YouGov Report Shows Young Americans Prefer bet365 While Older Americans Like DraftKings

A recent survey by a global public opinion and data firm revealed the popularity of five main sportsbooks in the North American market, all of which are in our best sportsbooks. There were a few surprises that came along with the conclusions.

Among the more than 2,000 bettors included in a survey from YouGov, UK-based bet365 was identified as the most popular U.S. sports betting site among younger Americans, those aged 35 and under. DraftKings was favored by older bettors, while FanDuel, widely considered "America's #1 Sportsbook," led among just one of the five age groups surveyed.

The study also showed that ESPN BET, which had targeted a 7% market share for its first full year of operation, is making strides to achieve that goal.

The findings

The YouGov study started with a loyalty test to determine the number of sites that various age groups exclusively frequent. Many bettors shop for the best prices across our best sports betting sites.

It turns out that the majority surveyed have more than one sports betting account as 73% of respondents had more than one sportsbook that they use, while 43% use more than three sportsbooks. Notably, bettors 55 years and older were the most loyal, with 44% holding just one sportsbook account.

Age impacts results

The YouGov findings were certainly revealing, if not surprising. 

They showed that the two betting behemoths, DraftKings and FanDuel, had the most appeal and users among more mature Americans, while bet365 was tops among younger bettors.

DraftKings was the most popular choice among bettors 55 years and older, with 40% liking it best. It was also the most popular choice among those between the ages of 45 and 54, with 33% of respondents in that group using it the most. For those 35 to 44, 25% use DraftKings Sportsbook the most. You can check it out using our DraftKings promo code.

FanDuel's numbers were somewhat surprising, if not disappointing. The sportsbook topped the 35-44 year old category with 32% of those surveyed saying they prefer it over other books. FanDuel finished second among bettors 55+ years, with 26% of respondents preferring it. The other three age categories saw less than 20% of respondents fancying FanDuel, but you can draw your own conclusions with our FanDuel promo code.

The big surprise in the survey was the popularity of bet365, which came out as the most popular site among younger American bettors. Just 4% of Americans 55+ preferred the British-based site, and 12% of those 45-54 liked it best. But bet365 led bettors 21-24, with 28% of respondents liking it best and 30% of those 25-34 using it most. Our bet365 bonus code, SBRBONUS, can help you find some awesome lines.

ESPN BET was at 8% in three of the five categories, with just 4% of those 55+ preferring it and 6% of those 45-54 liking it best. From the outset, ESPN BET had hoped for a 7% market share by the end of its first full year of operation.

More findings

The YouGov data showed that Americans are consistently using their sports betting providers more, no matter which sportsbook they are using.

Those numbers are tilted toward younger bettors especially. Sixty percent of those using bet365 use the site more, while 11% admit to using it less; 58% of 888 Sports users are using it more, while 10% are using it less; 51% of ESPN BET customers are using it more, while 15% are using it less.

DraftKings and FanDuel are near the bottom of this metric, as 42% of DraftKings users are betting more, and 29% are betting less, while 40% of FanDuel users report using the site more, and 23% report using it less.

Appeal to sportsbooks, according to YouGov, came down to attractive welcome bonuses as 55% of respondents created new user accounts because of generous welcome offers, 53% viewed offers and promotions as their top motivation, 37% cited good customer service, another recommended 37% to join, 33% were seeking a better overall sportsbook, 30% were looking for quality free-to-play games, 28% responded to advertising, and 25% pointed to live streaming as their motivation for joining a new brand.

How the survey was conducted

YouGov conducted its survey from January 5-18, 2024, and asked over 2,000 American bettors about their preferences for sports betting sites.

YouGov took a mix of older and younger Americans who have been active in their sports betting, some placing at least one wager in the last 12 months and others who have not placed a bet in the last year but plan to.

That pool included 71% current sports bettors and 29% of respondents who say they are interested in becoming sports bettors at some point. It also showed that 72% of the males surveyed admitted to being current sports bettors, while just 28% of women wagered on sports. It also showed that 57% of men surveyed admitted to being prospective future sports bettors, while 43% of women expected to place a bet in the next year.