Entain Study Indicates Alarming England World Cup Betting Conclusion

England fans are harbouring serious doubt over their country’s chances of lifting the World Cup this summer, according to a fascinating study published by gambling group Entain.

The Ladbrokes and Coral owner carried out a detailed analysis assessing the extent of “patriotic punting” ahead of international football’s showpiece event. However, if you are of an England persuasion, the results don’t make for good reading.

“Patriotic punting” data churned out

Entain churned out the numbers, exploring levels of “patriotic punting” among World Cup participants. The data covered bets placed up to and including June 3, and it related to the number of stakes wagered by bettors in each market on their respective home nations.

As things stand, a fifth (20%) of England fans think their country will go all the way, which is surprising given the Three Lions are currently trading as third favourites at 13/2 in the outright market with most prominent UK sportsbooks. If you go north of the border, support is already wavering, with just 9% of Scotland fans backing their team to deliver World Cup success.

Compared to their rivals, England are seriously lagging in the patriotic stakes. Portugal has come out as the most patriotic nation, with 57% of all domestic bets placed on the national side. France ranked second in this carefully curated table, with 29% of home market wagers favouring Les Bleus.

Elsewhere, Austria garnered 25% of all domestic bets, while Germany was at 24%. Spain, meanwhile, who are the favourites, haven’t landed well with punters, with just 16% of domestic bettors leaning into them.

Loyalty doesn’t count for much

It seems that loyalty doesn’t count for much when it comes to domestic World Cup wagering. Rather, there is a disconnect between national pride and betting logic, and this was inferred by Tom Ritzema, Entain’s group trading director.

He said: “England fans are passionate, but years of near misses have made them think beyond our country.

“Portugal clearly stands out as the most patriotic market, with fans firmly backing their team, while countries like France and Germany also show strong belief.

“What’s striking, though, is that when it comes to the World Cup, neutrals and patriots alike are looking beyond national borders for their winner.”

World Cup frenzy to go into overdrive

While the data presented by Entain didn’t drill down into the volume of bets placed or even the demographics, other studies presented recently highlight that young gamblers in the UK will be drawn to the World Cup.

Indeed, research published by the Nationwide Building Society showed that 83% of those in the 18-24 group would be likely to bet on a major sporting event held in 2026, while male players are sparking the betting increases.

England trying to break the curse

England are aiming to end a 60-year wait to lift the World Cup, but there has been little to shout about leading into the tournament. A friendly against New Zealand last weekend spelt some worrying signs as the Three Lions edged out a 1-0 win.

A Harry Kane header proved to be the difference on the night, but Thomas Tuchel was left unconvinced by his side’s rather sluggish display, despite fielding two separate teams for each half. Another friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday evening will give Tuchel a chance to fine-tune preparations before their World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17.