Entain reveals 50% surge in Formula 1 betting following the sport’s resurgence

Formula 1 betting recorded a huge surge in popularity driven by the growing popularity of the sport, according to the latest data from Entain. The London-listed operator revealed the total number of Entain customers betting on Formula 1 leapt by 50% between 2018 and 2021, with the total number of bets rising 30% each season. Additionally, Entain noted an 18% uptick in its number of UK customers betting on Formula 1 between 2021 and 2022, with four races of the 2022 season to go. Elsewhere, the majority of customers gambling on Formula 1 were from the UK (35%), with the sport also proving popular in Brazil (17%) and Germany (17%). Entain pointed towards a 121% increase in the number of customers betting on the British Grand Prix in 2022 compared to the 2018 race. There has also been a four-fold increase in the number of bets on a winner at the race. The rise of Formula 1 betting comes following the sport’s recent resurgence, driven by the Netflix Drive to Survive series and a refined focus on social media engagement. Followers on Formula 1’s social media platforms have increased 40% to 49.1 million, with video views up 50% to seven billion and total engagement up 74% to 1.5 billion. Entain penned a sponsorship agreement in May 2021 with McLaren to add its PartyCasino and partypoker brands to the team’s stable of commercial partners. Dom Grounsell, Entain chief commercial officer, said: “Our customers are finding Formula 1 an increasingly exciting sport to participate in – numbers are growing year on year, in line with the popularity of the sport. “This has no doubt been helped by the hugely successful Netflix Formula 1 Drive to Survive series. “We’re looking forward to the next stage of Formula 1’s exhilarating journey, and with our bench-strength of global sporting brands, are perfectly placed to keep our customers entertained and close to the action,” he added.