The 2026 FIFA World Cup is poised to be the largest soccer betting event in history, especially in the United States, as indicated by preliminary insights from various sportsbooks.

Johnny Avello, the director of race & sports operations at DraftKings, anticipated this phenomenon back on July 1, speaking with Casino.org. The tournament commenced on June 11.
World Cup Breaks Expectations
“This soccer tournament has been truly remarkable,” Avello stated. “The betting volume has far exceeded our projections. I believe it will eclipse March Madness by the end.”
The tournament featured 48 teams, with 104 matches—including 72 group-stage and 32 knockout-phase matches—hosted across three countries: Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, culminating in the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, where Spain triumphed over Argentina with a score of 1-0.
Live betting saw a significant uptick, attributed to convenient kickoff times across North America, making this new format conducive to more betting opportunities compared to the former 64-match setup.
Expanded Format Enhances Betting Opportunities
“Hosting the World Cup in our home nation created high expectations for engagement and interest,” remarked Mark Bickerdike, head of soccer at Caesars Sportsbook. “Fortunately, the tournament surpassed even our most hopeful forecasts, leading to substantial participation in Futures, event markets, and our Same Game Parlay offerings.”
“Initially, there was some doubt about how the extended format would affect engagement, but the excitement really took off following the promising performances of the United States Men’s National Team, maintaining momentum throughout the knockout round and into the final.”
Caesars Sportsbook Hits New Records
The final match set a new benchmark for soccer betting at Caesars Sportsbook, according to Bickerdike.
“Interest was incredibly strong prior to kickoff, with pre-match betting already breaking our previous tournament records,” he noted.
Spain showcased dominance in possession and created the majority of notable opportunities during a tightly contested game.
Final Match Yields Huge Betting Handle
The match's scoreless draw at the end of regulation proved beneficial for the sportsbook, as bettors leaned towards Argentina in both Match Betting and To Lift The Trophy markets, both before and during the game. There was also a significant volume of bets on Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal scoring, which resulted in favorable outcomes across various markets, including Same Game Parlay products.
“By the final whistle, the match established new records for total handle, total wagers, and unique bettors at Caesars Sportsbook,” he stated. “The handle was nearly 65% higher than our previous record game, highlighting the exceptional interest in soccer’s most significant matchup and the incredible excitement throughout the tournament.”
Messi Specials Attract Bettors
The Messi Anytime Goalscorer prop was the most popular Same Game Parlay option ever recorded by Caesars Sportsbook for a soccer match.
At BetMGM, Spain’s victory in the World Cup was favorable for bettors, as La Roja was the most popular choice to win the trophy prior to the tournament, with ongoing bets throughout the various stages, according to Christian Cipollini, senior trading manager at BetMGM.
“The 2026 World Cup broke records at BetMGM in numerous ways, with the Spain-Argentina Final being the most bet soccer match in company history,” he added.
BetMGM Reports Unprecedented Activity
The top-bet World Cup matches included the Spain-Argentina final, USA-Belgium in the Round of 16, England-Norway in the quarterfinals, England-Mexico in the Round of 16, and England-Argentina in the semifinals.
Cipollini pointed out that more bets were placed on the Spain-Argentina final than on all games from the Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals, all Hurricanes-Golden Knights Stanley Cup Finals, all College Football Playoff games in 2026 besides the Indiana-Miami Final, all NCAA Tournament games in 2026, and all Dodgers-Blue Jays 2025 World Series games combined.
The Scale of the Event
Leading up to Sunday’s final, internal data from Hard Rock Bet indicated that this tournament was set to become the largest betting event in U.S. history.
“We’re looking at figures comparable to ten Super Bowls,” stated Neil Walsh, senior vice president of Hard Rock Bet, on Saturday. “A sport we were once told Americans would not embrace has led to a historic event that captured the whole nation’s interest.”