The unspoken rule of waiting until the third date before sex might be coming to an end, as 13% of Brits admit they wait until their 10th meeting before taking things to the bedroom.
The new research, conducted by Paddy Power Games, reveals that a longer wait is particularly popular amongst female daters, as they are just as likely to sleep with their new partner after 10 dates (16%) as they are after traditional three.
Men, however, seem to be in more of a hurry, with only 9% prepared to hold out until date 10. In fact, over a fifth picked the third date as the ideal time (22%), while as many as 12% would happily get between the sheets during a first date, compared to just 8% of women.
Number of dates Brits wait before having sex with a new partner:
| Rank | Number of dates | Total | Men | Women |
| 1 | Third date | 19% | 22% | 16% |
| 2 | Ten dates or more | 13% | 9% | 16% |
| 3 | Second date | 12% | 17% | 9% |
| 4 | Fourth date | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 5 | First date | 10% | 12% | 8% |
| 6 | Five dates | 10% | 9% | 11% |
| 7 | Six dates | 7% | 5% | 8% |
| 8 | Seven dates | 3% | 2% | 4% |
| 9 | Eight dates | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| 10 | Nine dates | 1% | 0% | 1% |
Holding out a while before heading to the bedroom might not be the worst idea though, as more than a quarter of those surveyed said they’d never consider someone a long-term partner if they sleep together on a first date (26%).
Northern Ireland is home to the most judgmental lovers, with a third of residents (32%) saying there’s no long-term future with someone who has sex on date number one.
Once Brits hit that magic 10-date mark though, both men and women are willing to risk everything for a quickie, including hitting up the kitchen (37%), bathroom (38%) and even the car (46%).
In riskier circumstances, 18% of Brits admit they’ve had intercourse in a public park, 25% on the beach (sandy!), and 15% have done the deed at work.
And a shocking 1% of Brits – 688,185 people – admit to having got it on at a funeral.
A Paddy Power Games spokesperson said: “Gone are the days of the three-date rule – 10 dates is the way to go, especially if you want to bag yourself a life-long partner.
“If you’ve ever been the victim of mysterious, ghostly sounds at a funeral – fear not! It could simply be a happy couple who have finally passed that 10th date mark.”
