The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, otherwise renowned as the EURO, kicks off Friday in Germany. This is the first time Germany has staged the EURO since reunification of the country, with the 1988 edition taking place in West Germany.
Soccer is one of the most popular sports to bet on globally, and Optimove just dropped some interesting data in their comprehensive analysis of betting trends to look out for when matches get underway.
England and France are both the most significant favorites for the tournament, and the two soccer powerhouses are leading the pack in both ticket and handle percentage, according to BetMGM.
Where the action is
In their report on betting intentions, 46% of respondents said over/under bets were their favorite, followed by prop bets at 39% and parlays at 35%.
Roughly 83% of bettors engage in live betting during games, a trend which continues to gain momentum industry-wide. Meanwhile, 45% of respondents claimed to have placed bets before the tournament started, with 21% of those forward-focused bets being on the quarterfinal stage.
An interesting wrinkle of the pre-match-versus-live-betting split is that of the 31% of bettors that intend to bet at all stages during the tournament, 60% of those prefer pre-match bets over live betting.
It doesn’t matter if the bettor’s home nation is involved in the matches, too, 84% will still bet on matches without their national team.
Online sportsbooks dominate the scene when it comes to preferred betting platforms, as 79% of bettors used mobile sports apps or online sportsbooks.
With the 2024 Euros set to kick off tomorrow, we take a look at the top playmakers in the tournament ⚽️
— Covers (@Covers) June 14, 2024
Who are you taking to lead the tournament in assists? ✍️@Betano_Canada pic.twitter.com/fSFzQhDVTh
Betting responsibly
In a year when betting scandals have flooded the headlines, Optimove’s data shows that EURO 2024 bettors may be signaling how much responsible gaming messaging is resonating with the average retail consumer.
A whopping 94% of respondents said they are aware of resources for responsible gambling, and 55% of those gamblers noted that they use these resources to set bet limits or seek help for gambling related issues.
Roughly 76% of the survey participants claim to manage a budget for betting on EURO matches, and 88% of these respondents feel their sports betting site has good responsible gambling practices in place as well.
Yet, 46% of bettors admitted to wagering more than they could afford to lose or wanted to lose. The good news is that the research exhibits a general awareness of responsible gambling messaging and resources, so at the end of the day the measures seem to be in place for consumers to make informed decisions about their play.
All in good fun
One of the main value propositions of the legal sports betting industry is the enhancement of the fan experience, offering more ways to engage with sports like never before.
This research validates that notion, with 84% of respondents saying that betting on EURO 2024 will enhance their enjoyment of the game. Betting will definitely keep fans engaged throughout the whole tournament.
Of the respondents, 85% of bettors will still bet after their team has been eliminated from contention, and 84% also said they will bet on the final match no matter which teams participate.
Betting breeds community. too, and 79% of respondents claim to be participating in betting pools or contests.
Marketing wins
The arbitrage of sports betting ads is nothing new around the industry, and has actually caused tension in many jurisdictions. But EURO 2024 bettors are fading this trend by reporting general satisfaction with how sportsbook marketing has impacted their experience this year.
Only 19% of respondents said they prefer to receive fewer messages from their preferred sports betting sites with only 3% feeling they are bombarded by too many messages. That’s a major moral victory for sports betting marketers who have definitely faced scrutiny over their practices of late.
Overall, EURO 2024 respondents like what they’re seeing. Of the respondents, 72% said the messages they receive are personalized, and 74% believe their favorite betting site is personalized for them as well.
These bettors don’t mind inbox notifications from their sportsbooks either. The top two preferred methods for communication are SMS at 38% and email at 33%.
As things kick off today, there are clearly a bunch of happy, excited, and satisfied bettors getting in on the action.
