UEFA Women's EURO 2025: why it's time to start betting on women's football
As the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 kicks off in Switzerland this July, the tournament will not only crown a new European champion, but it may also mark a defining moment for the global sports betting industry. With record-breaking audiences, shifting player demographics, and expanded partnerships between football authorities and data providers, all the signs point in one direction: it’s time to start betting on women’s football.
UEFA Women, a fast-growing market, on and off the pitch
According to Deloitte, women’s football is experiencing remarkable commercial momentum, part of a broader surge in women’s elite sports revenues globally. In its 2024 forecast, the financial consultancy stated: “Global women’s football revenues are predicted to rise from US$740 million in 2024 to US$820 million in 2025,” the financial consultancy stated in its latest forecast. “The commercial appeal of women’s sports and its athletes has never been higher, as the sector continues to shine on the global stage.”
Deloitte’s research indicates that Europe remains a key growth region, generating US$420 million in revenues in women’s sports, second only to North America. With the UEFA Women’s EURO returning to central Europe for its 14th edition, Switzerland is set to provide the ideal stage for both sporting excellence and commercial opportunity.
Meanwhile, the betting industry has already witnessed the appetite for women’s football among punters. During the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, Entain—the parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral—reported in 2022 a “record 1.5 million online bets…marking a significant milestone for the fastest growing female sport in the world.”
In the UK, that translated into a fivefold increase in bets placed on the tournament compared to the 2017 edition. The data also revealed a notable demographic shift: “There has also been a sixfold increase in bets placed by women, compared to the previous tournament in 2017,” Entain confirmed in its July 2022 statement.
A new generation of fans and bettors
A YouGov survey conducted during the 2022 tournament revealed: “Nearly a quarter of sports bettors (23%) in Britain say they have placed a bet on the Women’s Euro 2022.”
However, many fans kept their wagers modest. “Two-fifths have bet between £1-£5 on the tournament so far (41%), while just under a fifth…have wagered between £6-£10,” YouGov noted.
While these figures trailed expected betting levels for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, YouGov concluded that “the figures achieved by the Women’s Euro 2022 are nothing to sneeze at”, calling the semi-final and final “a good opportunity for betting providers to sign up new customers.”
Around the world, an increasing number of women are turning to betting as a hobby. For instance, the French gambling regulator, ANJ, revealed in its 2024 annual report that, in France, “the population of sports bettors has become younger (30% of sports bettors are aged between 18 and 24) and also more female.”
An untapped commercial potential
For the betting industry, women’s football still largely represents untapped commercial potential. As Entain noted in 2022: “The number of online bets on the 2021-22 Women’s UEFA Champions League was 61% higher than the equivalent figure for the 2019-20 tournament.” The same period saw the Women’s FA Cup experience a 130% rise in online bets, with increases in bets from women of 79% and 212%, respectively.
Looking ahead to UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, industry leaders are optimistic. As Entain’s UK & Ireland Digital Managing Director Julie Doleman put it: “Women’s football has seen a phenomenal rise in popularity in recent years, generating an incredible buzz for the sport. This has also been reflected in betting activity on women’s football matches, which has grown at similarly seismic rates—particularly amongst female customers.”
Industry giants gear up for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025
UEFA has recently renewed and expanded its partnership with the data technology firm Sportradar. “Three years ago we embarked on a journey with Sportradar to tap into the value of match data for betting purposes,” said UEFA Marketing Director Guy-Laurent Epstein. “Sportradar brings to the table a wealth of experience in this field and we are delighted to be continuing this successful partnership for the next three years.”
The new agreement, which covers all UEFA club and national team competitions including the UEFA Women’s Champions League and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, significantly increases the data and betting opportunities available.
Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl commented: “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with UEFA, offering our clients and soccer fans worldwide unparalleled engagement and value through cutting-edge solutions and comprehensive data coverage.”
Concerns around integrity remain at the forefront as betting markets grow. Sportradar’s agreement with UEFA also extends their long-standing anti-match-fixing cooperation, with the firm providing “dedicated intelligence and investigation resources, robust and systematic bet monitoring, and education services to support the prevention, detection and investigation of match-fixing.”
Overall, for the fans, for the bookmakers, and for the game itself, the message is clear: it’s time to start betting on women’s football.
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