Ever since we called caves “home”, and hunted and gathered our food, we have found ways to entertain ourselves and others. Archaeological digs around the world have uncovered objects probably used as gaming equipment by our early ancestors. This spirit of leisure and play stretches across centuries and millennia, and has gained new intensity. This is, no doubt, due to the role technology plays in our digital, modern world.
Children the world over still enjoy the most basic childhood games, from playing with stones and marbles to playground games with skipping ropes; and from hopscotch-style games to sports such as rugby and cricket. The Industrial Revolution brought new impetus to the world of entertainment. The obsession with all things mechanical saw the rise of not only manufacturing equipment powered by steam and electricity, but games such as slot machines and pinball machines.
The advent of computers opened up new avenues to those who take play seriously, and suddenly children and adults around the world could enjoy arcade games and, later, games on personal computers at home.
Of course, humanity’s technological advancement didn’t stop with DOS. The 1990s saw the arrival of the internet, something which took gaming to a whole new level.
In just a few years, we’ve seen the rise of single and multiplayer online games, downloadable games, and web-compatible gaming systems and consoles such as Xbox Live. Gaming on the worldwide web has also been given new depth and diversity through the explosion of social media networks and the continued development of mobile technology.
Looking at the most popular apps on Facebook, one finds that several of these are games, and this has been the case for several years now. Games such as Candy Crush Saga and Farm Heroes Saga are great for those looking for light-hearted entertainment but not every adult feels comfortable playing games aimed at an obviously young audience. More mature entertainment can be found online in the form of betting, casino games, and the like. New Zealand punters of online wagering New Zealand punters can enjoy covers sports betting as well as betting on markets such as politics, the entertainment industry, and financial markets.
Betting is an age-old tradition in this country and around the world, so it was only natural that it would find a home online. Taking the best of the bookie’s world, from diversity of markets to betting options, and marrying it with technology that allows for real time coverage and results, as well as future bets, and up to the minute betting advice, is a fine example of how the latest technology helps keep humanity entertained.
The sportsbetting sites that let punters bet on cricket, rugby, soccer, tennis, golf, reality TV shows, national elections, or the performance of a company on the stock market also provide means of placing real money bets that bring a chance of real winnings. Online banking methods that allow for convenient deposits and withdrawals are another way technology supports the pursuit of leisure and entertainment.
Our scientific and technological evolution shows no sign of slowing down; surely good news for those who are serious about taking humanity’s spirit of play into the brave new world of the future.