Betting Bonanza For During World Cup
The US gambling industry is bracing itself for its busiest ever time. From late November to March it’s going to be a non-stop series of betting opportunities at sportsbooks.
Late November sees the start of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. That runs until the week before Christmas. The NFL season is in full swing and January will see the play-offs followed by the Super Bowl in February. After a brief lull, the countdown will begin to March Madness, with US sportsbooks offering basketball odds galore.
Since US states began making sports betting legal, now it is legal in most part of the country, including states like New York, New Jersey, Florida and etc it’s been clear that some months produce higher results than others. When there are no NFL or NBA matches being played, wagering figures at US sportsbooks will drop. When the seasons resume, the totals begin to rise again.
This year is like no other in the soccer world. It’s traditional for the FIFA World Cup to be held during the summer. That can present problems for the US if they qualify as the MLS season is underway.
However, with the tournament being staged in Qatar this year, it’s been moved to November and December. That has disrupted soccer leagues around the world but not in the US where the MLS season recently came to an end.
With the FIFA World Cup being held in the winter, that will make November and December an even busier time for online US sportsbooks. The NFL, NHL and NBA matches are already seeing plenty of bets being placed.
Now we have the FIFA World Cup on the horizon. A report by the American Gaming Association (AGA) states that 20.5 million American adults intend placing bets on World Cup matches. A total of $1.8 billion is the projected wagering figure for the near month long tournament.
72% of those who plan on betting on the FIFA World Cup say they’ll do so either online, at a physical sportsbook (for example at a casino) or a bookie.
The AGA survey was held between November 3 and 5 with 2213 adults being asked. Online sports betting has boomed in recent years with a big increase in the number open in the US. Of those wanting to bet on the FIFA World Cup, 48% say they will make their wagers online.
23% will be heading to a physical casino sportsbook somewhere in the US. One in five will use a bookie. 29% of those surveyed say they will place a bet with a friend, while 17% will take part in a paid pool or fantasy contest.
The Senior Vice President of the AGA is Casey Clark has recognized the fact this is the first FIFA World Cup with “widespread availability of legal sports betting.” He added that this “will certainly be the most bet-on soccer event ever in the US.”
With over 30 US states now having made sports betting legal, over half of all American adults are able to bet on sport. Mr Clark said that “legal sports betting will deepen American fan engagement in the most-watched sporting event in the world.”
Who do US bettors think will win the FIFA World Cup? The AGA survey revealed that if they were given $50 to place a bet, 24% would put that amount on the US. Brazil was next on 19%, followed by Argentina on 17% and 10% are supporting Germany.
There has also been a survey commissioned by BettorOff. That also indicated that US sportsbooks are in for a busy time during the FIFA World Cup. It found that 49% of sports fans plan to place bets on the tournament. 18% of those surveyed said this would be their first time betting on soccer.
It’s not likely to be a one-off either with 74% of respondents saying more soccer bets will be placed in the future. That bodes well for betting revenue for MLS matches next year.
Both the American and Canadian teams have made it through to the finals. We already know that they will both be playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament. That’s because both the US and Canada (along with Mexico) will be co-hosting the tournament, so they have already qualified.
The BetterOff survey also asked respondents how much they planned on betting on the FIFA World Cup. 68% said they planned on betting less than $200. Just over half said they would only be betting on certain teams.
Could that be the US team? 13% of respondents said they’d only be betting on matches that the American team plays in. At present, that’s only three group matches against Wales, England and Iran. There are 64 scheduled matches and 27% of those surveyed replied that their intention is to bet with US betting companies on every single game.
It’s important to bet responsibly on the FIFA World Cup. Casey Clark said that includes “setting a budget, keeping it fun, learning the odds, and playing with legal, regulated operators.” The latter is far easier now thanks to the US gambling industry expansion.
