So far the month of May has been a banner period for the Gambling911.com website, which kicked off with its biggest day since coming online in September 2000. The Kentucky Derby resulted in just shy of 3 million hits and 1 million page views. Wednesday's American Idol finale have helped to make May 2009 the biggest traffic month ever for the website.
"We had just over 2 million hits to the site on Wednesday and 727,000 page views," Gambling911.com Senior Editor, Payton O'Brien announced on Thursday.
The site has also become more interactive in recent days via its commenting feature where readers can offer feedback on particular articles. Articles related to American Idol and Celebrity Apprentice have witnessed the most feedback thus far.
"May have traditionally been among the slowest months for online gambling sites, especially the sportsbooks," O'Brien said. "That's all changed with most of these businesses now offering odds on the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes."
Likewise, the Manny Pacquiao/Ricky Hatton fight and all the hoopla now surrounding Pacquiao following his big win has helped drive significant traffic to the Gambling911.com website.
"While American Idol may not necessarily be geared towards gamblers, there is still a tremendous interest in betting on the show," says O'Brien. "This was evident in the search terms being entered for ‘American Idol Betting Odds'. Then you have the boxing and horse racing, which are practically built around wagering. This all translates into a hugely successful month, not just for Gambling911, but also for the online sportsbooks."
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
