Sports betting in the UK - statistics & facts

The United Kingdom is one of the leading European sports betting markets. In 2021, the nation held 23 percent of the sports betting market in Europe. Meanwhile, France followed closely behind, holding 20 percent of the market. The sports betting market value in the UK totaled 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. This figure showed a decline of 17 percent over the previous year's total of 6.5 billion U.S. dollars, most likely as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on sporting events. Fittingly, the gross gambling yield (GGY) of the virtual events online betting market in the UK peaked at the start of the pandemic, with the highest GGY being recorded in April 2020. Similarly, the gross gambling yield of the online eSports betting market also grew during the pandemic.

Most popular sports to bet on in the UK

Some of the most popular forms of sports betting in Great Britain involve placing bets on horse racing, dog racing, and soccer. Between April 2021 and March 2022, the annual turnover of off course horse race betting in Great Britain was slightly more than three billion British pounds. Turnover refers to the amount of money wagered before any winnings are paid out. The annual turnover of off course dog race betting in Great Britain, by comparison, amounted to approximately almost 740 million pounds between April 2021 and March 2022. Over the past decade, bets placed on off course horse racing and dog racing have declined. Contrastingly, the annual turnover of off course soccer betting in Great Britain has seen an increase over the past decade, totaling 1.34 billion pounds between April 2021 and March 2022.

How many Britons participate in sports betting?

Many Britons participate in sports betting because it allows them to feel more engaged with the sport they are watching. As of November 2021, the share of British soccer fans who felt that betting made them feel more engaged with the sport was 21 percent. Comparatively, a far greater share of horse racing fans, 42 percent, felt that betting on the sport made them feel more engaged with it. That being said, the majority of sports fans in Great Britain did not participate in sports betting. As of September 2021, the share of the public participating in sports betting in Great Britain was only 5.6 percent. Similarly, the total soccer betting participation in Great Britain amounted to five percent of British adults that same year.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Dec 20, 2023

Key insights

European country with the highest sports betting market share
United Kingdom
Market size of the sports betting industry in the UK
5.4bn USD
Share of the public participating in sports betting in Great Britain
5.1%
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Participation in sports betting in Great Britain from 2018 to 2023, by type of sport

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Sports betting participation in Great Britain 2018-2023, by sport

Share of adults that feel sports betting makes them more engaged with the sports they like in Great Britain as of November 2021, by sport

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