Flutter Entertainment has said betting on women’s sports is seeing “unprecedented growth” amid a surge in player-led narratives and growing fan engagement.
As part of an in-house breakdown exploring the rise in betting interest in women’s sports, the New York-listed firm said tennis, basketball, football and the 2024 Paris Olympics had played key roles.
From a tennis perspective, Flutter’s US-facing FanDuel reported 1.8 million bets on the women’s US Open, a 32% increase compared to the 2023 tournament.
Bets on the men’s side of the competition grew 27% in those two years.
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova in the final in New York, with four of the 10 highest-staked matches across the men’s and women’s tournaments coming from the latter.
Sticking with tennis, the French Open became Flutter’s third-highest tennis event in its history based on total stakes.
The tournament saw American Coco Gauff edge out Sabalenka, with the operator stating the patriotic backing from the US, despite the time difference, fuelled interest.
Elsewhere, Wimbledon has seen “steady growth in betting activity across Flutter platforms” over the past three years, the business noted.
In the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association), Flutter pointed to the presence of Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark as a decisive factor in shifting interest, both viewing and betting, to the sport.
Clark was drafted by the Fever ahead of the 2024 season following a standout college career with Iowa.
She accounted for 13% of all player prop bets in the 2024 season, while WNBA bet count at FanDuel skyrocketed 273% between 2023 and 2024.
The data mirrors that found at Hard Rock Bet, with the operator stating Clark prop bets account for 18.4% of all bets on an entire game in which she features.
Finally, on the 2024 Paris Olympics, Flutter said 24% of all Olympic bets with FanDuel were on women’s events.
Those included 60% of all football bets and 79% of all gymnastics wagers, catalysed by the hugely popular US Women’s National Team and gymnastics superstar Simone Biles.
The operator announced it would capitalise on the surge in interest in women’s sports by expanding its betting options, including adding more prop and in-play markets.
Flutter said: “This rise in women’s sports is rewriting the rules of fan engagement and sports betting.
“From soccer to tennis to basketball, Flutter’s data shows one clear trend: fans want more, and they’re ready to bet on it.
“A new generation of talent, amplified by social media and supported by strategic investment, is changing the sports landscape for good.
“The momentum is two-fold. Women’s sports appeal to female audiences, who have historically been underrepresented among sports fans, while also winning over more male fans who are seeing the same compelling storylines, rivalries and high-calibre competition they enjoy in men’s sports.”
The post Flutter: Women’s sports are “shaping the future of sports betting” first appeared on EGR Intel.
FanDuel parent company data reveals surging interest in tennis and basketball among customers, with growing popularity of sports translating into betting volumes
The post Flutter: Women’s sports are “shaping the future of sports betting” first appeared on EGR Intel.