The rise of women’s football is undeniable, with global tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics driving record engagement. But can this momentum sustain itself across domestic leagues?
Jeevan Jeyaratnam, Chief Betting Officer at Abelson Sports, Mike Forslund, Head of Sales at Odds88, and Carlos Sabanza, Director of Sponsorship and Public Relations at Codere Online, explore the growing interest in betting on women’s football.
The three industry leaders explore regional market trends, shifting bettor demographics, and the opportunities and challenges sportsbooks face in expanding their offerings.
Insider Sport: Major international tournaments like the World Cup have driven a significant increase in betting activity for women’s football, but are you seeing that engagement continue across domestic women’s leagues? Do you see this changing or evolving?
Jeevan Jeyaratnam: Women’s football is the fastest growing segment of our coverage, that’s from a low base, so arguably we could expect it, but on the other hand, there was no guarantee that interest in the women’s game would take off like it has.
In the UK, the successes of the Lionesses at national team level definitely rebounded into increased interest in the Women’s Super League and UEFA Women’s Champions League. Free-to-air TV deals, also signed due to the fervour for support of the Lionesses, have helped put the WSL into mainstream consciousness.
Similarly, the success of Team USA women at the Paris 2024 Olympics has helped to drive significant interest in the top US domestic league – the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). A new $240m TV contract has helped push the game into the consumer’s consciousness, as well as their TVs.
Mike Forslund: Take a bow, Olga Carmona. Exceptional performances and Spain’s first title at the 2023 Women’s World Cup have undeniably boosted betting activity in women’s football, drawing global attention.
However, sustaining that engagement across domestic leagues remains a challenge. While top-tier events create spikes in interest, domestic competitions often struggle with visibility and market depth.
That said, the landscape is evolving: greater media coverage, investment and improved data availability are gradually enhancing betting opportunities. As fan engagement grows and bookmakers expand their offerings, domestic women’s leagues could see sustained betting interest.
The key lies in consistent promotion, competitive odds and innovative markets that make women’s football more accessible to bettors year-round.
Carlos Sabanza: Yes, we have observed that interest in betting on women’s football has been growing, not only during major international tournaments like the World Cup but also in domestic leagues.
We firmly believe that this trend will continue to evolve as women’s football gains more visibility and popularity. Our company has been supporting the development of women’s football for years, and we will continue to do so with the same commitment.
A clear example of this is that, starting in mid-2025, we will become the main sponsor of Rayadas, reinforcing our dedication to the growth and professionalisation of the sport. Since 2020, we have been sponsoring the Real Madrid Female team too.
IS: Have you identified particular regions or demographics where betting on women’s football is growing the fastest? Are there markets where this growth is more pronounced than others?
JJ: There’s little doubt that women’s sports have strong traction in the US, where leagues such as the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) are primetime. Women’s soccer is also on the rise; the NWSL, no doubt in part due to a 40X increase in TV money, has experienced a massive growth in franchise values.
According to Sportico and Deloitte, Kansas City Current was expected to generate $36.3m in 2024, compared to $17.9m for Barcelona, one of Europe’s top teams. This said, the league has yet to stymie the talent drain to Europe, with USA international Naomi Girma recently joining Chelsea for a world record fee of $1.1m.
Outside of Europe and the US, Mexico has an increasingly strong and interesting women’s soccer proposition in its Liga MX Femenil. Soccer-mad Mexico is a perfect environment for a new league and the MX Femenil has grown since its inaugural season in 2017, aided by regulations in Liga MX, the male top league, which state that every club that wants to participate in the men’s first division must field a respective women’s side in Liga MX Femenil.
There’s a corresponding betting interest here too, and Abelson could be supporting that with goal scorers for the Liga MX Femenil next year.
MF: Predictably, we’re seeing that betting on women’s football is growing rapidly in regions with an already strong fan engagement and media coverage of football.
Europe, particularly the UK, Spain and Germany, has seen significant growth due to well-supported domestic leagues and high-profile tournaments. North America, largely and understandably, driven by the NWSL and the USWNT’s success, is also expanding. Emerging markets in Asia and South America are showing promise as interest in women’s football rises.
Younger demographics and socially conscious bettors are fueling this growth, drawn to the sport’s inclusivity and rising quality. As more bookmakers expand, these markets are expected to see continued betting interest.
CS: Yes, we have identified significant growth in betting on women’s football in certain markets. We have been observing this trend for some time in Mexico, where interest has been steadily increasing. Additionally, in Spain, this growth is beginning to take shape more noticeably.
We understand that this surge is largely driven by the greater exposure of women’s football, thanks in part to the efforts of sponsors and broadcasters, who have played a key role in increasing the visibility and reach of competitions.
IS: Are traditional football punters expanding their betting activity to include women’s matches, or are we seeing a new audience emerge?
JJ: It’s hard to say with certainty from our position as a supplier, but I suspect the answer is a bit of both. The ideal scenario for operators sees women’s football act as an acquisition tool for driving new signups.
There’s no doubt there will be some of that, but there will also be cross-over sales to punters who want to bet on real games that they can also watch. Top league professional football, of any gender, should rank higher than much of the rest of the soccer product tail.
The fact that pictures are available free-to-air and not confined to streaming via bookmakers’ apps means it is accessible to all, and that will generate its own level of interest and engagement.
MF: Probably a little of both, to be honest. Upward trends each way are shaping the growth of women’s football betting. Traditional football punters are gradually expanding their activity to include women’s matches, especially during major tournaments where familiarity with teams and players increases.
However, a new audience is definitely emerging, and it’s younger, socially conscious bettors and fans who follow women’s football exclusively. Increased media coverage, improved betting markets, and the sport’s growing competitiveness are attracting diverse demographics.
As bookmakers enhance offerings and promos for women’s matches, both existing and new bettors are likely to contribute to the sport’s expanding betting landscape.
CS: Both answers are valid. Traditional football punters are indeed expanding their betting activity to include women’s matches, as they recognise the growing competitiveness and quality of the women’s game.
At the same time, we are also seeing a new audience emerge, drawn by the increasing visibility and media coverage of women’s football. This surge in interest is not only due to the appeal of the sport itself but also because of the greater exposure women’s football is receiving, thanks to the efforts of sponsors, broadcasters, and the overall growth of the game.
IS: What types of bets are proving most popular?
JJ: A key difference that Abelson Sports is working hard to change is the variety and type of markets available on women’s soccer matches vs. similar level competitions in the male game.
Women’s professional football is at an embryonic stage in its development, but the trend lines, measured by a range of metrics, suggest the appeal is strong enough to at least match the male equivalent in terms of available betting markets.
Within markets that are already available for both men’s and women’s competitions, there is no real distinction in terms of popularity, which Abelson Sports has taken to mean that goalscorer markets will be very popular additions to the market canon.
MF: We’ve touched on socially conscious betting, and I don’t think bettors are viewing the experience of betting on women’s football any differently from men’s. Traditional bets like match outcomes, goals over/under, and so on remain the most popular.
However, player-specific markets, such as first goal scorer and anytime goal scorer, are gaining traction as fan familiarity with players grows. Handicap betting is also increasing, especially in matches with strong favorites.
In-play betting is proving particularly engaging with bettors reacting to live match dynamics based on the wider televising of the women’s game. Additionally, tournament-based bets, like outright winners and group stage qualifiers, see significant activity during major competitions.
CS: The most common markets for our customers tend to be who wins, total goals, and the final result. In most of the territories where we operate, these tend to be the most relevant markets for our customers.
IS: What are the biggest hurdles in offering women’s football betting markets, and what opportunities exist for sportsbooks to better engage bettors in this space?
JJ: The main hurdle, though this is swiftly changing, is the availability of data for the women’s game. In order to accurately price player markets, we need to analyse an element of historical data.
For many leagues, especially feeder or smaller, semi-professional leagues, the data can be lacking. Which means pricing competitions like the NWSL can be tricky.
This in itself could make the competitions more interesting to bet on from a punter’s point of view, as there may be plenty of value propositions, whereas value has been largely eroded in the top men’s leagues, where advanced data processing of huge datasets produces very accurate pricing.
Adding markets, like goalscorers, is a great way of engaging with bettors. There are many sponsorship opportunities for operators within the women’s game, and these will come at significantly reduced cost to similar men’s sponsorship deals.
We have so many male football ambassadors, but not nearly enough female ones. There are some superstars in the women’s game, and operators could do worse than to harness these stars’ pull.
MF: Whilst we’re seeing gradual growth and improvement, compared to the men’s game, women’s football still has limited data availability, lower betting liquidity and inconsistent media coverage.
Many sportsbooks struggle with setting competitive odds due to fewer historical stats and lower betting volumes. However, opportunities exist to bridge this gap. Increased investment in data analytics, expanded media coverage and tailored promotions can drive engagement.
Sportsbooks can enhance offerings by introducing more in-play markets, player props, and engaging content around women’s football. Collaborating with leagues for exclusive insights and improving visibility through targeted marketing can attract both traditional punters and a new, growing audience of engaged bettors.
CS: As a sportsbook, the biggest hurdles in offering women’s football betting markets include the lack of detailed data and accurate statistics, which makes it difficult to create solid and reliable markets.
Additionally, the limited media coverage compared to men’s games can affect visibility and appeal to bettors. However, there are significant opportunities to better engage bettors in this space.
With the increasing media exposure and sponsorship of women’s leagues and teams, we can offer a wider variety of markets, including live betting, prop bets, and more specialised markets.
Furthermore, by working more closely with broadcasters and sponsors, we can improve the visibility of matches, which in turn will drive greater interest from bettors. Implementing advanced technology to closely track player and team performance will also help in creating more accurate and attractive odds for bettors.
