Women’s Euro 2022 Championship a Big Hit With Bettors

Posted on: August 1, 2022, 11:21h. 

Last updated on: August 1, 2022, 05:50h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

England made history at home on Sunday by becoming champions for the first time at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 Championship. The soccer battle between the two rivals also proved to be a highlight with bettors, with several sportsbooks seeing a lot of action leading up to the game.

Women's Euro 2022
English soccer players celebrate their Women’s Euro 2022 victory. The event was also successful for sportsbooks and bettors. (Image: Imago/PA Images/Danny Lawson)

At the iconic Wembley Stadium, England beat Germany 2-1 in a match with a record attendance of 87,192 people for a European women’s national team match. It took overtime to get it done, but the Lionesses still took home the victory.

It should be noted that England reached the final after winning all six championship matches, something that no other team had achieved.

The victory saw England join teams that have previously lifted the cup, including Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands.

Entain, Flutter Report Flurry of Activity

Entain and its subsidiaries stayed busy for this event. Its Ladbrokes and Coral brands saw a 300% increase in the number of bets compared to five years ago, according to a company statement.

The England squad was the favorite heading into the tournament and didn’t disappoint. More than 72% of the bets Ladbrokes’ digital channel received went to the Lionesses. However, most also thought they would secure the victory in regulation play.

There were more than 1.5 million bets across Entain’s brands. The company states that women placed 14% of those bets. In the UK, Ladbrokes and Coral saw a sixfold increase in the number of wagers females placed on the game.

Of all the online bets, 46% came from the UK. Germany followed with 22%, and Brazil was third with 16%. Showing national pride, most British bets were on the Lionesses, while most of the German bets were on Germany.

It was a similar situation in the Flutter house. Paddy Power saw a 26% increase in the betting volume compared to three years ago. In addition, Sky Betting reported a 17% increase in stakes.

Patriotism was important with Flutter customers as well. For example, 74% of the Paddy Power bets were for the home team and 67% of Betfair’s in its UK and Ireland operations.

Heading into the final contest, Paddy Power and Entain saw similar numbers. Their handles were roughly $8 million each.

The number of online bets on the 2021-22 UEFA Women’s Champions League was 61% higher than the equivalent for the 2019-20 tournament. In addition, the 2021-22 Women’s FA Cup recorded 130% more online betting than its 2019-20 equivalent. The two tournaments also saw an increase in women’s betting of 79% and 212%, respectively.

Controversial Play

After going scoreless in the first half, England forward Ella Toone opened the scoring in the 62nd minute. However, Germany’s Lina Magull fired back to tie the match in the 79th minute.

Regulation time ended 1-1 to take the contest to extra time. The winning goal came in the 110th minute, when England forward Chloe Kelly found the net. It marked the first victory for the England squad after two failed appearances in 1984 and 2009. The team took down one of the best, with the German side having won eight times since 1989.

Germany proudly received the title of European runners-up of its women’s team. However, the press cried out against the “second robbery” suffered now at Wembley, which follows that of the 1966 men’s World Cup in that same stadium.

Early in the game, with Germany about to score, the ball popped up and, according to some, hit the hand of Leah Williamson, England’s captain. Play didn’t stop, though, and amid continued screams of foul play, the VAR judge went to work.

Reviewing the issue, the final ruling was that there was no contact. As a result, Germany would have no opportunity to get a free pass. England continued to fight harder and ultimately took home the title.

In the first “theft” Germany claims from 56 years ago, England’s Geoff Hurst blasted the ball into the crossbar in the 101st minute. It bounced down and, according to the ruling on the field, landed on the inside of the line.

However, many believe it landed outside. England won that match and the World Cup title, 4-2.