Remember when betting meant standing in a corner shop with a paper slip in hand, trying to look casual while asking about odds? Yeah, that was the “good old days.” Fast forward, and now it’s all apps, crypto, and live bets made during bathroom breaks. Millennials didn’t exactly set out to change the game — they just wanted it faster, easier, and less awkward. And somehow, here we are. Let’s see how we got here.
Old School Betting and Transition to Online Fun
Before everything went digital, sports betting was a bit of a hassle. You had to be in the right place at the right time — no skipping to your phone for a quick bet during the game. If you wanted to bet on something like the Super Bowl, it meant leaving the couch, hunting down a bookmaker, and probably waiting in line with a few other people who were just as anxious as you were.
For most millennials, the whole process felt a bit archaic. A generation that has already become used to the convenience of the Internet and fun of videogames wasn’t about to sit around in a betting shop for half an hour. So, many millennials simply passed on it. They didn’t need to bet — they had access to way faster entertainment. And bookmakers understood this.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, online betting platforms like Betfair and Bet365 took the scene, allowing users to place bets from the comfort of their own homes. For millennials, this was a game-changer. Betting could now be done without the awkwardness of paper slips or dealing with bookies. So, betting became more popular as millennials embraced the internet and bookmakers offered them online wagering.
Still, early online betting platforms weren’t without their issues. The interfaces were often clunky, and websites didn’t always run smoothly. This led to another major change in betting.
The App Boom: Betting Meets Convenience
Then came the app revolution in the 2010s. As smartphones became an inalienable part of our lives, it was only a matter of time before betting went mobile. Suddenly, you could place a bet between scrolling through Twitter and checking your messages. Apps like FanDuel and DraftKings started popping up, offering fantasy sports and in-game betting with zero effort. Want to put a wager on your favorite team’s victory? Done in under a minute. No lines, no paper slips, just tap and go.
Even though these apps didn’t cater specifically to millennials, as they were just using a tech that already had massive appeal, millennials were the biggest group for online betting to aim (Gen Z is too young to bet, and Gen X isn’t that good with new tech).
By now, Gen Z and Gen X have also gotten into mobile betting, but it’s thanks to millennials that the betting app had a good start. By 2024, DraftKings was pulling in over 3.7 million active monthly users. You don’t hit those kinds of numbers unless you’re meeting the demand for convenience and instant gratification, which is exactly what millennials were looking for.
What’s more, when apps became a common practice, things evolved again.
Enter Crypto: Betting Without Banks
When sportsbooks started offering crypto as a payment method, it was an obvious next step for many millennials and zoomers. Betting with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other digital currencies offered a ton of perks, like faster deposits, instant withdrawals, and fewer restrictions from traditional banks. Plus, there was the added benefit of privacy — no need to link up your bank account or credit card.
Crypto betting platforms, like the Sportbet website, have started popping up, and they are fast embracing the wave of younger bettors looking for a more convenient, decentralized option. As a result, the global crypto gambling market reached $250 million in 2024 and is growing fast.
Wrapping It Up: Millennials Just Played the Game Differently
Millennials didn’t start a revolution in sports betting — they just didn’t have the patience for the old ways. But this approach worked as well. The industry adapted to their need for speed and convenience, moving online, developing smoother platforms, and incorporating crypto.
Now, Gen Z takes things even further — faster, flashier, and with even less patience. So, we’ll see how they develop what the millennials started.
