Sky Atlantic's Game of Thrones was found to be the most-pirated TV show of 2012, with one episode being downloaded illegally by more people than those who watch the show in the US.
The annual report from news site TorrentFreak uncovered that one episode of Game of Thrones was downloaded some 4.28 million times.
Reasons given for illegal downloads were the lack of legal download options and airing delays where viewers have to wait longer than the US audience.
The report from TorrentFreak found that Australia was responsible for the biggest amount of pirating the HBO show, followed by the US in second place, and the UK in fourth.
Most Pirated shows of 2012
1. Game of Thrones
Downloads: 4.2m
Estimated US TV audience: 4.2 million
2. Dexter – 3.85m; 2.75 million
3. The Big Bang Theory – 3.2m; 15.8 million
4. How I Met Your Mother – 2.96m; 10.1 million
5. Breaking Bad – 2.58m; 2.98 million
6. The Walking Dead – 2.55m; 10.87 million
7. Homeland – 2.4m; 2.36 million
8. House – 2.34m; 9.78 million
9. Fringe – 2.28m; 3.12 million
10. Revolution – 2.13m; 11.65 million