There are a lot of famous traits of the average Londoner that are known worldwide. The people of London are known first and foremost for their dogged determination and stubbornness, often referred to as the ‘Blitz Spirit’ that has persisted to this day. They are also known for their ability to complain about nearly anything minor but downplay anything serious. But what else is true about the London native?
A City of Sports Fans
Beyond the daily gamble of knowing which Tube lines are open, Londoners have a love for gambling beyond that of the rest of the British population. London is the hub of betting of all kinds, home to the largest number of casinos in the country and home to numerous major betting companies like Paddy Power. They have a London base for their national operations for online betting on sports, with a heavy focus on the Premier League where several London clubs have good odds of taking the title this season with Arsenal as high as 5/1.
Apart from this formal betting, Londoners are lovers of a wager on just about anything. Every day there are little bets happening across the city, although in particular, Londoners love their sports and it’s common for wagers to put down between friends and coworkers. After all, the only better place to go than betting experts to get sports tips on football is to ask the average Londoner near the stadiums of Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, or one of the other great teams in the city.
The True Underdog Lovers
For anyone who knows American sports, it’s well-known that the US as a whole loves underdogs, but they pale in comparison to the people of London. No matter what the event is, if one team is seen as complete outsiders to win and the game doesn’t directly involve England, you can guarantee that the city-wide support will be behind the underdog.
If you want the very best example of this, look at the reaction to Leicester City’s miracle Premier League title win in the 2015-16 season. They directly beat two London teams, Arsenal and Tottenham, to the title by a wide margin but, with a few scattered exceptions, you would have been hard-pressed to find any football lovers in the city who weren’t applauding them for the effort, even if some were only for Gary Lineker having to stick to his promise from earlier the season.
Give And Give Back
This somewhat ties back into the ‘Blitz Spirit’ mentioned at the start but thanks to recent history, the people of London have become extremely good at two things: being resourceful and looking out for those who can’t. While Londoners can hold some grudges against the wealthy and the elites, if they see someone who genuinely needs help then you’ll find no better community to help them.
There are plenty of tales and stories out there but the statistics do back things up quite often. Last year, the borough of Hounslow was found to be the most generous for charity donations across both England and Wales despite those famous London prices.
You may have already known some of these if you’ve had London experiences yourself, but if not, hopefully, it will put the average Londoner in a new light for you!