August 2017 – London — As the Premier League celebrates its 25th anniversary, Britain’s bookmakers will have their own reason to rejoice, with Worldpay predicting the biggest-ever opening weekend for online betting.
Compared to the previous weekend, which marked the start of the rest of the English Football League, the 2016/17 Premiership opening weekend saw a 12%[1] increase in the volume of bets placed. The average spend per deposit also increased by 5%[2], indicating that the high-profile Premiership matches attract more big-ticket betting than the lower leagues. As the 2017/18 Premier League season kicks off this weekend, Britain’s online bookies will be reminded of how lucrative the league can be, with more bets expected to be placed than ever before.
An analysis of Worldpay’s data has revealed a significant rise in the popularity of online betting over the past two seasons, with the number of transactions rising by 15%[3] in 2015/2016 relative to the previous season, and by an additional 19%[4] in 2016/2017.
James McGurn, VP Growth – Digital Content and Gaming, Global eCom at Worldpay said: “Since the formation of the Premier League 25 years ago, technology has transformed the way football fans experience the sport. The emergence of online and mobile gambling is making it more convenient than ever for punters to have a flutter, from the comfort of their own sofas or in the stadium itself.