As Northern Ireland punters consider having a flutter on Euro 2012, new research into local betting has revealed that the betting shop is by far the most popular option in placing a bet in Northern Ireland. Four times more popular than betting online, convenience is the underlying factor for people in choosing the shop in which to bet (75%).

The new report commissioned by McLean’s bookmakers was researched across a broad Northern Ireland demographic of nearly 700 participants last month and also highlights that the main reason for gambling remains the chance to win big money (73%).   People living in rural as opposed to urban areas are seven times more likely (35%) to choose their bookmaker based on tradition amongst those that have ever made a bet in a betting office.  The report has also found that more people in Derry bet to win big money than in any other County (84%) whilst those aged 65 or more are considerably more likely to bet because it is fun (44%), compared to (25%) across the other age groups. 

Undertaken to determine the current state of the gambling industry in Northern Ireland, the research sought views on how, when, where, as well as the size of the bet and the processes that people employ to select who or what they bet on. Horse racing remains the first choice sport to bet on for those visiting bookmakers (83%) with football a close second at (59%).    Unsurprisingly, with the recent success of Northern Ireland’s three Major winners, golf is the third most popular option.

The survey also unveiled some interesting statistics regarding betting patters across different parts of Northern Ireland;

Co. Armagh

• Co Armagh has a higher than average proportion of people who have ever bet, compared to the rest of Northern Ireland (29% versus 9%)

• More gamblers in Co Armagh are doing so to make money (22% versus 6% overall) and because they consider it to be exciting (22% versus 10%).

Co Down

• More people in County Down are betting in the football pools than anywhere else in Northern Ireland (9% compared to 5% overall).

Co Tyrone / Fermanagh

• People who bet on the 2011 Grand National in Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh bet more money than anywhere else in Northern Ireland.  They bet £13 compared to an average of £8 across Northern Ireland.

• More people in Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh have bet in a bookmakers’ premises compared to the rest of Northern Ireland (14% compared to 8% overall).

Co Derry

• The main reason why people gamble in Derry is for the chance of winning big money (84%).  A greater proportion of gamblers in Derry are doing so to make money (12% compared to 6% overall).

Commenting on the research, Paul McLean, Managing Director McLean’s bookmakers, said, “This new report has uncovered some statistics that we expected but also raised some very surprising and interesting results.    Despite a perception of the growth of  online betting the majority of punters still prefer to have a flutter in betting offices as many people like to bet and get paid in cash (81%).  This is a welcome statistic as it indicates there remains a strong rationale for the presence of the betting shop in the high street.  Indeed we have invested in our premises with a view to making them more welcoming and comfortable for all those wishing to place a bet.  The results also identify a preference for using bookmakers based in Northern Ireland as opposed to a multi-national plc amongst regular punters.

“Last month’s Grand National remains a popular event to place a bet on, however the results show that many people do not consider the form or engage in any significant research, as 40% either choose the horse by its name or select it randomly (25%).  We already knew that most people, experienced gambler or otherwise, enjoy a flutter at the National and we are also expecting an upsurge in betting for Euro 2012.”

Other statistics announced within the research includes;

• Six in ten (59%) adults in Northern Ireland have participated in any form of gambling in the last twelve months including one in ten (9%) who have taken part in any form of betting.

• Betting at a bookmaker’s office is by far the most frequent form of betting that people in Northern Ireland partake in (8%), followed by online betting (2%). Men (16%) and 18-34 year olds (14%) are more likely than average to have bet in any form in the last twelve months.

• The main reason for gambling is the chance to win big money (73%). A quarter (27%) gamble because it is fun and 10% of people who gamble do so because they think it is exciting. More gamblers aged 65 and over do so because it is fun (44%) whereas those aged 18-34 are more likely to give excitement as a reason for gambling (17%).

• Of those that visit a betting shop, more say that they like visiting it than dislike visiting (50% versus 11%). The main reason for liking betting shops is that they like to bet and get paid in cash (81%).

• Horse racing is the main sport that people who visit bookmakers bet on (83%), followed by football (59%).

• People who bet on the Grand National last year bet an average of £8.

• The name of the horse is the main way in which people decide which horse to bet on for the Grand National (40%). A quarter (25%) choose their horse randomly while one in five select their horse based on the odds (21%) and experience of the horse (18%). More people who bet with McLean’s consider the odds (55%) and the experience (55%), age (40%) and stamina (25%) of the horse compared to the average.

• Convenience is the main reason underlying which bookmaker people choose to bet with (75%), followed by whichever has the best odds (18%), tradition (14%) and the bookmaker that is the best known or most reputable (11%).

• There is a preference for a bookmaker based in Northern Ireland as opposed to a multi-national plc among those who have heard of McLean’s and have placed a bet; 48% would prefer an NI bookmaker, 12% would not and for 40% it would not matter.

ENDS

Notes to Editors: 1. Research was conducted by Ipsos MORI.  687 interviews were conducted and quotas were set by age, gender, social class and region to ensure that the sample was representative sample of the Northern Ireland population. All interviews were conducted in respondents' homes in using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI).  Fieldwork was conducted between 2nd and 10th April 2012. 

For further information please call Shane Finnegan or Patrick Finlay at Aiken PR on 028 90 663000 or e-mail shane@aikenpr.com or patrick@aikenpr.com