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Wed, 10 Jun 2026

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 World Cup expected to be the biggest betting event in history

The expansion of the number of games being played is set to drive a surge in the amount of bets placed on this year's World Cup.

* More than $50bn (£37.4bn) in wagers are expected to be placed globally on the Fifa Men's World Cup.
* The total would be a major increase from the $35bn of wagers placed during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
* Punters are forecasted to place around $500m per match, with over 100 matches scheduled for this year's tournament.
* Gambling awareness groups warn that almost all punters lose money in the long-run and that betting on the World Cup can lead to addictive forms of gambling.
* The expansion of teams from 32 to 48 and favorable time zones are expected to boost global viewership and drive demand among punters.
* The growing sports betting market in the US is also a major driver of the increase, with around 65% of the population now able to gamble on sports.