Women's Euro football betting outpaces Wimbledon as 2025 tournament outperforms men's events
UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 was more than just a tournament. It was the moment women’s Euro football betting stopped playing catch-up. Operators across the UK reported a standout performance, with women’s Euro football betting outpacing Wimbledon and even the World Matchplay Darts in terms of total wagering activity. A detailed SiGMA News analysis breaks down the betting markets at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.
Of course, the excitement England’s ‘lionesses’ brought to the market as they somehow overcame extra time and penalties throughout the tournament added extra value, albeit palpitations too.
From punter confidence to trading strategy, the data points to one clear trend: the women’s game has evolved from a niche to a necessity. It’s now a permanent fixture on the sportsbook calendar, and the industry is responding.
Women’s Euro football betting beats Wimbledon and darts in wagering activity
According to Midnite, a London-based digital sportsbook that launched its full betting platform in 2020 and remains focused on mobile-first, promotion-heavy wagering, the became its third-largest summer event, trailing only the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Nations League finals. Betting volumes exceeded those of the men’s Wimbledon tournament and doubled the World Matchplay Darts.
“From a trading perspective, it was one of the biggest betting events of the summer,” said Ben Cullen, Head of Trading at Midnite. “The final alone triggered a major spike in active users and revenue.”
This spike wasn’t limited to one brand. According to industry data, women’s Euro football betting volumes have grown by over 20 percent year-on-year since 2020. The 2023 Women’s World Cup saw a 365 percent surge in bet count compared to 2019. That growth now appears to have matured into consistency.
From promotional gamble to retention strategy
Midnite leaned into the tournament with aggressive price boosts. One of them is a Super Boost on England to lift the trophy, a move that ultimately resulted in a net loss from the event, despite record betting volumes.
“Even if they lead to short-term losses, the long-term value of customer acquisition outweighs it,” said Cullen. “The goal is to bring players into our higher-margin Builder products, customised bet tools that let punters combine outcomes into a single wager, over time.”
That approach, leaning hard into engagement even at a loss, speaks to a broader shift across the sector.
Across the industry, the challenge of balancing short-term acquisition with long-term retention is becoming central to women’s Euro football betting strategy.
The bigger the match, the louder the promos. But they operate under increasing regulatory oversight, particularly in markets such as the UK. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has repeatedly warned operators about the risks of overpromoting during high-visibility fixtures, especially when newer or casual bettors are involved. Sportsbooks need to strike a smarter balance when they lure players with sharp offers, without fuelling risky habits or losing sight of loyalty.
Punter behaviour reveals new market maturity
The tournament’s most popular market was ‘total goals’, and it’s also where customers outperformed expectations.
“Many matches were open and attacking, and England often went behind early. Punters bet on comebacks and high goal counts, particularly with free-to-air coverage,” Cullen explained.
The strong performance of goals and prop markets shows a deepening confidence among bettors. Midnite confirmed that for the first time, customer behaviour around women’s matches mirrored what they see in men’s fixtures. These shifts mirror broader women’s Euro football betting patterns seen across operators, with punters showing familiarity and strategic intent.
Operators adjust product offerings as parity builds
Cullen noted that the bookmaker’s approach to women’s football is increasingly indistinguishable from its approach to men’s in both trading tactics and customer uptake.
“As the game grows, we’re more confident in offering props, price boosts, and builders. We’re trading women’s events with full confidence.”
Midnite isn’t alone. Sky Bet ran a standout offer during the Euros final, promoting 40/1 odds on a goal being scored in the England vs Spain match, paid in free bet credits. Bet365 featured a widespread “Bet ?10, Get ?30 free bets” welcome deal, valid throughout most of the tournament. Both operators expanded their market depth to include hundreds of prop and build-your-own bets, reflecting the growing seriousness of women’s Euro football betting.
This isn’t just a feel-good moment. The numbers are growing, and the market’s starting to carry real weight behind the warmth. It’s not sentiment driving this shift. It’s punters voting with their stakes.
Betting still lags in the spotlight, but not for long
The Lionesses’ continued success has made them a media staple. According to Nielsen, 59 percent of UK sports fans now express an interest in women’s sports, with visibility and team engagement growing year-on-year. This visibility is fuelling women’s Euro football betting, especially on televised or high-stakes matches.
“The betting industry is highly correlated with attention,” said Cullen. “The more visibility the women’s game receives, the more the product evolves. There’s still room to grow.”
Women’s football is now a commercial pillar, not a promotional one
Deloitte forecasts that global revenue from women’s football will grow from $740 million (677 million) in 2024 to $820 million (750 million) by the end of 2025, making it the largest single contributor to women’s sport by commercial value. The global women’s sport market is projected to reach $2.35 billion (2.15 billion), with football expected to account for over a third of that growth. Betting products and media rights are among the key commercial drivers.
For sportsbooks, that projection isn’t just about visibility. It’s about vertical expansion. Women’s football is no longer a side market. It’s built for more than the moment. The numbers stack up. It’s chasing the same space the men’s majors have dominated for decades, and it’s gaining ground.
The tournament didn’t invent the trend. It confirmed it. Since 2017, women’s sports betting has been climbing fast at an annual rate of 10 to 30 percent, with the biggest leaps tied to headline tournaments. In the US, female bettors now represent 26 percent of the market, following a 51 percent year-on-year increase between 2023 and 2024. While UK figures remain more conservative, the crossover is growing, especially among younger punters who are engaging with mobile-first sportsbooks and televised women’s events. We’ve already seen this trend extend beyond Europe, most recently during the WAFCON tournament in Africa.
From summer surge to season-long shift
Women’s Euro football betting is no longer a side market. It’s a centrepiece. Not every operator has caught up, but the direction of travel couldn’t be clearer. The real test begins in August when domestic leagues kick off. Will this Euro momentum translate to the weekly WSL and Championship fixtures, or was it just tournament fever?
The challenge now is to treat women’s football not as a seasonal flashpoint, but as a product worthy of the same depth, data, and long-term investment as any other top-tier sport.
