To mark the debut of Wrexham AFC in English soccer’s?League Two this week, global gaming giant Entain has released figures revealing the staggering influence the franchise’s fame is having on betting trends. Isle of Man-headquartered Entain, which shares ownership of BetMGM with MGM International, took to Twitter with a link to the findings it dubbed the ‘Wrexham Effect:’

The ‘Wrexham Effect’ was born when actor Ryan Reynolds and fellow Hollywood star Rob McElhenney acquired Wrexham in 2020. The TV series ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ released in 2022 was, however, what transformed the humble Welsh club into an international brand and turned soccer betting on its head.

a 59% spike in bets for the 2021/22 National League

Thanks to Wrexham, Entain’s UK sportsbook brands Ladbrokes and Coral reported a 59% spike in bets for the 2021/22 National League season compared to 2017/18. What’s staggering about this statistic is that the English Championship, League One, and League Two, only saw increases of 15%, 32%, and 24%, respectively over the same timeframe.

The Welcome to Wrexham effect is evident across the pond too, with Entain revealing a 3,818% rise in Wrexham bets placed via BetMGM in the US from 2021 to 2023. Even down under, Entain Australia reported a 781% increase in the number of bets placed on the Welsh club from 2020 to 2023.

Entain Chief Commercial Officer Dominic Grounsell attributed the popularity of Wrexham AFC to the “huge step change” in how fans want to engage with their favorite sports and teams.