Bigger Than the Super Bowl: 2026 World Cup Sets All-Time U.S. Betting Records

Early wagering data from major sportsbooks indicates the 2026 FIFA World Cup is on track to become the biggest soccer betting event in history, driven by unprecedented handle in the United States.

Speaking to Casino.org on July 1, midway through the tournament that kicked off June 11, DraftKings Director of Race & Sports Operations Johnny Avello noted that wagering was already pacing toward record levels.

“The soccer tournament has been something special, I tell you,” Avello said. “The handle has been way over expectations. I think it’s going to be bigger than March Madness, when all is said and done.”

At the start, 48 teams launched the World Cup, with 104 matches (72 group-stage matches, 32 knockout-stage matches) played across three countries – Mexico, the U.S., and Canada – through to the final yesterday (July 19) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Spain defeating Argentina 1-0.

Live betting exploded, thanks to favorable kickoff times across North America, with that expanded format creating more betting opportunities compared to the previous 64-match tournament. 

Expanded Format Boosts Betting

As wagering shattered previous tournament records, the U.S. host role played a major part. “A home-nation World Cup brought high expectations for engagement and interest,” said Mark Bickerdike, Head of Soccer at Caesars Sportsbook.

“Thankfully, the tournament exceeded even our most optimistic projections, and we saw strong participation across Futures, event markets, and our Same Game Parlay product. 

“There was some uncertainty around the impact of an extended tournament format, but World Cup fever took hold following the United States Men’s National Team’s promising start, and that enthusiasm continued throughout the knockout stages and into the final,” Bickerdike added.

The final on Sunday delivered the biggest soccer betting event in Caesars Sportsbook history, according to Bickerdike.

“Interest was off the charts before kickoff, with pre-match wagering already surpassing our previous tournament record,” he said.

That pre-match excitement translated into a physical, high-stakes final on the pitch, where Spain dominated possession and created the match’s most meaningful chances.

Final Delivers Massive Handle

The 0-0 draw through regulation was a major win for the sportsbook, Bickerdike added. Bettors heavily favored Argentina both pre-match and in-play across both the match betting and ‘to lift the trophy’ markets.

There were also plenty of tickets written on Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal scoring, resulting in positive outcomes across both the straight markets and Same Game Parlay product.

“By the final whistle, the match had set new Caesars Sportsbook records for total handle, total wagers and unique bettors,” he said. “Handle finished nearly 65 percent higher than our previous record game, underscoring the extraordinary interest in soccer’s biggest match and the incredible momentum we saw throughout the tournament.”

Messi Anytime Goalscorer was the most-bet Same Game Parlay leg that Caesars Sportsbook has ever had on a soccer match.

BetMGM Reports Historic Action

Over at BetMGM, Spain’s victory was a big win for the public. La Roja was the most-backed team to lift the trophy heading into the tournament and drew steady action throughout every round, according to Senior Trading Manager Christian Cipollini.

“The 2026 World Cup was record-breaking at BetMGM on many fronts, with the Spain-Argentina final becoming the most-bet soccer match in company history in both total tickets and handle,” Cipollini said.

The top five most-ticketed matches of the tournament were the Spain-Argentina final, USA-Belgium (Round of 16), England-Norway (Quarterfinals), England-Mexico (Round of 16), and the England-Argentina semifinal.

Highlighted by massive U.S. interest, the Spain-Argentina final drew more bets at BetMGM than every game of the 2025 World Series, the 2026 NBA Finals, and the Stanley Cup Final—outperforming every 2026 March Madness matchup and all College Football Playoff games except the Indiana-Miami national championship.

Ten Super Bowls

Ahead of Sunday’s final, internal data from Hard Rock Bet revealed that the tournament was pacing to become the largest betting event in U.S. history.

“We’re talking the equivalent of 10 Super Bowls,” Neil Walsh, Senior Vice President of Sportsbook at Hard Rock Bet, said on Saturday. “A sport we were once told Americans would not embrace turned into one for the history books. The whole country wanted in.”