A new survey has revealed the UK public’s betting trends as Euro 2024 gets underway.
OLBG’s survey of 2,101 adults, in cooperation with YouGov, found that 12 per cent feel sport is enhanced by betting.
Five per cent of people intend to take part in a tournament sweepstake, with the same proportion seeking to place a bet with an online operator.
However, only one per cent of people plan to place a bet in person at a betting shop on the outcome of the tournament.
Eighty-three per cent of UK adults would not bet informally on Euro 2024, but seven per cent would bet at home with friends and family.
Five per cent plan to participate at work with colleagues.
Another key finding was that 29 per cent of adults would bet against their own country.
“Surveys of this kind always throw out some interesting results, not least that nearly 30 per cent of people would be willing to bet against their own country,” said Richard Moffat, chief executive officer at OLBG.
“I wonder how many of those would be prepared to admit that publicly.
“And while this survey shows that many supporters are clearly planning to place a bet with friends, family and work colleagues, we would always recommend placing Euro 2024 bets with a UK-licensed bookmaker,” he added.
Half of UK adults would not bet against their own team, with 52 per cent of Scots pledging never to bet against Steve Clarke’s side.
Fifty-one per cent of English people would never bet against the Three Lions the survey found.
Sixty-eight per cent of people never bet on football, the findings revealed, and a further 13 per cent said it would make no difference at all to their level of enjoyment of sport.
The survey also touched on issues raised by the Gambling Act review white paper such as gambling operators’ sports sponsorship deals.
Two-thirds of UK adults do not believe national football associations such as the FA should sign commercial deals with operators.
More than a third (38 per cent) were in strong support of an outright ban on professional footballers being allowed to bet on Euro 2024, right across the top seven tiers of the English football pyramid.
