Flashscore data reveals UK fans betting habits ahead of the World Cup

Flashscore data reveals UK fans betting habits ahead of the World Cup

• Data from the survey reveals that 92% of UK users that consider themselves active bettors have placed a bet on football in the last 3 months
• Time zones will not stop UK fans, as 41.5% of adults aged 18-34 definitely plan to watch England’s late-night matches live
• More users have bet on BTTS than on 1×2 in the last 3 months

A survey of 2,000 UK sports fans conducted by Flashscore in partnership with global market research company TGM Research shows that the British public is gearing up heavily for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Among online sports audiences, 86.8% of male fans and 81.6% of female fans plan to follow the World Cup very or extremely closely.

The findings highlight robust football interest and distinct betting behaviors across the nation ahead of the tournament kickoff. Flashscore is the world’s leading platform for live scores and sports content with more than 200 million app downloads which attracts more than 125 million monthly users worldwide and generates approximately 145 billion monthly impressions.

In the UK Flashscore attracts 4 million monthly users and has achieved 4 million app downloads. UK fans make more than two billion monthly impressions and spend close to 30 minutes per day on average within the app.

High anticipation among UK fans

The tournament study highlights strong engagement intentions across primary demographics:

• Among online sports audiences, 86.8% of male fans and 81.6% of female fans plan to follow the World Cup very or extremely closely.
• Time zone differences mean several matches will start around or after midnight UK time. However, 41.5% of fans aged 18–34 state they will definitely watch England’s late night matches live, while 34.3% probably will.
• Staying up for live broadcasts remains popular across older generations too, including 35.0% of fans aged 35–54 and 30.1% of those aged 55+.

Evolving choices in football wagering

While overall football betting participation remains high, fans prioritise in-game entertainment over final results:

• 64% of UK users placed “Both Teams to Score” (BTTS) and 59% “Over/Under” total goals wagers, compared to 49% of those who placed standard match outcomes (1X2) during the tracked period

Martin Matejka, Marketing Director of Flashscore, said: “The World Cup is one of the biggest events on the global sports calendar. Flashscore attracts highly engaged sports fans, and this audience closely overlaps with the betting market. Bettors need fast, reliable scores and statistics right at that moment, which is exactly what we deliver.

“Our survey shows that 46% of Flashscore users (the highest share among key market players) that have experience with other competitors have selected Flashscore as the fastest, proving that speed matters. This combination makes Flashscore a natural partner for betting platforms looking to connect with an active audience.”