The 2026 FIFA World Cup is influencing sportsbook strategies long before the tournament kicks off on June 11. With 48 teams competing in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, the stakes are high both on and off the field. Betting operators are preparing for an event that is expected to match the intensity of the matches themselves.
As bettors show growing interest in player performances, statistics-driven markets, and bet builders, sportsbooks are under pressure to provide more detailed football content, quicker settlements, and more enjoyable experiences during this monumental betting event.
Betclic Group is one operator that recognized the need to adapt its football betting strategy. As a leading operator in Europe and the official betting partner of the French Football Federation, Betclic identified opportunities to enhance customer engagement.
Martin Houdbine, Betclic’s chief business officer, noted a distinct transition towards personalized and player-centric betting. Internally, the company found that manual processes were creating obstacles, and it struggled to scale its player props to align with its aspirations. The time required to bring new products and markets to the public was also deemed insufficient.
Houdbine acknowledged, “Our offering on player and team props was relatively limited and selective.” Betclic primarily focused on popular markets like first goalscorer and anytime goalscorer, as well as basic team statistics.
To compile odds, Betclic used manual processes for significant leagues and events, alongside derived pricing models. However, Houdbine pointed out the limitations of this approach: scalability challenges prevented adequate coverage of niche props and long-tail competitions. Additionally, the slow time-to-market led to potential inconsistencies and pricing challenges.
To address these issues, Betclic turned to WSF Odds, a partnership between football data specialists Wall Street Football (WSF) and sports trading leader TradingLab. WSF Odds offers a comprehensive range of player, team, and match performance markets from over 90 football competitions globally. It utilizes official data, AI pricing models, proprietary algorithms, and expert trading validation to create dynamic betting options that aim to boost engagement and revenue.
This collaboration allowed Betclic to broaden its market offerings and enhance the overall product experience. Giovanni Bertoli, WSF’s chief executive and co-founder, explained how WSF Odds helps operators fulfill customer needs. “Football fans were already thinking in a player-led way long before the betting product caught up,” he said. Bettors follow a range of in-game events, and correctly pricing player and team props, especially in real time, presents a unique technical challenge for most operators.
For Betclic, expanding the range of football props represented only part of the task. Equally important was creating an intuitive user experience across desktop and mobile platforms. Betclic collaborated closely with WSF Odds to seamlessly integrate props into its sportsbook. Instead of isolating player props, Betclic focused on maintaining a clear structure that distinguishes between match, team, and player markets while prioritizing the most relevant betting opportunities.
Dedicated live betting displays were introduced to facilitate faster decision-making, ensuring props were seen as a natural extension of the sportsbook rather than products solely for seasoned bettors. Utilizing WSF Odds’ official data feed increased trust between players and the operator and helped fulfill regulatory requirements.
“Small discrepancies can quickly lead to customer frustration,” Houdbine said, emphasizing the importance of consistent and transparent data handling. “Using an official feed allows us to ensure consistency and transparency, reduce disputes and customer support load and settle bets faster and with more confidence.” This approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also improves user satisfaction and trust.
The popularity of football props continues to surge, particularly with the upcoming World Cup. Betclic reports that player props now represent 20% of all football stakes in its sportsbook, with markets such as anytime goalscorer and assists attracting consistent interest. Houdbine noted a shift toward more entertainment-focused and statistics-driven betting, where players engage with individual performances and narratives rather than just final scores. “Props contribute to higher engagement and also tend to increase the number of selections,” he stated.
Giovanni Bertoli remarked on the evolving profile of bettors: “Bettors are more stats-literate than five years ago.” He pointed out that factors such as fantasy football and data journalism have raised customer expectations. With this shift, accurate props markets cater directly to this knowledgeable audience. Bertoli also foresees that the growth of Bet Builder products will spur further demand for extensive and properly priced player props, especially as operators seek to stand out during major tournaments. “You can’t build a good Bet Builder on three player markets. You need breadth and correct prices.”
