This year's FIFA World Cup is expected to generate billions of dollars across the three host countries through tourism, hospitality, retail spending and other traditional revenue streams. But as sports betting continues to grow in popularity worldwide, experts say the tournament could also become the largest betting event in history.
The 39-day competition, featuring 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada, is projected to generate more than $50 billion in wagers worldwide, surpassing the estimated $35 billion bet during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
According to a BBC report, analysts attribute much of the expected increase to the tournament's expanded format. The 2026 World Cup features 48 teams, up from 32 in 2022, while the number of matches has increased from 64 to 104.
Another factor driving the surge is the rapid growth of legalized sports betting in the United States. Roughly 65% of Americans now live in jurisdictions where sports wagering is legal, up from about 40% during the 2022 tournament.
With more matches, more markets and greater access to legal sportsbooks, experts are expecting betting activity to reach unprecedented levels throughout the tournament.
In the United States, World Cup betting is expected to rival and potentially surpass some of the country's most heavily wagered sporting events, including the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, commonly known as March Madness, and the Super Bowl.
As reported by ESPN earlier this month, industry analysts estimate that U.S. sportsbooks alone could handle as much as $2.9 billion in wagers during the World Cup, roughly double the amount bet on the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
For comparison, betting on this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament was projected to exceed $3 billion, while an estimated $1.7 billion was wagered on the Super Bowl, according to data compiled by gambling industry analyst Chris Altruda.
Experts say the World Cup presents a unique opportunity for bettors. Unlike the Super Bowl's single-game format, the tournament offers more than a month of nearly continuous action.
"The Super Bowl is the pinnacle, but the World Cup is going to be a couple dozen Super Bowls back-to-back-to-back-to-back over the span of six weeks," said Brian Josephs, vice president for the Americas at Sportradar, a sports technology and data company that monitors global betting markets.
The rapid growth of sports betting has also raised concerns among advocates who warn about its potential social and financial consequences.
Les Bernal, national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, told the BBC that the World Cup could leave many bettors, particularly young men, facing significant financial losses and, in some cases, "life-changing debt and financial distress."
Bernal argued that "99 out of 100 sports bettors lose money in the long term" and said the industry's business model relies heavily on a small group of individuals who develop gambling addictions.
According to Bernal, gambling addiction can have devastating consequences, including elevated rates of suicide among those affected.
He called on policymakers around the world to impose stronger safeguards on gambling operators and curb what he described as predatory practices before millions of fans place bets during the World Cup.
