As Wrexham AFC prepare for a long-awaited return to the EFL League Two this weekend, Entain reveals how the ‘Wrexham Effect’ has had a considerable effect on sports betting in the US.
After Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over Wrexham in November 2020, Entain’s Ladbrokes and Coral brands in the UK recorded an increase of 59% in the number of bets placed during the National League’s 2021-22 season from 2017-18.
This far outpaces that of the Championship League, League One and League Two, which saw a 15%, 32% and 24% increase respectively, with the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ docuseries having a ‘powerful’ impact on the popularity of non-league football.
Other non-league clubs have seen the impact too – including Notts County FC, who finished in second place in the 2022-23 National League season and saw an 89% increase in the number of bets on the team from 2021/22.
The ‘Wrexham Effect’ has also taken over on the other side of the world, with Entain Australia recording an increase of 781% on the number of bets placed on Wrexham AFC football games, from 2019-20 to 2022-23.
Across the pond in the US, the number of BetMGM bets placed on any Wrexham game has increased a staggering 3,818% from the 2020-21 season to the 2022-23 season.
Thanks to the celebrity status of the new owners, Wrexham AFC has seen a surge of popularity in the US, with Google Trends data revealing that the Red Dragons have become one of the most searched for teams, more than the nation’s top soccer league, Major League Soccer (MLS).
Dominic Grounsell, Chief Commercial Officer at Entain, commented: “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.
“At Entain, we’re constantly monitoring how this movement is evolving, listening to our customers, and creating content that resonates with them. Coral’s ‘Taking the Reins’ documentary series is a prime example of this and reinforces our commitment to bringing moments of excitement to fans beyond the track, pitch, or court.”
