Which Club's Fans Are More Likely Bet Against Their Team?

Have you ever placed a bet on your club to lose a match? Or bet on your club’s biggest rivals to win? Or would you prefer to win a bet than see your club win a match?

Prior to the beginning of the Premier League season we conducted a survey of over 2,000 football fans. In the first part of our analysis we took a look at the upcoming Premier League season, asking fans who they think will win the league, finish top 4 and who will be relegated.

But we also asked you about your betting habits. Specifically:

• have you ever placed a bet against your team?
• have you ever placed a bet on your team’s biggest rivals?
• would you rather win a bet or your team win a match?

Today we take a look at the data to find out which club’s fans are more likely to bet against their team?

28% of Football Fans Have Bet Against Their Club

Club loyalty is a serious thing. While switching club loyalties is often regarded as the great sin of football fandom, placing a bet against your club, hoping against your own club’s success for mere financial gain, is not only in the same ballpark, it’s sitting on its lap.

So having asked over 2,000 football fans from around the UK, have they ever bet against their own club, here’s what we found.

• 28% of football fans surveyed admitted to having at least once bet against their own club, with 72% denying the charge.
• 29% of football fans admitted to placing a bet on their club’s biggest rival to win a game.
• 35% of football fans said they would rather win a bet on a match than their club win a match.

Which gender is more loyal to their club?

• 32% of male football fans admitted to betting against their club while 25% of women admitted the same and 10% of non-binary people.
• 35% of male football fans admitted to betting on their club’s biggest rivals to win a match while it was only 23% of women and again 10% of non-binary people.
• 36% of male football fans would rather win a bet on a match than see their club win a match, while 35% of women admitted the same and 30% of non-binary people.

Which age group is more loyal to their club?

• 39% of people aged18 to 34 admitted to betting against their club while it was only 13% of people aged 55 years or older.
• 37% of people aged 18 to 34 admitted to betting on their club’s biggest rivals to win a match while again, just 13% of people aged 55 years or older did.
• 44% of people aged 18 to 34 would rather win a bet on a match than their club win a match, while it was 22% for people aged 55 years or older.

What about relationship status?

• 27% of single people admitted to betting against their club, while 41% of people in committed relationships were, let’s say, unfaithful to their club.
• 28% of single people admitted to betting on their club’s biggest rivals to win a match while 40% of people in committed relationships did.
• 37% of single people would rather win a bet than their club win a match, while it was 43% of people in a committed relationship.

Which Club’s Fans Have Placed A Bet Against Their Club?

Below we have listed in a sortable table every club in our survey, the number of respondents and the percentage of respondents for each club who admitted to having placed a bet against their own club?

• Of clubs with at least 20 respondents, Birmingham recorded the highest rate of fans admitting to betting against their club with 46%, 11 of 24 respondents.
• Of clubs with at least 30 respondents, West Ham recorded the highest rate of fans admitting to betting against their club with 41%, 15 of 37 respondents.
• Of clubs with at least 60 respondents, Newcastle recorded the highest rate of fans admitting to betting against their club with 38%, 23 of 60 respondents.

The Big 6 Clubs

While Manchester City had the lowest respondent rate of any of the big 6 clubs, they recorded the highest rate of fans betting against their club. While there was little difference between the remaining clubs, Tottenham fans recorded the lowest rate of fans betting against their club, with 25% of Spurs fans making the admission.

1. Manchester City 30%, 26 of 86 respondents.
2. Liverpool 28%, 87 of 310 respondents.
3. Arsenal 28%, 51 of 183 respondents.
4. Manchester United 26%, 74 of 285 respondents
5. Chelsea 26%, 37 of 143 respondents.
6. Tottenham 25%, 22 of 89 respondents.

Which Club's Fans Have Bet On Their Biggest Rivals To Win?

So which fans have bet on their biggest rivals to win a match? Of the 86 Manchester City fans who responded to the survey, 41% confessed to having placed a bet on their biggest rivals, Manchester United, to win a match.

30% of Liverpool and Arsenal fans said they had placed a bet on their biggest rivals, while 27% of Manchester United, 26% of Tottenham fans and 22% of Chelsea fans said they had wagered on their club's biggest rivals.

The Big 6 Clubs

1. Manchester City 41%, 35 of 86 respondents.
2. Liverpool 30%, 93 of 310 respondents.
3. Arsenal 30%, 55 of 183 respondents.
4. Manchester United 27%, 77 of 285 respondents
5. Tottenham 26%, 23 of 89 respondents.
6. Chelsea 22%, 31 of 143 respondents.

Which Club's Fans Would Rather Win A Bet Than Their Club Win A Match?

So which club's fans would rather win a bet than their club win a match? Of the 45 Leicester fans who responded to the survey, 53% said they would rather win a bet than see Leicester win a match, 49% of the 37 West Ham fans would rather win a bet, while 45% of the 86 Manchester City fans who responded would rather win a bet than see City win a match.

The Big 6 Clubs

1. Manchester City 45%, 35 of 86 respondents
2. Arsenal 36%, 55 of 183 respondents
3. Liverpool 35%, 93 of 310 respondents
4. Manchester United 33%, 77 of 285 respondents
5. Chelsea 29%, 31 of 143 respondents
6. Tottenham 21%, 23 of 89 respondents

Which City's Fans Have Bet Against Their Club?

Finally, let's have a look at football fans by city. Of all cities who took part in this survey, 41% of the 85 fans in the city of Newcastle said they had placed a bet against their team to win a match while 36% of the 140 fans in Birmingham and 36% of the 45 fans in Oxford likewise made the admission.