Betting Trends Survey

Betting Trends Survey 2026

A new OLBG survey conducted by YouGov sheds light on how the UK approached sports betting throughout 2025 and what people expect from 2026. It also takes a close look at sports and entertainment habits, highlighting the shows viewers feel have run their course, the most iconic reality TV contestants and best sporting moments of the year, as well as major sporting events generating the most excitement for the year ahead.

Key Findings

• Nearly one in ten (9%) of UK adults bet on sports at least once a month
• Northern Ireland is named the betting capital of the UK with 26% planning to place a bet in 2026
• Grand National remains the UK’s top betting event with 49% of respondents betting on this
• Nearly one in five (18%) of UK adults plan to place a sports bet in 2026
• Over a third of Brits (36%) say Big Brother and Love Island should be axed next year
• The FIFA World Cup is the most anticipated sporting event of 2026 with interest from 34% of the public
• Alan Carr was voted the most iconic reality TV contestant of 2025 (with 47% of those who responded voting for the Celebrity Traitors star)
• The Lionesses' Euro 2025 win was named the best sporting moment of the year by 28% of those who responded

Betting Trends

One in Ten UK Adults Place Monthly Sports Bets

In 2025, nearly one in ten (9%) of UK adults say they bet on sports with betting sites at least once a month. A further 13% still place sports bets but not regularly, and another 4% only gamble on non-sports events. This means the majority of bettors are casual rather than committed monthly punters.

Gender differences are clear. Among those who typically bet on sports, 87% of men said they placed a sports bet in 2025, compared to only 69% of women.

Regional behaviour varies as well. Northern Ireland reports 12% of regular bettors. Scotland and Wales follow at 10%. The Midlands sits at 11% while the East and the North land at 9% and 8%. The lowest levels are found in London (11%) and the South where only (6%) say they bet on sports regularly. 

Overall, regular monthly betting is far more concentrated in Northern Ireland and pockets of the Midlands than it is in southern regions.

Grand National Remains UK’s Top Betting Event

Among those who placed a sports bet in 2025, the Grand National maintained its position as the most popular betting event, with 49% placing a bet on the event. This figure is close to the 2024 level of 47% which shows its enduring pull. The Cheltenham Festival follows at 29%, while the FA Cup Final and Champions League Final attracted 25% and 23% respectively.

Royal Ascot drew 19% of bettors and events such as the Six Nations, Super Bowl and Wimbledon each landed at 8%. 

Smaller groups placed a bet on the Ryder Cup (7%) and March Madness (3%).

A further 16% bet on other sporting events, while 8% said they placed sports bets but not on any major event. Only 3% said they did not remember which events they had bet on.

Northern Ireland Leads UK Betting Intent for 2026 

Intent to bet next year remains steady. A total of 18% say they plan to place a sports bet in 2026, while 71% say they do not.

This includes 60% who say they definitely will not place a bet. Another 11% say they probably will not and 4% are unsure. These figures closely match the 2024 results [see below] where 19% planned to bet and 69% did not, suggesting betting intention has not shifted much in the last year.

Looking deeper, Northern Ireland again leads with the strongest intent at 26%. Wales follows at 22% and Scotland at 15%. 

Within England, interest varies. The Midlands (18%), London (21%) and the South (16%), which places them above the national average. The North, East and South West are all closer to 18%. Some pockets of the South drop as low as 16%, making them the least likely to place bets next year. England as a whole aligns with the 18% national figure. Overall, the regions most likely to place a bet in 2026 are Northern Ireland, Wales and areas within the Midlands and London.

Among those who expect to place a sports bet in 2026, the Grand National is once again the clear front runner, with 51% planning to bet on the event. The FIFA World Cup also looks set to attract huge interest at 43%, reflecting its status as one of the biggest global events of the year. The Cheltenham Festival remains a strong favourite among bettors at 29%, while both the FA Cup Final and the Champions League Final sit at 25%. Royal Ascot attracts 22% and Wimbledon draws 11%. Smaller groups plan to bet on the Six Nations at 8%, the Super Bowl at 7%, the Ryder Cup at 5% and March Madness at 3%. 

Sports and Entertainment Trends

Alan Carr Crowned the UK’s Most Iconic Reality Star of 2025

When asked to name the most iconic reality TV contestant of 2025, almost half of those who gave an answer (47%) chose Alan Carr following his appearance on Celebrity Traitors. 

Joe Marler was next at 8%, with Richard Storry close behind at 6%. A further 5% pointed to the Celebrity Traitors cast as a whole, while 2.5% selected Celia Imrie. These results show that Alan Carr stood out far more than any other reality TV figure across the year.

Lionesses Euro Triumph Named Britain’s Top Sporting Moment of 2025

When asked to name the best sporting moment of 2025, the Lionesses winning Euro 2025 came out on top, with 28% of those who gave an answer choosing it. The Red Roses winning the Rugby World Cup followed at 6%, while Liverpool’s Premier League victory and Europe beating the USA in the Ryder Cup were each selected by 7%. These responses show that women’s sport continued to drive major national moments across the year.

Over a Third of Brits Say Big Brother and Love Island Should Be Axed Next Year

Several long-standing reality shows appear to be losing their place with viewers. When asked to select up to 3 shows that have had their day, Big Brother and Love Island are the two most mentioned shows, with 36% saying they should be axed in 2026. 

The Only Way is Essex follows at 30% which suggests structured reality formats may be reaching the end of their appeal.

Geordie Shore at 24% and Made in Chelsea at 22% also score highly, while I'm a Celebrity at 25% shows that even some of the most established series are facing signs of viewer fatigue. 

Strictly Come Dancing at 16% and The Apprentice at 14% remain more stable but still attract notable criticism. First Dates at 6%, Bake Off at 5% and Gogglebox at 5% round out the list.

FIFA World Cup Named the UK’s Most Anticipated Event of 2026

The FIFA World Cup dominates the most interest for next year, with 34% of the public saying it is the event they are most excited to watch. No other event comes close. The FA Cup Final follows at 18% while the Six Nations at 17%, the Champions League Final at 16% and Wimbledon at 16% form the next cluster of major moments.

The Grand National sits lower at 9% and the Ryder Cup at 5%. Only small groups are most excited about the Super Bowl or the Cheltenham Festival, which both sit at 4%. Royal Ascot scores 3% and March Madness records 0%. 

The results show that while many events capture interest, the World Cup is set to define 2026 for sports fans.

Jake Ashton, Sports and Entertainment Betting Expert at OLBG, comments:

What the expert says...

These results show how quickly audience tastes are changing. Viewers are losing patience with some of the biggest reality titles of the last decade. With 36% calling for Big Brother and Love Island to end, it is clear that even the most familiar formats are not guaranteed long-term appeal. Shows like The Only Way is Essex, Geordie Shore and Made in Chelsea are also slipping, which points to a wider shift away from structured reality.

- Jake Ashton, - Your Betting Odds Guide 👍

“On the sports side, the picture is very different. The FIFA World Cup dominates interest for next year, with 34% of the public saying it is the event they are most excited about. It is one of the few moments that can still bring the whole country together. 

“We also saw that Alan Carr was the standout reality TV figure of the year and the Lionesses Euro win was the moment that resonated most with fans. These trends highlight how entertainment is becoming more fragmented while major sporting events continue to cut through on a national level.”

Methodology

All figures are from YouGov. The total sample size was 2108 adults. Fieldwork took place online between 17 and 18 November 2025. Results have been weighted to represent all UK adults aged 18 and over.