Worldpay, the global leader in payments, predicts that Boxing Day will provide a boost for Britain’s online bookies, as punters opt to skip the sales in the hope of cashing in on the day’s biggest sporting events.

Gambling data from 2015 reveals that Britain’s bookies saw a significant 10% increase in online betting activity and a 9% spike in total betting value on Boxing Day compared with an average Saturday in December.

James McGurn, VP Digital Content and Gambling, Global eCommerce, at Worldpay said:

“While Boxing Day is known for its wealth of bargains and sales, sporting events  such as horse racing and football are all part of the festive fun too, offering the opportunity for a holiday flutter. Worldpay’s figures from last year demonstrate that more and more people are choosing to spend the day at home recovering from Christmas merriness and tuning into the biggest sporting events of the day, rather than queuing up in the early hours of the morning for the sales.