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Revealed: The public’s all-time favourite on-screen characters of film, TV and gaming
gaming
- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, the Joker could charge $102k (£74.5k) for a sponsored post
- Rachel Green has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with her name of all sitcom characters (1 million)
- Pennywise, Chucky and Jigsaw are the most searched-for horror characters
- Games featuring Pikachu rake in highest revenue ($90 billion/£65.9 billion) of all the top gaming characters
There are hundreds of iconic characters from film, TV and gaming who will forever be household names. But which characters are the public’s all-time favourites? New research by Currys looked at online search volumes and social media posts that talked about some of the most famous personalities from various media genres. Below you can find out who topped each list as the most legendary icons of their genre.
The most iconic gaming characters
- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, Sonic could charge $67k (£48.9k) for a sponsored post
- Pikachu has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with his name of all gaming characters (7.4 million)
- Mario has appeared in the most games of all characters (259)
- Total revenue for the Pokemon game series ($90 billion/£65.9 billion) is higher than any other game, with second-placed Mario Bros lagging far behind ($30.3 billion/£22.2 billion)
The world of gaming has transformed over the decades, but is it the high-definition characters of today that are the fan favourites, or the iconic cartoons of decades gone by? The answer appears to be the latter. The ever-so-speedy Sonic the Hedgehog raced to the top of the search volume ranks, followed by Pikachu and Pac-Man. It’s a similar story on Instagram, with Pikachu, Mario and Sonic receiving the most posts.
| Rank | Character | Global Monthly Search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Sonic | 6,700,000 | 3,273,487 |
| 2 | Pikachu | 3,700,000 | 7,430,874 |
| 3 | Pac-man | 3,000,000 | 1,642,920 |
| 4 | Mario | 2,100,000 | 5,559,810 |
| 5 | Big Boss | 712,500 | 2,800,000 |
| 6 | Luigi | 641,200 | 1,300,000 |
| 7 | Lara Croft | 607,700 | 735,000 |
| 8 | Kratos | 571,900 | 654,000 |
| 9 | Yoshi | 556,700 | 1,800,000 |
| 10 | Diablo | 490,900 | 1,100,000 |
The most terrifying horror characters
- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, Pennywise could charge $15k (£10.9k) for a sponsored post
- Pennywise has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with his name of all horror characters (2 million)
- Hannibal Lecter has the highest average IMDb rating (rated 7.2)
Although many of us would probably rather forget some of the most memorable horror characters, the fact that we can’t makes them all the more iconic. Taking first place for search volume and number of Instagram posts is killer clown Pennywise, who has really had a lasting impact on audiences. He’s followed by evil doll Chucky and Saw’s murderous mastermind Jigsaw in terms of search volume, and Dracula and Halloween’s Michael Myers in number of Instagram posts.
| Rank | Character | Global monthly search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Pennywise AKA IT | 1,500,000 | 2,000,000 |
| 2 | Chucky | 1,400,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 3 | Jigsaw | 967,000 | 844,000 |
| 4 | Freddy Krueger | 943,000 | 991,000 |
| 5 | Michael Myers | 798,000 | 1,200,000 |
| 6 | Frankenstein’s Monster | 673,900 | 124,000 |
| 7 | Hannibal Lecter | 635,000 | 332,000 |
| 8 | Dracula | 632,000 | 1,500,000 |
| 9 | Slenderman | 579,500 | 517,000 |
| 10 | Eli | 324,100 | 1,000,000 |
The Best-loved sitcom characters
- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, Mr Bean could charge $11k (£8k) for a sponsored post
- Rachel Green has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with her name of all sitcom characters (1 million)
- Rachel, Monica, Ross and Phoebe from Friends have the joint highest average IMDb rating (rated 8.9)
There have been plenty of memorable sitcoms over the decades, each attracting die-hard fan bases. So, it’s interesting to see that the data reveals a landslide victory for Friends, with the cast beaten only by Mr Bean in search volume. Not only does this suggest that Friends could be the most iconic sitcom of all time, but it also answers the question many Friends fans have been dying to know – who is the most popular ‘Friend’? It turns out the on-screen couple, Ross and Rachel both take the crowns.
| Rank | Character | Global monthly search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Mr Bean | 1,100,000 | 568,000 |
| 2 | Ross Geller | 589,300 | 932,000 |
| 3 | Rachel Green | 509,400 | 1,000,000 |
| 4 | Monica Geller | 491,700 | 969,000 |
| 5 | Joey Tribbiani | 470,000 | 957,000 |
| 6 | Will Smith | 364,000 | 247,000 |
| 7 | Phoebe Buffay | 338,000 | 812,000 |
| 8 | Bart Simpson | 303,000 | 590,000 |
| 9 | Jerry Seinfeld | 273,000 | 125,000 |
| 10 | Homer Simpson | 266,000 | 688,000 |
The most legendary superheroes and villains
- The Joker, Spider-Man and Black Panther are the most searched-for superheroes and villains in the world
- Batman has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with his name of all superheroes and villains (28.2 million)
- Black Panther has the highest average IMDb rating for all films he has featured in (rated 8.1)
Who steals the title as the greatest superhero is a popular topic of debate. As is the Marvel vs. DC Comics rivalry. To settle these disputes once and for all, the data reveals that Batman, and his nemesis the Joker, take the victory as the most-searched-for and posted about characters. But if we’re basing the win on a majority vote, Marvel and DC Comics are neck and neck, with five characters each ranking in the top 10 – leaving the competition very much open between the two market leaders.
| Rank | Character | Global monthly search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Joker | 10,200,000 | 13,700,000 |
| 2 | Spider-Man | 7,200,000 | 20,500,000 |
| 3 | Black Panther | 4,400,000 | 6,000,000 |
| 4 | Wonder Woman | 3,800,000 | 9,300,000 |
| 5 | Iron Man | 3,400,000 | 16,600,000 |
| 6 | Batman | 3,200,000 | 28,200,000 |
| 7 | Harley Quinn | 3,200,000 | 6,600,000 |
| 8 | Thor | 2,800,000 | 10,900,000 |
| 9 | Deadpool | 2,700,000 | 6,100,000 |
| 10 | Aquaman | 2,600,000 | 2,500,000 |
Methodology
The top characters were identified using Google searches for the “top sitcom characters”, etc. From this, a list of approximately 100 characters was curated for each category, which was narrowed down to 15 based on the highest search volumes (found using SEMRush). Instagram hashtag counts are based on the number of posts hashtagged with the characters’ names, e.g. #Sonic, etc. Potential Instagram earnings were calculated by using the search volume for each character as a hypothetical ‘follower count’. With these figures, we calculated an earning per post based on an unspoken industry standard rate of $100 per 10,000 followers. IMDb ratings were calculated by averaging the IMDb rating of all TV shows or films the character has featured in. For gaming, we identified the total number of games the characters have featured in.
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ACDV certification
GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia
GoldenRace, leading B2B provider of Virtual Sports and betting solutions, has become the first and only Virtual Sports provider officially authorised to operate in Colombia’s Retail betting market under the new ACDV regulation.
The certification is based on ACDV (Virtual Racing and Sports Betting) standards, published by Coljuegos, Colombia’s national gambling authority, at the end of last year (2024) as part of a new regulatory framework for Virtual Sports in the Retail sector, outlined in Resolution No. 20241200028984.
With this updated certification now in force, GoldenRace proudly leads the way, allowing betting shops across Colombia to legally continue offering its award-winning Virtual Sports portfolio – including bestsellers like Virtual Football, Horse Racing, and Greyhound Racing – fully compliant with the latest national requirements.
“This process involved extensive testing at a prestigious, internationally accredited laboratory,” explained Julio César Duque, LatAm Director at GoldenRace. “For us, it’s a clear confirmation of the strength of our portfolio and how well our solutions perform in Colombia.”
With the ACDV certification now active, the company is expanding its market-leading Virtual Sports content to Retail, giving local operators more.
“After a successful GAT Colombia 2025 and with the Peru Gaming Show on the horizon, we’re thrilled to keep growing in LatAm,” added Martin Wachter, CEO & Founder of Softquo, the Holding behind GoldenRace. “Colombia holds a special place for us: it’s home to one of our offices and our reforestation initiatives. We are deeply proud that its Retail operators can now enjoy the best of GoldenRace through this new certification.”
The post GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Immense Group is proud to announce that its sport betting brand DBET has entered a multi-year strategic partnership with the Swedish Basketball Association (SBBF) and the top leagues SBL Women and SBL Men. The collaboration, which will kick off with the Women’s European Championship 2025, marks a significant step in DBET’s ongoing commitment to deepening its presence in Sweden’s sports landscape and enhancing the experience for Swedish basketball fans.
As part of the partnership, DBET will sponsor the senior national teams and the SBL leagues, SBL Dam and SBL Herr. The deal will extend through to the Men’s World Championship 2027, providing ample opportunity to engage with Swedish sports fans across multiple platforms and events.
“Partnering with DBET, a dynamic and innovative player in the betting market, is an exciting opportunity for Swedish basketball,” says Susanne Jidesten, Chairwoman of the Swedish Basketball Association. “Together, we can broaden the reach of Swedish basketball and create new engagement opportunities for both fans and players.”
Launched in 2024, DBET has quickly gained recognition in the Swedish gaming market with a focus on responsible gaming and community involvement. This new collaboration with Swedish basketball underscores DBET’s commitment to growing its brand presence while supporting the expansion of Swedish basketball on both the national and league levels.
“We are excited to partner with Swedish basketball, a sport that is rapidly gaining popularity in Sweden,” says Jesper Kärrbrink, Group CEO/Chairman of Immense Group. “This partnership will help us engage with Swedish sports fans and strengthen DBET’s position in Sweden’s sports betting market.”
This collaboration builds on DBET’s growing presence in Swedish sports, including its recent partnership with football legend Anders Svensson and its involvement with the Swedish Bandy Association. DBET remains committed to expanding its reach in the Swedish sports sector through strategic alliances with iconic teams and athletes.
The post DBET partners with Swedish Basketball Association for multi-year sponsorship deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Pioneering data-driven service provider teams up with fast-growing Mexico-focused online casino group to extend its operations into Latin America for the first time
With Golden Whale’s mission to extend its innovative data-driven services to every corner of the globe continuing to pick up pace, the company has announced it has formed a new partnership with Logrand Entertainment Group that will see it enter Mexico in 2025.
Rightfully recognised as one of the fastest growing markets in the Latin American region, over the coming months Golden Whale will work with Logrand’s Strendus.mx online casino brand to implement a number of AI and ML-backed solutions that will enhance the platform’s operations.
Already one of the country’s best-loved online gambling destinations, Strendus.mx was the first Mexican site launched by Logrand and currently offers customers a market-leading selection of over 4,000 slots, table games and live casino options as well as a dedicated sports betting hub.
Active since 2017, Strendus.mx has steadily built up a loyal following among Mexican players thanks to its generous promotions, popular loyalty scheme and engaging gamification mechanics – all of which are major areas where Golden Whale’s solutions can add further value.
In addition to its commitment to innovation and customer engagement, Strendus.mx also maintains a strong focus on corporate social responsibility. This year, the brand has further strengthened its efforts by supporting a variety of charitable initiatives, including programs that promote donations to institutions dedicated to helping children affected by catastrophic illnesses. These activities reflect Strendus’ broader vision of not only delivering top-tier entertainment but also contributing positively to the communities in which it operates.
Given the wealth of player data the site has accumulated since its launch, there will be plenty of information that can be run through Golden Whale’s advanced AI and ML modules to optimise Strendus.mx’s operations, and both companies are excited about the opportunities ahead.
Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO at Golden Whale, said: “Many iGaming companies have already woken up to the benefits that Golden Whale’s powerful AI and ML-backed technology can bring, so the next step for us is making sure our solutions are available in as many markets as possible. This new partnership with Logrand will enable us to breach new frontiers in Latin America via the Strendus.mx casino brand and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact we can make there.”
Eduardo Pelaez, COO Online at Logrand Entertainment Group, said: “Launched in 2017, Strendus.mx is already one of Mexico’s flagship online casino brands – but we want to push this legacy further. By partnering with Golden Whale, we’ll be able to harness the power of AI and ML to deliver an even more personalised experience to Strendus.mx’s customers, helping us cement our position as both a genuine innovator and a true market leader in the LatAm region.”
The post Golden Whale to broaden horizons with Logrand partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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