The Euros 2024 continue on Tuesday with France and Spain matching up in a semi-final match. On Wednesday, England will play the Netherlands in a match that is expected to be a big boost to the UK pub business amid the eternal hope that the team can “bring it home.”
Notably, pubs in the UK will be allowed to stay open until 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, thanks to a decision by outgoing Home Secretary James Cleverly. “We have listened to the public through our consultation and will be extending pub licensing hours should England or Scotland reach the semi-finals or final of Euro 2024,” stated Cleverly last month. Pub operators throughout the UK have already reported huge traffic during the tournament, especially for England games.
Some of the major UK pub chains are Stonegate, Greene King, Marston’s (OTCPK:MARZF) (OTCPK:MRTPY), Star Pubs & Bars, Punch Taverns, Admiral Taverns, Young & Co.’s Brewery, P.L.C. (OTCPK:YCSBF), J D Wetherspoon plc (OTCPK:JDWPF), and Mitchells & Butlers plc (OTCPK:MBPFF).
While Marston’s (OTCPK:MARZF), Young & Co.’s Brewery, P.L.C. (OTCPK:YCSBF), J D Wetherspoon plc (OTCPK:JDWPF), and Mitchells & Butlers plc (OTCPK:MBPFF) are all traded publicly, many of the UK pub operators are not pure play stocks. Stonegate Pub Company is the largest pub company in the UK, operating around 4,800 managed, leased, and tenanted pubs. It is owned by British private equity firm TDR Capital. Punch Taverns is owned by Fortress Investment Group, which itself is 70% owned by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala. Greene King is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Asset Holdings. Star Pubs & Bars is owned by Heineken (OTCQX:HINKF). Greene King is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Asset Holdings. Punch Taverns is owned by Fortress Investment Group and Punch Taverns Limited. Meanwhile, Admiral Taverns is owned by John Timothy Morris of Proprium Capital Partners.
Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), which is an official sponsor of England’s national football team, has generated positive social media buzz in Europe with some of its Euros-related marketing campaigns.
Some of the sports betting companies that are forecast to have benefited from high interest and the reported surge in betting volume during the tournament, include Flutter Entertainment (FLUT), Entain (OTCPK:GMVHF), Evoke plc (OTCPK:EIHDF), Betsson (OTCPK:BTSBF), Bet365, Kindred Group (OTC:KNDGF), Super Group’s (SGHC) Betway, DraftKings (DKNG), and BetMGM (MGM) (OTCPK:GMVHF). Side bets for investors on sports betting include Genius Sports (GENI), Evolution AB (OTCPK:EVVTY), and Sportradar (SRAD). The Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF (NYSEARCA:BETZ) is a catch-all sports betting ETF.