A new survey conducted by the international online research data and analytics technology group with a mission to offer an ongoing stream of “accurate data and insight into what the world thinks,” YouGov, has revealed women’s sports as being equally attractive for both male and female bettors. 

The study received funding from sports data and analytics company, StatsPerform, and Women’s Sports Group, the advisory company that advances the global rise of women’s and men’s sports by offering outstanding sports advisory and negotiation expertise.

Bettors Looking for More Betting Options on Women’s Sports

Another critical highlight of the study aimed at UK respondents regards bettors’ enhanced interest in being given additional opportunities to wager on women’s sports. 

More than 60% of female bettors and 46% of male bettors who were acquainted with betting on women’s sports expressed a desire to be offered more opportunities to bet on women’s soccer.

The survey assessed responses received in August 2023 from 2,500 male and 2,500 female bettors.

Approximately 60% of male and female sports bettors who placed wagers at least once a month stated they were actively watching or following women’s sports. 

At the same time, 81% of male bettors and 96% of female bettors who watch women’s sports said they were also interested in men’s sports.

Nine out of 10 male and female bettors expressed their desire to watch women’s sports in the upcoming year. 

Women’s Soccer in the Lead 

As for the most popular sports mentioned by respondents, women’s soccer ranked among the top four sports watched by both male and female sports bettors. 

A discrepancy in betting behaviors was also revealed by the survey. Around 85% of male bettors watch and wager on men’s soccer, but only 23% of them bet on women’s soccer. 

Similarly, 72% of female bettors also wager on men’s soccer while only 26% place bets on the same sports. 

Similar figures 23% like the ones recorded for bets on women’s football were recorded by bets on men’s tennis, cricket, rugby, and boxing.

When inquired about the arguments why they do not bet on women’s soccer, 38% of male sports bettors said they never considered it whereas 34% of male respondents used the “lack of knowledge” argument as the main reason. 

Moreover, two-thirds of female bettors who are actively interested in women’s sports are 45 or younger. 

Last July, a YouGov study conducted on behalf of GambleAware assessed the way gambling ads viewed at a younger age can impact gambling habits later on in life.

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The saga of the sale of Slovenia’s Sports Lottery has come to a sudden end after both candidates to acquire a stake, Entain and Superbet, withdrew their applications.

Purchase Applications Withdrawn

Slovenia’s Ministry of Finance announced that negotiations for the acquisition of a major stake in the state-run sports betting operator, Sports Lottery (Športna Loterija) have been stopped as both candidates, global gambling group Entain and Romanian-based casino group Superbet, decided to withdraw.

“We can confirm that, after weighing the opportunities, Entain has decided not to continue the process for the purchase of a stake in Sports Lottery for the time being,” the gambling operator responded to media requests for comments without providing further details and refusing to comment on possible entry in the Slovenian market in the future.

For the past few weeks, the three organizations holding a majority stake of 57% in Sports Lottery, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia, the Football Association of Slovenia and the Skiing Association of Slovenia, have been pushing for the sale due to concerns related to the opening of the sports betting market in the country.

Reports circulated that the FTSE100-listed gambling group was looking to enter the domestic sports betting market and offered to pay between €50 million ($54.5 million) and €60 million ($65.4 million) for Sports Lottery, bidding in partnership with some rich businessmen from the Czech Republic.

Commitment to Supporting Slovenian Sport

The price offered by Entain was found sufficient by one of the three organizations running Slovenian sport, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia, but it insisted that the future buyer of the stake in Sports Lottery should commit to providing financial support for the development of the sport in Slovenia.

While sharing the same concern with the state representatives leading the negotiations, the Olympic Committee also said it would give up the sale if the state commits to maintaining the monopoly of Sports Lottery in the sports betting market.

The other candidate, the operator of land-based casinos in ten European countries, Superbet, reportedly was ready to pay slightly more than Entain to acquire the stake in the state-owned sports betting operator.

Last month, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral agreed to acquire Polish sports betting company STS Holding in a deal worth £750 million ($952.5 million) after the bid was approved by the company’s two largest shareholders with a collective stake of 70%, Mateusz Juroszek and Zbigniew Juroszek.

Just days after the deal was announced, the acquisition was called “destructive” in an open letter to the board by the owner of 13.2 million shares in Entain, the New York-based investment firm, Eminence Capital.

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The World Putting League was possible thanks to the efforts of data and streaming rights holder Pro League Network (PLN). The company specializes in niche sports, recognizing minigolf’s potential to deliver a thrilling betting experience. Operators DraftKings and Betfred are already on board with comprehensive odds and analyses, benefiting from the seasonal slowdown in high-profile sports events to deliver a more experimental experience.

Fans Can Wager on a Novel and Exciting Event

PLN has found substantial success targeting more niche sports experiences, especially those more suited to wagering. Minigolf is a true standout, offering a significantly more compact tournament than the PGA while retaining the many in-game betting opportunities. The fact has not escaped leading operators like DraftKings and Betfred, which have prepared an extensive program for the upcoming event.

The World Putting League Championship starts on 20 April, featuring 36 putters tackling four daily rounds on an 18-hole course. Partnering sportsbooks have already prepared the odds for the event, singling out pro putter Matt McCaslin as the most likely victor. Bettors can also wager on the lowest score for each round, each player’s holes in one, and many more.

The League is notable as the first US minigolf tournament to feature legal betting. PLN hopes that the option will appeal to fans of the sport and hopefully attract new audiences thanks to its popularity with casual players. This second iteration of the tournament will again broadcast live on the WPL website.

Even Niche Sports Can Generate Substantial Hype

Such increased Sportsbook attention should significantly benefit the US minigolf scene in the long run. PLN co-Founders Bill Yucatonis and Mike Salvaris noted that the added revenue streams would allow niche sports to sustain themselves and hopefully grow their fanbases. According to them, such events could take advantage of days without many wagering options and help maintain better engagement.

There are passionate fans out there of sports that don’t make it on ESPN. These audiences are significant, loyal, and in many cases already bet informally.

Bill Yucatonis and Mike Salvaris, PLN co-Founders

Introducing sports betting to smaller sports presents unique challenges and leaves them more susceptible to integrity violations. However, PLN has introduced rigorous procedures and data standards to combat potential breaches, depending on a state-by-state approval process. The first iteration of the World Putting League demonstrated that integrity was not an issue, so the trend will hopefully continue.

Securing the attention of two high-profile sportsbooks is a significant victory for US minigolf. The increased exposure will leverage existing fans and hopefully spread awareness of the exciting moments the sport can generate. With a growing audience, even a niche tournament can generate substantial interest, benefiting athletes, fans, and sportsbooks alike.

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