The Gran-National: silver surfers turn to smartphones to place their bets

Wednesday 11^thApril 2018 – LONDON – Online bookmakers are set for a bumper weekend, as Britain bets big on the world-famous Grand National. According to new data from Worldpay, a leader in payments, 2018 is set to be the year that mobile gambling surpasses in-store for punting pensioners.

Recent research from Worldpay revealed that 45% of over-65s prefer placing their bets on a mobile device versus in-store¹. With online betting for the Grand National rising by 20% year-on-year², mobile gambling is on track to outpace in-person for tech-savvy silver surfers.

Worldpay’s analysis of consumer spending habits during the 2017 event revealed a huge 65% spike in betting activities on race day. But many of us like to leave it to the very last minute before staking our wagers – betting peaked just seven minutes before the start of the race, at which point punters were making 118 deposits to online accounts every second.³

Although nearly half of the UK adult population has a flutter on the world-famous steeplechase⁴, for many it will be their only bet of the year. As a result, the average spend per betting deposit drops by nearly £3.00 over the Grand National weekend, as more casual punters are tempted to try their luck.

Commenting on the data, James McGurn, VP Growth – Digital Content & Gaming at Worldpay, Inc. said: “The Grand National is the biggest betting day of the year, bringing an entire nation to a standstill as horseracing fans up and down the country tune in to watch. Though steeped in tradition, the Grand National has jumped into the 21st century, with a later start time and Snapchat coverage all designed to cater to the modern audience.

“As the way in which we watch the race evolves, so does the way we choose to gamble. And mobile is at the heart of the new racing experience. We are seeing a growing trend towards app betting, which is more convenient and user-friendly for sports fans of all generations. Whether placing a bet at the racecourse, down the local pub, or from the comfort of your own sofa, your smartphone could be the quickest and easiest way to win big.”

About the data
Figures quoted are according to global eCommerce transaction data for Worldpay’s regulated gambling customers in the UK during April 2017, which included more than 150 of the biggest names in the regulated gambling industry.

About Worldpay
Worldpay, Inc. (NYSE: WP; LSE: WPY) is a leading payments technology company with unique capability to power global integrated omni-commerce. With industry-leading scale and an unmatched integrated technology platform, Worldpay offers clients a comprehensive suite of products and services globally, delivered through a single provider.
Worldpay processes over 40 billion transactions annually through more than 300 payment types across 146 countries and 126 currencies. The company’s growth strategy includes expanding into high-growth markets, verticals and customer segments, including global eCommerce, Integrated Payments and B2B. Worldpay, Inc. was formed in 2018 through the combination of the No. 1 merchant acquirers in the U.S. and the U.K. Worldpay, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange as “WP” and the London Stock Exchange as “WPY.” Visit us at www.worldpay.com

For more information, please contact:
Emily Lahey : Emily.lahey@worldpay.com – +(44) 7584 339633
Louise Mead : worldpayecommteam@golin.com – +44 (0) 207 067 0585

¹Worldpay’s Mobile Payment Journey
²Analysis of global eCommerce transaction data for Worldpay’s regulated gambling customers in the UK during April 2017.
³Analysis of global eCommerce transaction data for Worldpay’s regulated gambling customers in the UK during April 2017.
⁴https://www.grandnational.org.uk/betting.php