Netflix’s Drive to Survive documentary series has helped propel interest in Formula One betting to an all-time high according to a statement made by FTSE 100-listed operator Entain.
According to the betting giant, wagering on Formula One has seen a surge in popularity since 2018 with the number of Entain customers betting on the sport growing by 50% between 2018 and 2021.
The firm has already seen an 18% increase in the number of bets placed on the sport by UK customers from 2021 to 2022, it added, with four races still to go in the current 2022 season.The sport is most popular in the UK, which accounts for 35% of the bets placed on Formula One with Entain brands, followed by Brazil and Germany, accounting for 17% each of bets placed, and Spain, which drives 5% of betting activity on the sport.
July 2022’s British Grand Prix saw 121% more bets than in 2018, it added, while there has been a four-fold increase in the number of bets on a winner at the race.Entain CCO Dom Grounsell: “Our customers are finding Formula One an increasingly exciting sport to participate in – numbers are growing year on year, in line with the popularity of the sport.”
Formula One said it was the fastest growing major sports league in terms of follower growth in 2021, with social media followers increasing by 40% to 49.1 million, video views up 50% to 7 billion and total engagements up 74% to 1.5 billion.
“Our customers are finding Formula One an increasingly exciting sport to participate in – numbers are growing year on year, in line with the popularity of the sport,” said Entain CCO Dom Grounsell.
“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 One’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.”