Entain Marks Milestone for Women Soccer With Record Number of Online Bets

FTSE100-listed gaming and sports betting group Entain has marked an important milestone for women’s soccer. The company that manages both online and retail businesses has processed 1.5 million online bets on the Women’s Euro 2022 soccer tournament that started July 6. The number represents a significant measure for the quickest-growing female sport on the planet. The data came out ahead of the grand final between Germany and England that will take place on Sunday, July 31, at Wembley Stadium. 

The Lionesses Are Sunday’s Big Favorites 

England’s team is the big favorite to win the prestigious trophy on Sunday. This has been reflected through 72% of the total number of bets placed on the final via Ladbrokes Digital UK. The Lionesses have had an excellent tournament as of yet, smoothly going through the stages with more goals scored compared to any other team that ever participated in this stage of the tournament. The team managed to beat the Spanish team in an extremely tense quarter-final while doing the same with Sweden during Tuesday’s semi-final. 

With 46% of the total number of 1.5 million bets placed by sports aficionados in the UK, it is safe to say that the patriotic spirit of the English has surfaced at the thought of the national team would bring home the cup. Since the start of the Women’s Euro 222, six in ten of the bets in the UK placed England’s team as the big winner. Similarly, 60% of all bets made in Germany banked the national German team as the champion. 

Ladbrokes and Coral shops in the UK both recorded a massive, fivefold increase in bets placed on the tourney compared to the 2017 event. Entain also noticed a sixfold growth in the number of bets placed by women compared to the same point of reference. 

Women’s Euro 2022 Will Reach Over 350 Million Viewers From 195 Countries 

The tournament is expected to reach a massive worldwide audience of over 250 million people in 195 countries and territories. The figures are up 40% compared to the global audience reached by the tournament held in the Netherlands in 2017. 

While the UK was ranked first in the total number of bets placed on the event, Germany followed with 22% and Brazil with16%. Entain’s managing director for UK & Ireland Digital Julie Doleman called women’s soccer growth a “phenomenal” one that generated “an incredible buzz for the sport”. The same phenomenon was also shown in the “seismic rates” at which bets on women’s soccer matches have been recorded. Doleman added that Entain continues to be “perfectly placed” with its “bench-strength of global sporting brands” that provide fans with “exciting experiences” while getting them closer to the action. 

The group is currently working with the International Betting Integrity Association, the German Sports University of Cologne, All-In Diversity Project, and Stats Perform to perform research on the surprising rise in women’s sports. The results of the research will be published before the start of the Women’s World Cup that will take place next year, exploring the connection between the popularity of women’s sports, betting, and the growing numbers of female bettors.

In July, Entain launched four racing channels and announced it was getting ready to enter the world of media by producing a documentary and entertainment show. During the same month, the group inked a $5 million extension deal with Racing and Sports.