YouGov: Back on track with Olympics betting

The Olympics is the biggest event in sport and therefore one of the biggest for the gambling industry. A new YouGov survey regarding gambling intentions shows that nearly one in 10 (9%) British adults plan to place a bet of some kind on the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo, scheduled to begin on 23 July. Younger Brits – aged between 18-24 (15%) and 25-39 (12%) – are most likely to ramp up the excitement of the Games with a wager.

YouGov Direct polled 1,500 UK adults online on 9 June and the overall sample is nationally representative.

As mobile betting continues its assent, three-quarters (75%) of likely Olympics punters say they plan to place their bets via an online sportsbook, while 25% say they will place in-person bets. A little more than one in 10 (11%) also plan to place casual bets with friends, family or colleagues.

Nearly half of bettors (45%) will place money on individual matches or events and a quarter (25%) will wager on medal counts. Some British punters will place accumulator or parlay bets (16%), spread bets (13%) and prop/spot bets (8%). About one in 10 (11%) will place Olympic future bets (prior to the start of the Games).

The rise of online betting has brought with it a massive appetite for live wagers – 34% of Brits who plan to put some money down on the Games intend to make in-play or live wagers, such as betting on when the next goal will be scored during a football match.

Of course, live betting may not be a viable option in the 10-second-long 100-metre dash, which is likely to be among the most popular events on which bettors will place wagers. We do, however, expect in-play bets to be popular in team matches, such as football, volleyball and basketball.

Popular sports

Punters appear to be most likely to bet on events such as track and field (49%), football (49%), boxing (31%), tennis (28%), and gymnastics (20%). Other events that will draw gamblers include swimming (18%), basketball (15%), cycling (15%), badminton (8%), diving (7%), weightlifting (6%), table tennis (6%), volleyball or beach volleyball (6%), archery (3%), and baseball (3%).

For marketers looking to reach this audience, Brits also told us what they’ll likely be doing while watching the Games. About a third (35%) say they’ll be on gambling sites to check odds, place bets or cash out; roughly a quarter (27%) will be chatting on social media (27%) or searching for player and athlete details (25%); and one in five (20%) will be on a gambling site to play other games. One in five (19%) will likely be working during a game or event.

Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that in the US – where gambling laws have shifted dramatically since the last Olympic Games as a result of a 2018 Supreme Court ruling – 9% of adults are likely to place a bet on the upcoming Games in Tokyo.

For the betting industry, 2021 is shaping up to be a year of growth, thanks to a rise in the number of gamblers during Covid-19 lockdowns. As the UK emerges from lockdown measures, they have been greeted with two of the biggest sporting events on the planet – the Euros and the Olympics.

Let the games begin.

Having worked with YouGov for more than a decade, Oliver Rowe has advised companies including Tesco and Barclays on their reputation management. He now brings that experience to bear on a sector which includes the betting and gaming industry in his role as global sector head for leisure and entertainment.