Thanks to the ‘Welcome To Wrexham’ docuseries last year, Entain have released sports betting figures which indicate a 781% increase in sports betting on Wrexham AFC matches in parts of the world. Entain has called this increase in sports betting the ‘Wrexham Effect’.
‘Wrexham Effect’ Reason For Huge Increase In Sports Betting
Entain have released figures on sports betting trends. These trends indicate a huge rise to fame for Wrexham AFC. According to Google Trends, Wrexham AFC are one of the most searched-for teams in the USA now, even more so than Major League Soccer (MLS) teams.
Looking at the figures of the National League, Entain reported an increase in bets of 59% in the 2021/22 season, when compared to the 2017/18 season. This is of course due to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney becoming the new owners of Wrexham AFC in November 2020.
The rise of sports betting on Wrexham AFC games was quite staggering. Of course, it wasn’t only Wrexham that saw an upturn in support though, it’s long-term rivals Notts County FC notably received 89% more bets from the public over the past two seasons.
The huge increase in sports betting and particularly in Wrexham games is partly due to the release of the ‘Welcome To Wrexham’ docuseries, released in August last year. It told the story of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they went about becoming the owners of the team, focusing on their attempts to revive the team and the surrounding community.
Huge Growth In Sports Betting On Wrexham AFC Matches
It comes as no surprise that Entain has called this massive increase in sports betting the ‘Wrexham Effect’.
For example, Entain reported a 781% increase in bets places on Wrexham AFC games from the 2019/20 season to 2022/23 in Australia. Similarly, BetMGM in the US confirmed that it saw a 3818% growth in bets on Wrexham AFC games, from the 2021/22 to 2022/23 reason.
CCO of Entain, Dominic Grounsell, had this to say on the ‘Wrexham Effect’ and the impact the Welsh football club have had on the sports betting industry around the world:
“We’ve seen a huge step change in the way fans engage with their favourite sports, and behind-the-scenes access in sporting docuseries has only heightened this further.
“They highlight the importance of finding new and innovative ways for fans to interact with sports and support their favourite teams, but also attract new fans to the sport – and they want to extend their entertainment by backing a team with a bet.”
This isn’t the only time a popular figure has boosted betting figures, as seen with the ‘Frankie Factor’ at the Royal Ascot this year.
Paul has worked in sports as a writer ever since graduating from Liverpool John Moores University back in 2020, where he attained a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism. Paul is comfortable writing about all sorts of different sports, but specifically specialises in boxing, golf, MMA, darts and horse racing. Paul's vast knowledge of worldwide sport means he is capable of covering almost any sport, including popular US sports such as NFL, NBA and MLB. Paul has years of experience covering sport for BBC Sport, as well as being a regular contributor at ESBR Boxing. Paul gained vital experience at BBC Radio 1 and Everton Football Club during his time at university, aiding his knowledge of the writing world. Paul has had the opportunity to attend big live sporting events and work as a reporter on numerous occasions. His experience writing on both live sports and sports betting content means he is comfortable with all aspects of sports reporting. As well as writing for Betting Sites, Paul's wealth of knowledge in a whole host of sports converts into writing in depth stories and providing reliable betting picks regularly.
