user path within the product.

Moreover, the format is as native as possible — real events constantly create new reasons for returning players, forming stable retention and LTV.

Thus, Prediction Markets is a great way to monetize an audience that has not made a profit before, and with N1 Partners you can do this as simply and efficiently as possible.

Wanna be the first to gain access to a fresh audience? Test Prediction Markets with N1 Partners now!

Scale your results with N1 Partners:

14+ casino and betting brands with high Reg2Dep
10+ Tier-1 GEOs
CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top affiliates

Be number one with N1!

Awards

OLBG recognised in iGB Affiliate Awards for Dorking sponsorship

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2026

George Miller

OLBG recognised in iGB Affiliate Awards for Dorking sponsorship

OLBG, Principal Partner of Dorking Wanderers FC since the start of the 2025/26 season, has received national recognition after their headline sponsorship campaign was shortlisted for Affiliate Campaign of the Year at the 2026 iGB Affiliate Awards.

The nomination celebrates the leading sports betting and casino community’s collaboration with the Surrey-based club. Their partnership has helped shine a wider spotlight on non-league football through fan-focused content, social engagement and community-led activations.

Alongside the Dorking Wanderers campaign nomination, OLBG has also been shortlisted for both Best Sports Betting Affiliate and Best Casino Affiliate, underlining the brand’s continued growth across the wider iGaming industry.

Since announcing the long-term partnership in 2025, OLBG and Dorking Wanderers have launched a range of initiatives designed to bring supporters closer to the club, including branded fan engagement campaigns and social activations that have generated significant traction online.

Founded in 1999, Dorking Wanderers have become one of the most recognisable names in English non-league football following their rapid rise through the pyramid under owner and manager Marc White. The club has built a substantial national following through viral social media clips and documentary-style football content.

The iGB Affiliate Awards are regarded as one of the leading award ceremonies in the global affiliate and online gambling sector, recognising standout campaigns, partnerships and businesses from across the industry.

This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony on 2 July.

OLBG CEO Richard Moffatt said: “After winning two awards at last year’s iGB Affiliate Awards, it’s fantastic to see OLBG shortlisted again across three categories this year.

As OLBG continues to grow as a broader sports fan engagement brand, it’s been rewarding to see ideas and learnings from partnerships such as Harry Derham Racing continue to evolve across new collaborations.

It’s especially pleasing to see our work with Dorking Wanderers F.C. recognised in the Campaign of the Year category. We were honoured to win this award last year for our partnership with Harry Derham Racing and, much like that collaboration, our work with DWFC has centred around long term storytelling, helping our partners move closer to their ambitions while giving fans a deeper connection to the sport they love.

A huge thank you goes to everyone at Dorking Wanderers F.C., Bunch of Amateurs and the OLBG team whose energy, creativity and commitment have made the partnership such a success.”

News

N1 Partners Shortlisted at iGB Affiliate Awards

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2026

Master Editor

N1 Partners was shortlisted for the iGB Affiliate Awards in two categories: “Best Affiliate Program” and “Marketing Campaign of the Year”.

iGB Affiliate Awards is a prestigious award in the affiliate industry, annually honouring companies and experts who develop the iGaming market, influence its future, and set industry standards. For N1 Partners, these nominations reflect the high results of the past year.

N1 Partners received nominations in two categories at once:

Best Affiliate Program

N1 Partners creates the best conditions for partners by providing a portfolio of 14+ betting and casino brands in 10+ Tier-1 GEOs. Moreover, in 2025, the average monthly volume of FTDs driven by partners increased by 150%. This is one of the most striking indicators of company scaling and effectiveness. N1 products are also constantly evolving and expanding, with 4 new brands added in 2025 with high conversion rates and extensive scaling capabilities.

Marketing Campaign of the Year

N1 Puzzle Promo has become one of the largest promos in the affiliate industry in 2025, with 350+ partners, reaching over 6 million views in 50+ media. With a prize pool of €500,000 and the main gift, Robinson R22 helicopter, the campaign brought partners from around the world together and provided an opportunity to receive solid rewards for traffic achievements.

At the same time, N1 Partners continues to create competitive mechanics for partners in 2026 — the N1 Traffic Cups tournament series continues to strengthen partner engagement and develop the affiliate community.

This year, the company also launched sports traffic on three brands — N1 Bet, RollXO, and Lucky Hunter — and released a new vertical, Prediction Markets, a betting format for real events with simple “yes/no” mechanics.

Scale your results with N1 Partners: