Has the FIFA World Cup $4.3B Betting Handle Sparked America’s Soccer Boom?

As was expected, the 2026 FIFA World Cup shattered betting handle records across US sportsbooks for the most bet-on soccer event. But it also smashed records set by March Madness earlier this year, and the Super Bowl LX. Before the tournament, analysts projected anywhere between $2.3 billion and $4.3 billion, and now that the tournament is done and dusted, that upper target has been hit. Naturally, it helped that the US was the primary host of the World Cup, alongside Mexico and Canada, and that the US Men’s National Team participated – they were actually the most bet-on team in the entire competition.

Chances are, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event as who knows when the US will host another World Cup. But, the big question going forward is whether or not this will boost the US soccer industry, both in viewership figures and betting handles.

US FIFA World Cup Record Betting Handle

The FIFA World Cup only comes around once every four years, and this rare event produces a massive spike in betting all over the world. But the data we have gathered here is solely for the US market, not covering the prominent European soccer betting markets, nor those in Asia, Africa, or South American. What makes it interesting, is that from all 5 of those regions (US vs Europe, Africa, South America, Asia), the US has the smallest historic and cultural ties to soccer. Historically, the US was drawn more to baseball in the early 20th century, before football (American football everywhere outside the US) and basketball overtook baseball.

The big headline here is that the FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted mostly in the US, brought a massive $4.3+ billion betting handle. That is, a lot more than the 1.76 bn at the Super Bowl LX, or the 2026 March Madness $3.3 billion handle. This World Cup was a full tournament, with more games and larger stakes at hand (having countries from all over the world), and the hype in the build-up was massive. But just back to those other regions a little, the USA’s $4.3 billion handle is big, but it still isn’t as massive as regions with deeper ties to soccer:

• Asia: $15 – $25+ billion betting handle
• Europe: $10 – $15+ billion betting handle
• South America: $3 – $5+ billion betting handle
• Africa: $1 – $3 billion betting handle

Asia and Europe still dominate, and South America boasted similarly large figures, with only Africa’s sports betting industry trailing the US.

Main Highlights of the World Cup

Sports betting has spread across the US, and is now available in 39 states, with Missouri launching legal sports betting back in December. This has definitely led to the sports betting handles across the US to grow, even with the threat of prediction markets looming and many alternatives such as DFS and Pick’Em platforms or social sportsbooks emerging in recent years. However, besides these, this World Cup created its own reasons for the great rise in betting:

• It was the first to have an expanded 48-nation format
• This led to a total 104 games played instead of 64
• It was the second-ever World Cup hosted in the US (the last was in 1994)
• It is (probably) Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup
• Big hype around the USMNT playing at home

Just summarizing the events of the World Cup, Spain won the title on July 19 after beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time. It was Spain’s second ever World Cup, with Lionel Messi’s 3-time champions Argentina bowing out in second place, and England beating France in a 10-goal third place game to clinch third. The US men’s national team won their group in the group stage, and beat Bosnia in the Round of 16, but then lost to Belgium in the Round of 16.

France’s Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot with 10 goals, and Spain’s Rodri got the Golden Ball for best all round performance. The Golden Glove and FIFA Young Player awards went to Spanish players Unai Simón and Pau Cubarsí, and the Netherlands won the disciplinary award, the FIFA Fair Play Trophy.

Betting Handle by Sportsbooks

Onto the fun facts and figures from the betting side of the World Cup, all the big dogs in North America made an absolute killing on this competition. DraftKings recorded a 650% increase (DKNG ) on its earnings from the last World Cup in 2022, and over 2 million bets on the Spain-Argentina final alone. FanDuel saw a massive betting volume on the US Men’s National Team, peaking at the USA vs Belgium game. All the bigger brands recorded big earnings, but the two powerhouses FanDuel and DraftKings beat the rest of the competition by a country mile.

• FanDuel: $1.3+ billion
• DraftKings: $1.1+ billion
• BetMGM: $250+ million
• Caesars: $120+ million
• theScore Bet: $80+ million

The Fanatics, bet365, Hard Rock Bet and BetRivers figures were undisclosed, so they probably made up the rest of the $1.45+ billion from the total of ~$4.3 billion.

Most Popular Betting Markets

This World Cup attracted many casuals and bettors who typically favor other sports – America is not short on NFL bettors, NBA fans and people who bet on the MLB. The soccer community is smaller than those sports, so the majority of the bets stuck to main markets and standard props bets. The most popular categories included:

• Moneylines
• Over/Under Goals
• Both Teams to Score
• Anytime Goalscorer
• Player Shots and Assists
• Futures

A typically lower-scoring game, spread bets are not as commonly picked in soccer betting as they are in NBA bets or among NFL bets. These markets proved the most popular, and filled up many parlays and SGPs, combining totals, main player props with moneylines and other wagers. For comparison, however, a European B2B sportsbook provider indicated that stats-based markets made up around 11% of total turnover, with Total Corners being the 10th most popular market, behind the likes of 1×2 (moneylines) and totals.

The US soccer fans mostly stuck to the headline bets, the game outcome bets, and player shots/assists/goals wagers.

Intriguing Betting Handle Facts

• USMNT was the most-bet team among US sportsbooks
• 81% of Caesars’ USA vs Belgium qualification bets backed the USMNT to advance
• USA vs Belgium became one of BetMGM’s biggest soccer betting events ever
• DraftKings alone recorded 2+ million wagers on the final
• Lionel Messi was the most-bet player for World Cup props and futures markets
• Messi Anytime Goalscorer was the top player prop, heavily featured in parlays and same-game parlays
• DraftKings saw a 250% increase in Hispanic betting accounts
• FanDuel, Caesars, etc don’t have Spanish functions on their apps/sites (yet)

The US Men’s National Team had a great run in the World Cup, beating Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia in the Round of 32, until they were knocked out by Belgium in the Round of 16. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they were the most bet-on team in the whole tournament (among the US sportsbooks). Caesars reported that 81% of the bets on USA vs Belgium were in favor of US to advance, and BetMGM reported that this was one of the most bet on soccer games ever. That game alone attracted more bets than the NBA Finals games, NHL Stanley Cup Finals, and MLB World Series (at BetMGM). The only game that beat the USA vs Belgium fixture was the final, where DraftKings alone recorded over 2 million wagers.

Leo Messi turned 39 during the tournament, but the Argentine maverick was still leading his country with his extraordinary talismanic efforts. He was easily the most bet-on player for props and futures at the World Cup. Messi Anytime Goal Scorer was the #1 prop, and was combined into countless parlays and SGP bets. While a disappointing result for the Argentine, he did well to score 8 goals and record 4 assists, a respectable performance for what could be his swan song.

DraftKings noted a 250% increase in the number of Hispanic betting accounts, casting a light on the Spanish-speaking audiences in the US betting market. It was a major win for them, as DraftKings only launched the Spanish-language function for their mobile and desktop site back in November of 2025. FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars don’t actually have that setting, they are English-centric and only provide Spanish language in broadcasts or select retail locations. It is most likely on the things to do next list for those books, and other major US betting platforms.

What’s Next for Soccer in the US?

Now that the World Cup has come and gone, the activity is set to wind down. American bettors will be eyeing up the start of the NFL season in September, or the NBA in October. But the hope, for sportsbooks and the US soccer federation, is that this sudden spike can lead to lasting interest in the US soccer scene.

The Major League Soccer 2026 season started in February, and the players (Leo included) got a 6 week break to compete in the World Cup. The hope is that now that more casuals and people who don’t typically bet on soccer, have got a taste for what soccer betting feels like in the World Cup, they can convert these customers into soccer bettors. If not on the MLS, then on popular leagues abroad such as the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, and so on.

Retention is the challenge now. If the US soccer industry outside betting can also capitalize on the FIFA World Cup momentum, with rising attendance figures, new stadium projects, and interest in younger fans, then soccer may be set for massive growth in the US.