The 2026 FIFA World Cup has emerged as a significant event in U.S. sports betting, particularly for online gaming operators following the repeal of PASPA. The tournament, which lasted nearly 40 days, wrapped up on July 19 with a thrilling final where Spain triumphed over Argentina with a score of 1-0, securing its second World Cup title. This matchup not only marked an iconic moment in soccer history but also became one of the most heavily wagered matches in American betting history.
According to insights shared by BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, the 2026 World Cup attracted record-breaking betting activities, showcasing the growing interest in soccer among U.S. bettors.
Christian Cipollini, a senior trading manager at BetMGM, highlighted the significance of the final, stating, "The 2026 World Cup was record-breaking at BetMGM on many fronts, including the Spain-Argentina Final being the most bet (tickets and handle) soccer match ever in company history."
BetMGM provided detailed analysis of betting behaviors throughout the tournament. Their findings revealed that France attracted the most bets to win the tournament overall before being eliminated by Spain in the semifinals with a 2-0 defeat. France was seen as a strong contender, generating a significant betting liability as bettors rallied behind Kylian Mbappé and the team. France secured a 14.9% ticket percentage for winning the tournament, slightly outpacing Spain at 13.2%. However, France’s exit ultimately benefited BetMGM, as they handled 21.1% of the total bets placed by their customers.
BetMGM compared the volume of wagers on the World Cup Final to other major U.S. sporting events, indicating that more bets were placed on this match than on every NBA Finals game between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, all College Football Playoff games except for the final, each game during this year's March Madness tournament, and all 2025 World Series games featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays.
DraftKings also reported significant wagering activity, with the World Cup Final generating the highest number of wagers on a soccer match in its history, accepting nearly 2 million bets. The choice to hold the 2026 World Cup in North America contributed to a surge in interest, with DraftKings experiencing a staggering 650% increase in bets compared to the previous tournament in 2022. The anticipation surrounding Team USA and favorable viewing times further engaged American audiences.
The platform's Spanish-language functionality, launched in November 2025, resonated well with soccer fans, resulting in a 250% increase in active Spanish-speaking customers during the World Cup. Team USA emerged as the most-bet team on DraftKings, while Argentine star Lionel Messi drew the most individual bets on the platform.
In a competitive landscape, BetMGM noted that Kylian Mbappé was the most popular player among bettors on their platform, showcasing the dynamic interests of fans during the tournament.
FanDuel confirmed that Messi was the most popular goal scorer among its users, highlighting similar trends with their betting data as well. Both DraftKings and FanDuel experienced high engagement with their prediction markets, with DraftKings stating that around 20% of trading volume came from parlay-style bets.
Looking ahead, British operator bet365 has already started to set odds for the 2030 World Cup, placing Spain as the current favorite at 9/2, followed by France at 6/1 and Portugal at 7/1. Steve Freeth, a trading expert at bet365, commented on Spain's performance, noting, "They certainly warmed to the task of being pre-tournament favorites, and we are giving them that status again – especially with them as one of the co-hosts with the World Cup split between Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.” Notably, the U.S. National Team has not ranked among the top ten favorites to win the upcoming tournament according to bet365's odds.
