FIFA World Cup 2026 to Generate Billions in US Sports Bets, Expert Says
Key Points
- A Deutsche Bank analyst says US bettors would bet over $4 billion on the FIFA World Cup
- He attributes this to better time zones and the fact that the event is hosted in North America this year
- Sportsbooks expect not only short-term profit, but also long-term player engagement from the event
Steven Pizzella, an analyst from Deutsche Bank, estimated that betting on the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 could exceed $4 billion thanks to better media coverage and the fact that the event is hosted in North America.
US to See More Bets on FIFA This Year
To estimate handle growth for 2026, Pizzella considered the significant increase in World Cup matches as the tournament expanded from 64 games in 2022 to 104 in 2026. He also accounted for a 20% rise in the number of Americans eligible to place sports bets since 2022, increasing from 104 million to 135 million.
Additionally, he highlighted the benefits of hosting the World Cup across North America, as this year’s FIFA event will feature matches hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This arrives with the benefit of more favorable time zones and greater media coverage for North American fans, which will likely result in more fan engagement compared with the 2022 tournament in Qatar, which was seven hours ahead of the US.
According to Pizzella’s analysis, FanDuel could see an additional $1.3 billion in handle from the World Cup, while DraftKings was estimated to generate roughly $1.1 billion and BetMGM about $250 million. However, it’s not only sports that will benefit financially from the World Cup, as some states will also get more tax revenue from bets. In fact, New Jersey, which is one of the hosts of the event, is considering a temporary tax hike on sports betting to recoup some of the expenses related to it.
Operators Aren’t Just Looking at the Short-Term Picture
Flutter Entertainment CFO Rob Coldrake noted that the tournament is sometimes mistakenly viewed solely as a major profit driver, emphasizing instead its value as a long-term customer acquisition opportunity that can lead to future revenue growth. Meanwhile, DraftKings CFO Alan Ellingson recently called the World Cup a “fantastic” opportunity for customer engagement and acquisition.
For bettors, this will likely translate into more promotions, enhanced betting markets, increased app engagement campaigns, and intensified competition among sportsbooks throughout the tournament.
The report also pointed to the increasing role of prediction markets leading up to the tournament. Pizzella cited data from Kalshi indicating a 42% probability that the United States advances to the round of 16. Platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket are expected to attract substantial World Cup activity as users increasingly seek alternative ways to engage with sporting events.
In other FIFA-related news, Betano was recently selected as the event’s Official Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America.
Stefan covers the sweepstakes industry and reports on the rapid, global expansion of iGaming brands. Leveraging a background in digital marketing, he investigates how social casinos navigate complex gray markets and drive user acquisition. His coverage provides operators with crucial insights into the regulatory nuances fueling the explosive growth of alternative online gaming platforms.
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