In an era where UK sports betting is a booming £4 billion industry, with around 5-6% of Britons placing regular bets, a new campaign is shedding light on a curious trend: many punters are relying more on intuition than data when making their betting decisions. According to recent research, more than half of UK bettors regularly trust their gut when placing bets, a practice that campaigners now warn may be financially risky.
AskGamblers, a leading casino affiliate website, has launched an educational campaign entitled “Don’t Trust Your Gut” to encourage more informed decision-making in the world of sports betting. The campaign is a direct response to findings from a survey of 1,000 regular UK sports bettors, revealing that 54.49% of punters place their faith in gut instincts over analytical research. Worryingly, over a third (36%) of these bettors believe this method yields better results, despite data suggesting otherwise.
Trusting Instincts Over Data: A Widespread Issue
The survey results painted a fascinating picture of UK betting behaviour. Women were found to be slightly more inclined to rely on their instincts than men, with 57.48% of female bettors trusting their gut, compared to 52.66% of their male counterparts. Younger bettors, particularly Millennials and Generation Y, were also more likely to make intuition-based decisions, while the Silent Generation (ages 79+) proved the least likely to rely on gut feelings.
AskGamblers’ campaign aims to debunk the myth that trusting instinct over data is a winning strategy. Irena Dučić, Head of Editorial Content at AskGamblers, explained the reasoning behind the initiative: “We deliberately played on the concept of ‘gut health’ to raise awareness about the risks of instinct-driven betting. Just as we’re encouraged to take care of our physical gut, we wanted to urge bettors to check their gut instincts before making decisions that could affect their finances.”
High Confidence Despite Known Risks
One of the campaign’s key findings is that 84% of UK bettors recognise the financial risks associated with intuition-led betting, yet a significant portion of these bettors remain confident in their ability to make gut-based decisions. A concerning 60% of those surveyed expressed confidence in their instincts, and 36% believed gut instincts yield better results than research or data analysis. This misplaced confidence is what AskGamblers hopes to challenge through its #OddsOverFiction campaign.
Gut Instincts Leading to Regret
The study revealed that intuition-based betting often leads to regret. Approximately 32% of UK bettors admitted to regretting decisions made based on gut feeling, with men (33.98%) slightly more likely than women (29.40%) to experience regret. Interestingly, bettors aged 28-44, particularly those in Bristol and those betting on tennis, were found to be the most likely to regret trusting their gut instincts.
Despite this, a small but notable portion of punters—7%—claimed they never regret relying on their intuition, reflecting a high degree of confidence, or perhaps denial, about their betting strategies.
Encouraging a Shift Towards Data-Driven Betting
AskGamblers’ campaign is not only about highlighting the risks of intuitive betting but also encouraging a shift towards more research-based, analytical decision-making. The survey found that over two-thirds of bettors (64.67%) who rely on their gut also acknowledge that researched bets tend to deliver better outcomes. Yet, despite this, many continue to trust their instincts.
Football fans, in particular, were singled out as being more prone to gut-based decisions, with 63.67% reporting low success rates when betting on football matches based on intuition. Meanwhile, cricket and tennis bettors demonstrated a higher awareness of the financial risks associated with gut-led betting and were more likely to advise first-time bettors to conduct thorough research before placing bets.
A Broader Issue for the Gambling Industry
The “Don’t Trust Your Gut” campaign comes at a time when gambling advertising in the UK is under increasing scrutiny. Political figures, including Labour’s Alex Sopel, have called for greater restrictions on gambling adverts, particularly in sports. Recent research funded by GambleAware found that the number of gambling adverts during the Premier League’s opening week tripled compared to previous seasons, raising concerns about the influence of such marketing on betting behaviour.
As the debate around responsible gambling intensifies, AskGamblers’ campaign aims to contribute to the conversation by promoting smarter, data-driven betting strategies. Dučić concluded: “While betting on instinct may feel exciting and personal, it’s often misleading. Our campaign seeks to educate bettors on the value of research and the importance of balancing gut feelings with data to make more informed, rational choices.”
By raising awareness of the risks associated with intuition-led betting, AskGamblers hopes to help UK bettors avoid common pitfalls and make better financial decisions in the future.
Reference: https://www.askgamblers.com/gambling-news/ag-news/gut-instincts-dont-trust-your-gut
