French online sports betting operators took in over three-quarters more wagers on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games than the London 2012 event.

Figures released by gaming regulator ARJEL show total Olympic wagers at the 12 French-licensed operators topping €33.9m during the Rio games, up from €19.2m four years ago. Online Olympic revenue more than doubled from €3.3m to €6.8m.

Interestingly, the share of in-play wagers was lower than in 2012, falling from 57% in London to 50% in Rio. ARJEL blamed the decline on the time difference, as most French bettors were safely tucked in bed while many of the Rio events were taking place.

In terms of attracting the most wagers, the top Olympic sport was tennis, on which French punters wagered €8.5m, followed by basketball (€6m), football (€5.8m), handball (€5.4m) and volleyball (€2.1m).