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Article 15
The Future of Sports Betting
by Ian Sherrington
June 2026
Series – The Online Gambling Industry
Rather a grand title to this article and a bit of a departure from my usual historical angle. I make no apologies for this as, having been asked to do a technical review of an amazing new blockchain sports betting system, I can’t wait to let you – my loyal reader – know my findings.
A bit of a long article I’m afraid to say. But there’s a lot of ground to cover. So I start the article with a brief snippet of sports betting history and then I go to compare my experiences with blockchain sportsbooks with this new blockchain sports betting system called Chain.wtf.
Things have moved on so quickly in the blockchain world. The latest technical developments in recent years have finally made Peer-to-Peer betting a reality. A dream to many of us and with many failed attempts so far, the desire to create a truly democratic and decentralized betting system has not diminished.
By harnessing a nodal messaging system and blockchain smart contracts in a clever and unique way, the Chain.wtf sports betting system brings P2P sports betting to the world in a new and exciting way.
So please read on and discover how the Chain.wtf system works and what it means to our ever progressing world of online gambling. Thanks and good reading!
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Series Introduction
The Online Gambling Industry
A Series of Articles
Ian Sherrington, July 2024
In 1996, a small sportsbook in Austria accepted the world’s first online sports bet: a $50 gamble that Tottenham Hotspur would beat Hereford United in a third round FA Cup replay.
Since then, the rise of the online gaming industry has been meteoric. From humble beginnings, in seedy apartments and dimly lit basements, visionaries and programmers created computer systems that would form the foundations of a remarkable industry.
This transformation has extended gambling opportunities in unprecedented ways. As each new system or service came online, it gained popularity and momentum, leading to rapid growth.
Today, the industry is worth a fortune, with a turnover calculated in the trillions of dollars. It pays significant taxes, contributes to worthy causes, offers investment opportunities, and provides employment to many.
This first article in the series “The Online Gambling Industry” outlines the origins of the industry; looking at the key innovations that contributed to the beginnings of the online gambling industry.
We will explore how these early developments set the stage for the thriving online gambling landscape we see today.
The following articles in this series will delve deeper into the evolution of the industry, revealing the pioneers and their ground-breaking contributions. Join us, as we uncover the fascinating history of online gambling!
A Note from the Author
Dear Reader,
I’m Ian Sherrington and thank you for your interest in this fascinating topic. As a programmer, I played a key role in the early days of the Online Gambling Industry. On January 17th, 1996 the first online sports bet was accepted by the new Intertops website which I had conceived and created. Intertops has been online and accepting bets ever since.
I’ve stayed in the industry and continue to innovate and contribute in various ways, not just technically. During my time I’ve witnessed the evolution of the industry first-hand.
I always wanted to write about the industry and how it came to be and uncover the innovations and the innovators, many of whom I have met, and their invaluable contributions.
Now I have the chance to do it so now I’m investigating .. Who did what, when and.. why?
Huge thanks to Paul and all for your patient editing!
Let the Series begin!
Ian Sherrington, July 2024
