- Plymouth ranked second favourite in latest betting forecasts
- Wrexham leads with a 60 per cent implied chance
- Winning city will receive a £10m prize
Plymouth has emerged as one of the strongest contenders for UK City of Culture 2029, according to the latest betting projections.
Figures from the Online Betting Guide place Britain’s Ocean City second in the running, just behind Wrexham. The Welsh city has been given odds of 4/6, implying a 60 per cent chance of success. Plymouth follows with odds of 6/4 and an implied probability of 40 per cent.
OLBG reportedly pointed to Plymouth’s “coastal identity and cultural infrastructure” as factors working in its favour. The city is currently drawing national attention through its Beryl Cook exhibition at The Box, which may add weight to its cultural credentials.
The deadline for applications falls on February 8, with nine cities already confirmed to have entered the competition.
Wrexham leads, Exeter lags
Wrexham, which gained city status in 2022, remains the bookmakers’ favourite. OLBG suggested its recent rise in national and international profile has strengthened its bid, as quoted in a news report. Investment and regeneration efforts, alongside global exposure linked to Wrexham AFC, are said to have boosted its standing.
The football club’s takeover by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, along with the globally broadcast documentary Welcome to Wrexham, has helped raise the city’s profile far beyond Wales.
Ipswich and Blackpool are both listed at 2/1, while Peterborough stands at 3/1, Bristol at 4/1 and Swindon at 5/1.
At the other end of the table sit Exeter and Portsmouth, each given odds of 6/1. That translates to an implied probability of 14.3 per cent, placing them among the outside bets at this stage.
More cities could still enter before applications close. For now, the betting markets suggest the contest may come down to whether Plymouth’s cultural track record can match Wrexham’s recent surge in visibility.
The winning city will receive £10m in funding along with the title — a boost that has previously been credited with driving regeneration and tourism.
