The UK is one of the countries with the largest sports betting markets, thanks to legal frameworks and a variety of sports books, both online and offline. There are also plenty of sporting events and teams in the country, giving bettors plenty of opportunity and betting variety. However, some sports are favoured by bettors, bringing in the most bets and revenue each year.
It is unsurprising that football is the most popular sport for bettors in the UK, and by quite a margin. Just less than half of all active bettors have placed wagers on football, with the Premier League being the preferred league, followed by the Champions League. Bettors also look further afield, betting on the Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A. Punters can wager on regulated sites offering favourable odds with no GamStop needed, meaning they’re not limited to self-exclusion regulations when placing bets on their football teams.
The first horse-racing event in the UK was recorded as far back as 1174, and it can be assumed that as long as there have been races, there have been people betting on their outcomes. Serious bettors wager on most events throughout the year, while casual punters find themselves placing bets on The Grand National and Royal Ascot. According to YouGov, around 49% of sports bettors have reported betting on horse races each year. This sport offers various betting options, from who wins the race, where a horse will place, or each way bets.
With Wimbledon attracting millions of viewers each year, it’s no surprise that tennis is a popular sport in the UK. And it is not just Wimbledon, there are thousands of matches throughout the year, from the ATP and WTA tour to smaller local matches hosted in different countries. Tennis is especially popular with punters who enjoy live sports betting, especially the Grand Slam men's singles events. These single matches can last for hours, giving bettors plenty of opportunities to make live wagers on sets and games.
Today’s golf tournaments have UK players like Phillip Archer and Chriss McDonnell taking home titles, and the country has delivered some of the best golfers in the world over the years, like Nick Faldo and Tom Morris. The Masters and The British Open is popular with sports bettors, even those who have never played a round of golf in their lives. Then there is the PGA Tour, offering over a hundred tournaments throughout the year for bettors to keep busy.
Rugby is quite big in the UK, with the English and Scottish National teams ranked seventh and sixth respectively. England’s Women’s Rugby Team is ranked first in the world. But, it is not just the national games that attract bettors. The Super League, featuring UK clubs like the Castleford Tigers and the Dragons, have dozens of matches each season, making sure that punters are never bored. The Rugby World Cup, hosted every four years, is also a big betting event in the UK, especially when the UK teams near the final.
