Worldpay predicts 30% increase in online gambling ahead of Europe’s biggest club fixture
June 2017 – London — Worldpay, a global leader in payments, is expecting online betting to increase by nearly a third this weekend compared to last, as football fans all over Europe look to place a wager on this year’s Champions League Final between Juventus and Real Madrid.
An analysis of gambling data from last year’s Athletico vs. Real Madrid penalty showdown at the San Siro, found that alongside the 30% rise in betting volume, turnover was also up by a hefty 36%[2], as punters across the continent treated themselves to a flutter. With this year’s final taking place with no major international summer tournament in sight, online bookmakers could expect an even bigger weekend as punters chase one last windfall before the season’s finish.
Last year’s figures also showed the luck of the Irish to be in full force, with payouts to the Emerald Isle 13% above average; higher than any other country in Europe. While it may be some time before we see Shamrock Rovers reaching the final, there is certainly nothing holding Irish gamblers back from making a nice little earner on Europe’s biggest fixture.
The Champions League final forms part of a flurry of major football events and finals that mark the end of the busy football year. In fact, last week’s FA Cup final also saw online betting up by a significant 16% in the UK, leaving bookies licking their lips for more and pining for the return of the season in August.
James McGurn, VP Growth – Digital Content & Gaming at Worldpay said:
“While revellers from Turin and Madrid will be descending on Cardiff this weekend, we know that it’s not just the Welsh capital that’s going to be getting in on the action. The stakes and the history associated with the two teams playing in the Champions League Final make it a massive game for so many Europeans, even when teams from their own country aren’t involved. This makes it a huge day from a bookie’s perspective, who will know that from non-league to premier league, many neutrals will have one eye on the game and the other on their betting slip.”
About the data
Figures quoted are according to global eCom transaction data for Worldpay’s regulated gambling customers during the 29th – 31st May 2016, 3rd – 5th June 2016 and 27th – 29th May 2017 , and includes more than 150 of the biggest names in the gambling industry. Worldpay processed a total of 14.9bn transactions at a value of £451.1bn in 2016.
