Only One in Five England Fans Bet on Their Team to Win the World Cup, Data Shows

Despite England being among the favorites to claim the FIFA World Cup, only a fifth of their domestic supporters have placed bets on the Three Lions to win the tournament, according to fresh analysis from leading bookmakers.

Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, released data highlighting the varying degrees of “patriotic punting” across European football markets ahead of the World Cup kickoff. Portugal tops the list, with 57 percent of all domestic bets backing their national team, reflecting strong local confidence. France follows with 29 percent, Austria at 25 percent, and Germany at 24 percent, all showing considerably higher home support than England.

The figures reveal a striking gap in faith among English fans compared to other nations. Support north of the border in Scotland is even weaker, with only nine percent of Scottish bets placed on their own team, which currently holds long odds to win the tournament. Cross-border betting is limited as well, with just 8 percent of Scottish bettors wagering on England and a mere 1 percent of English fans betting on Scotland.

Globally, Spain emerges as the most favored team overall in wagering activity, closely followed by France. England and Portugal share third place, backed by their respective markets.

Entain’s group trading director noted that football allegiance does not always match betting patterns, emphasizing that years of England's World Cup near misses have tempered local optimism. He pointed out the distinct patriotism in the Portuguese market and the strong belief shown by French and German punters. Meanwhile, Spain attracts broad support overseas, indicating many bettors—both neutral and national—are looking beyond borders when tipping the tournament winner.