World Cup betting boom hits US books like 10 Super Bowls
Sportsbooks reported record US soccer betting for the 2026 World Cup, powered by the final, Argentina, Messi and the USMNT.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
The 2026 World Cup turned into a record-setting betting rush in the United States, with major sportsbooks and betting tech companies telling ESPN the tournament delivered the strongest soccer wagering results they have seen.
Caesars Sportsbook said the World Cup topped the combined men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments in bet count by 30%. The book also said the tournament brought in slightly more handle than March Madness.
Hard Rock Bet senior vice president of sportsbook Neil Walsh put the scale in Super Bowl terms, telling ESPN by email that the tournament was “the equivalent of ten Super Bowls” and calling it the biggest betting event in American history.
The surge came as the tournament was played in North America, with more matches and friendlier viewing windows for US bettors than the 2022 World Cup. DraftKings said it took 650% more bets than it did for the previous World Cup. BetMGM reported a 211% increase in bets from four years earlier.
The final smashed soccer records
Spain’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the final became the most-bet soccer match ever at BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook and DraftKings, according to ESPN. Each book said the match set records by both number of bets and total handle.
DraftKings said it booked 2 million bets on the final alone. Caesars said the match produced nearly 65% more handle than its previous record soccer match, which had also come during the 2026 tournament.
Caesars also said the final drew 4.4 times more handle than the sportsbook’s soccer record before the tournament began.
BetMGM said the final outperformed every 2026 College Football Playoff game except the championship. The book also said it topped every March Madness, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final and World Series game over the past year.
Messi, Argentina and the USMNT drove action
Argentina was one of the biggest pulls for bettors, with sportsbooks citing heavy ticket counts on the team. Lionel Messi was the consensus most-bet player in prop and futures markets, according to ESPN’s reporting from the books.
GeoComply, which provides location-check technology for online betting, said Argentina’s late-night match against Algeria generated 7.6 million location checks. The company said that was more than most primetime games.
The United States also delivered heavy action. DraftKings said the USMNT was its most-bet team for the tournament, while ESPN reported that the US team was the largest liability across the US sportsbook market before it was eliminated.
Spain opens as the 2030 favorite
After lifting the trophy, Spain opened as the favorite at DraftKings to win the 2030 World Cup, with odds of +450. Spain is set to co-host that tournament.
DraftKings listed semifinalists France at +600 and England at +900. Portugal, also a 2030 co-host, was tied with England at +900.
Argentina, the 2026 runner-up, opened at 11-1 at DraftKings. ESPN noted Argentina is expected to be without Messi at the next World Cup. Morocco, another 2030 co-host, was listed at 35-1, while the United States and Mexico were both 80-1.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.