An OLBG survey conducted by YouGov reveals sports betting trends among UK adults in 2025 and what to expect in 2026, including betting frequency, regional participation and the sporting events attracting the highest betting interest.
The findings show that betting behaviour remains broadly stable, with 18% of participants planning to place a sports bet in 2026. Major events are set to continue driving activity, with the FIFA World Cup emerging as the standout sporting event next year.
One in ten UK adults bet on sports monthly
In 2025, nearly one in ten UK adults (9%) said they bet on sports at least once a month. Another 13% reported betting occasionally, while 4% said they only gambled on non-sports events.
Among regular sports bettors, 87% of men placed a bet in 2025, compared to 69% of women. Commenting on the gender difference, OLBG CEO Richard Moffat said that although the gap still exists, “it is not as pronounced as some might expect, which could be partly driven by the continued growth of women’s football in the UK”.
Regional differences were also evident. Northern Ireland recorded the highest share of regular sports bettors at 12%, followed by the Midlands and London at 11%. Scotland and Wales both stood at 10%, while the East of England and the North of England followed at 9% and 8% respectively. The South recorded the lowest level of regular sports betting, with just 6% saying they placed a bet at least once a month.
Looking ahead to 2026, Northern Ireland again leads, with 26% planning to place a sports bet. Wales follows at 22%, with Scotland at 15%, while London (21%) and the Midlands (18%) sit above the national average. The South follows at 16%, while the North, East and South West sit closer to the 18% average. Some areas of the South record betting intent as low as 16%, making them the least likely regions to place bets next year.
Grand National remains the biggest betting event
Among 2025 sports bettors, the Grand National was the most popular event, with 49% placing a bet. The Cheltenham Festival followed at 29%, while the FA Cup Final and Champions League Final attracted 25% and 23% of bettors respectively. Royal Ascot also proved popular, drawing interest from 19%.
Other major sporting events attracted smaller betting audiences. The Six Nations, the Super Bowl and Wimbledon each saw betting participation of 8%. The Ryder Cup followed at 7%, while March Madness recorded just 3%.
Beyond headline events, 16% of respondents said they bet on other sporting competitions, while 8% placed sports bets but not on any major event. Only 3% said they could not remember which events they had bet on.
In 2026, the Grand National is expected to remain the UK’s top betting event, with 51% of respondents saying they plan to bet on the race, pointing to a similar level of interest to 2025. The FIFA World Cup is also anticipated to be a major focus, with 43% of potential 2026 bettors expecting to bet on the tournament. In terms of gender split, 49% of men plan to bet on the World Cup, compared with 28% of women.
“These figures paint a clear picture of how and when people bet, with major sporting events continuing to drive spikes in betting activity and regional differences influencing overall participation,” Moffat added.