As Christmas 2025 creeps closer, punters are already asking the classic question: will the UK wake up to snow this year?
The last few months of the year bring one of the most popular novelty markets: white Christmas betting. Bookmakers offer odds on snowfall at airports and major cities throughout the UK, allowing everyone to wager on this festive weather event.
According to Met Office analyses, the chance of snow on Christmas Day was much lower in the 2010s than in the 1960s, showing just how rare a true White Christmas has become in modern times.
The odds of a white Christmas vary considerably across the UK. Current regional probabilities for snow on December 25, according to Met Office data, are:
White Christmas odds are listed in the table below:
| City (Airport) | Estimated Probability | Theoretical Odds |
| Aberdeen | 26% | 11/4 |
| Edinburgh | 24% | 3/1 |
| Glasgow | 20% | 4/1 |
| Newcastle | 16% | 11/2 |
| Leeds | 15% | 11/2 |
| Manchester | 14% | 6/1 |
| Liverpool | 14% | 6/1 |
| Birmingham | 7% | 13/1 |
| Cardiff | 18% | 9/2 |
| Bristol | 13% | 13/2 |
| London City | 5% | 19/1 |
| Gatwick | 5% | 19/1 |
| Belfast | 12% | 7/1 |
| Dublin | 9% | 10/1 |
| Paris | 5% | 19/1 |
| New York | 12% | 7/1 |
If you're serious about betting on a white Christmas, head north. Scotland's odds almost always top the list. The north gets more snow — plain as that. Between 1960 and 2020, Met Office data shows white Christmases happened around 64% of the time there. That's a solid record by any measure.
Punters who prefer local options can compare Scotland betting sites to find which offer early markets for places like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen.
| City (Airport) | Estimated Probability | Theoretical Odds |
| Aberdeen | 26% | 11/4 |
| Edinburgh | 24% | 3/1 |
| Glasgow | 20% | 4/1 |
| Dundee | 22% | 7/3 |
| Inverness | 27% | 9/4 |
| Stirling | 23% | 10/3 |
| Perth | 25% | 11/4 |
| Dunfermline | 21% | 4/1 |
| Ayr | 19% | 9/2 |
| Falkirk | 20% | 4/1 |
Wales doesn't get the same festive snowfall as Scotland, but there's still modest action on snow at Christmas odds. The south coast tends to stay mild, yet upland areas around Wrexham or Merthyr Tydfil can surprise punters.
The odds on a white Christmas in Wales usually hover between 7/3 and 11/2, tempting for long-shot lovers. Bookies like Coral and BetVictor often include Welsh cities in their Christmas specials.
| City (Airport) | Estimated Probability | Theoretical Odds |
| Cardiff | 18% | 9/2 |
| Swansea | 19% | 4/1 |
| Newport | 18% | 9/2 |
| Wrexham | 22% | 7/3 |
| Barry | 15% | 11/2 |
| Neath |
17% |
5/1 |
| Bridgend | 18% | 9/2 |
| Cwmbran | 19% | 4/1 |
| Llanelli | 17% | 5/1 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 21% | 4/1 |
Northern Ireland white Christmas odds are typically slightly shorter than those for southern England but longer than those for Scotland. Belfast International and Derry/Londonderry are the main settlement points used by bookmakers.
The province's location between the Atlantic and Arctic influences means it occasionally benefits from northeasterly flows, which are perfect for festive snowfall. Most Christmas Day snow odds land between11/2 and 8/1
| City (Airport) | Estimated Probability | Theoretical Odds |
| Belfast | 13% | 13/2 |
| Derry/Londonderry | 14% | 6/1 |
| Lisburn | 12% | 7/1 |
| Newtownabbey | 12% | 7/1 |
| Bangor | 11% | 8/1 |
| Craivagon | 14% | 6/1 |
| Newry | 15% | 11/2 |
| Coleraine | 13% | 13/2 |
| Ballymena | 14% | 6/1 |
| Antrim | 13% | 13/2 |
According to the Met Office, the UK has a true white Christmas roughly once every 6 years. The real postcard stuff with snowbanks in the ground happens still far less often.
❄️Deepest Christmas snow: Record snow depths on Christmas Day include 47 cm at Kindrogan in Scotland (1981), 43 cm in England (recorded in 1981 and 2009), and 45 cm in Wales (2010).
Historically, 2010 stands out as the snowiest Christmas of modern times. Snow or sleet was reported at 83% of UK stations at that time, with snow on the ground at 57%. In contrast, between 2018 and 2022, only scattered flakes were seen in northern Scotland and upland Wales.
These long-term averages help explain today's markets: bookmakers price based on both probability and past data. London, for instance, has seen snow on Christmas Day in only 4 of the last 50 years, justifying its double-digit Xmas odds.
Leading white Christmas betting sites such as ThePools, Betfred, 10Bet, and Ladbrokes publish markets as early as September. Most settle bets according to Met Office data — just a single snowflake needs to be recorded at the chosen airport on 25 December. That means even a brief flurry counts as a win.
If you plan on betting on white Christmas events, check settlement rules carefully and use welcome bonuses wisely. Seasonal offers like bet 10 get free bets can often be used on novelty and weather specials — a smart way to play for fun without big stakes.
You'll also find white Christmas markets at foreign betting sites, brands owned by international companies but fully licensed by the UKGC and available to UK punters.
The best betting sites for White Christmas betting are listed below:
Choosing where to bet on a white Christmas mainly comes down to market range, transparency, and value.
Best bookmakers in the UK open their festive markets early and cover multiple airports across the UK, from Edinburgh to London City. Always check which weather station your bet refers to — most use official Met Office data, meaning snowfall must be recorded exactly at that location.
Clear settlement terms and bonus rules make all the difference. Many welcome offers include novelty markets, giving punters an easy way to join the fun without big stakes.
Example: A bet on Edinburgh Airport at 6/4 wins the moment a single snowflake is officially observed there on 25 December — it doesn't need to settle on the ground. Some bookies also post "UK-wide" specials that pay out if snow is recorded at any major airport.
Betting on a White Christmas is simple and fun.
Follow these quick steps to place your festive wager and see if snow falls on 25 December.
If you're interested in betting on other novelty events such as TV specials, hot dog eating contests, or even the next Pope, check out our list of the best novelty betting sites to find top bookmakers for fun and entertaining bets.
Since the 1960s, white Christmases have become much less frequent. Only four years have seen widespread snow across the UK, and 2010 was the last time the country woke up to a truly white Christmas.
Milder winters and shorter cold snaps mean snow is less likely to fall or to stick. As a result, southern cities now open at long white Xmas odds around 10/1 or higher, while even Scotland's snow-prone regions hover near even money.
For bettors, that shift means timing matters: the best value often appears early, before forecasts and prices adjust to December weather models.
The table below summarises the last decade of UK Christmas Day weather, showing how rarely snow has been officially recorded by the Met Office.
| Year | Falling Snow? | % of stations (falling) | % with lying snow | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | No | 0% | 0% | No white Christmas |
| 2023 | Yes | 11% | 0% | "Technical" white Christmas |
| 2022 | Yes | 9% | 0% | Sleet and light snow at a few low-level stations |
| 2021 | Yes | 6% | 1% | Scattered snow showers, no proper settling |
| 2020 | Yes | 6% | 4% | Patchy lying snow in northern England and Scotland |
In the years before 2020, snow on Christmas Day had already become rare, appearing only in scattered locations across the UK.
These figures show how rare true White Christmases have become — most recent cases involve light flakes rather than the snowy postcard scenes once common in the mid-20th century.
