Betfair Mobile App. A certain group of technology fans seem to thrive on the immediate gratification they derive from being the first to have the newest device ahead of all others.
Manufacturers refer to this group as “early adopters,” and the ultimate success or failure of new technology often depends on this group proving that something new lives up to its promise.
Early adopters were responsible for the rapid acceptance of the smartphone, as they demonstrated to the masses who took a wait-and-see attitude that the smartphone was not only effective as a communication device, but also delivered capabilities that before 2007, when the first Apple iPhone hit the market, were the stuff of science fiction.
When a piece of technology progresses from adoption by the techno savvy crowd to widespread acceptance by the masses of people who were willing to forego the gratification of being first in order to let new technology first prove itself, manufacturers say that the technology has “crossed the chasm.”
The time from early adopters to widespread adoption keeps getting shorter. Two decades passed before colour TVs became ubiquitous the extent where it is next to impossible to purchase a black and white television.
Cell phones first started showing up in the early 80s. By the time 20 years had passed, few people could visualise their lives prior to mobiles.
The smartphone, however, cut that time well below half. Apple released the first iPhone in 2007 and nowadays, it is next to impossible to buy a cell phone that is not a smartphone, especially when the price of acquisition is basically equal.
The obvious main attraction possessed by the smartphone is the ability to provide the functions of many devices, especially those that previously were the sole jurisdiction of the personal computer.
Internet users were no longer fettered to a desktop or laptop computer, and what is more, they could remain connected via cellular networks in addition to Wi-Fi.
Programmers have been exceptionally creative in devising ways, or applications, for our smartphones, and one of our favourites is the mobile application software that creates an instantaneous link between a punter and their online bookmaker agency.
One such application that deserves more than a passing glance is that offered by Betfair. Here is a slightly more than passing glance, with the admission that there is much more to Betfair’s mobile wagering platform than we could ever hope to describe adequately in such short space.
Betfair’s Bet Matching Service
Of course, it would be the height of stupidity for Betfair to create a mobile platform that did not contain the unique ability that permits punters to act as either or both punter and bookmaker.
Truly, the only stupid bookmakers are known as ex-bookmakers. The ability to not only back a selection to win, but to lay it to lose is central to Betfair’s role. Further, punters have the option of trading a wager with another punter, and to do so with all the ease and rapidity built in to the website wagering platform.
In-Play Wagering
The letter of the law still states that punters must phone in any wagers placed on events that have already jumped.
A gray area is the fact that when using a mobile application over a cellular data network, punters are using telephonic communication technology to make their in-play wagers.
It would seem that the intent of the regulation is to prevent automated computerized wager placement, but for better or worse, and not ascribing nefarious intentions to anyone, we advise avoiding this gray area and calling the friendly folks at Betfair if you decide, for instance, that today is the day St. Kilda pulls off a major second-half upset and sends Hawthorn a rung or two down the ladder.
Betfair is amongst the many online bookmakers that go to lengths to ensure that they offer better dividends that the TAB boards. This reassuring convenience should not be lightly discounted.
Continuous Market Updates
Betfair makes it simple and visually appealing to track markets and observe the changes in odds as money comes into and goes out of a market. They do this with a graph format that requires just a glance, but please, do not glance whilst operating a motor vehicle.
Extensive Form Guide
Tap on a market to gain easy access to previous results any developments that might influence the outcome of a market. View tips and predictions if desired.
One of the first things we who have only lately joined the ranks of the constantly connected is that we were able to download and install the Betfair app quite easily.
The Android version requires visiting a website to download, because the Google Play store, perhaps out of a regard for the morals of humanity, does not maintain live wagering apps in its archives of available applications.
Downloading may trigger a message from your device that the application is being downloaded from an “unknown source,” so Betfair provides clear and concise instructions for managing a device’s security settings in order to enable the download and installation. We truly appreciated that bit of assistance.
The app’s performance was exemplary. Tapping to switch between pages was fast, and the colour scheme used by the app presented a nice contrast that made it obvious what certain boxes and tabs will do.
Changing menus is accomplished by swiping the screen. The main menus are accessed from an icon identical to the menu icon on hundreds of apps, so we were immediately able to find the market we were seeking.
Icons for the different markets also have surprisingly easily readable text labels, so the possibility of finding yourself on a page of tennis markets when you were interested in soccer is essentially nonexistent.
Opening the app immediately shows what markets are coming up, handy for anyone who wants to get a punt on and not have to wait for hours or days to know the outcome.
Another section makes all the banking functions available, including depositing and withdrawing. One tap will show your pending bet slip, from where it is quite easy to add another market in well under a minute.
About the only shortcoming on which we can comment, one that is beyond Betfair’s control, is that their Tasmanian Gaming Commission license creates an obstacle or two for residents of VIC, NSW, SA and WA with regard to certain features and promotions.
In summary, Betfair has created a mobile wagering environment that equals its full website wagering platform to such an extent that it could easily stand in for any feature that does not require a larger screen to perform.
Most punters will discover that all their needs will be met more than adequately.
