The 2026 FIFA World Cup is still days away, but the betting numbers are already starting to look enormous.
Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimates that legal US sportsbooks could take a base-case US$2.82 billion in online betting handle during the tournament. The firm’s wider forecast range runs from US$2.32 billion to US$4.33 billion, depending partly on how far the US men’s team goes.
That is a big jump from the last World Cup. EKG’s estimate for US legal handle in 2022 was around US$900 million to US$1 billion. This time the tournament is being held across the US, Canada and Mexico, with a larger format, better kick-off times for North American audiences and a much more mature legal betting market.
Bigger Tournament, Bigger Betting Market
The event itself is bigger too. The 2026 World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July and features 48 teams and 104 matches. More teams means more games. More games means more betting windows, more same-game multis, more in-play markets and more chances for casual fans to open an app during a match.
Globally, the figures get even larger. H2 Gambling Capital has estimated that around US$60 billion could be wagered through regulated sportsbooks worldwide. Reuters also reported Macquarie’s forecast of more than US$50 billion in global wagers, compared with more than US$35 billion for the 2022 edition.
For operators, the World Cup is not just another football tournament. It is a rare event that pulls in serious bettors, casual fans and people who may only gamble when the whole country is talking about one sport. In North America, that matters even more because football is still building its place in the betting calendar compared with the NFL, NBA and college sport.
The biggest upside for US sportsbooks is local momentum. If the US team performs well, betting interest could climb quickly. A deep run would bring more media attention, bigger casual engagement and more operator marketing. If the team exits early, the handle may stay closer to the lower end of the forecast.
Why World Cup Betting Remains a Regulatory Challenge
Australia is not at the centre of this particular betting boom, but the story is still relevant. The World Cup is global, and Australian betting operators will also be working around one of the biggest sports events of the year. The time zones may not be friendly for every match, but the tournament still creates betting interest across football fans, multis players and casual punters who normally ignore the sport outside major events.
It also lands while Australia is trying to pull gambling promotion back from sport. Federal reforms due from 2027 will place tighter limits on betting ads, including restrictions around live sport, celebrity endorsements and gambling branding in venues and on uniforms. The World Cup numbers show why that fight is so hard. Sport remains one of the best customer-acquisition engines gambling operators have.
There is a harm angle too. Major tournaments can bring in people who do not usually bet often. Some will have a harmless flutter. Others may be drawn in by promotions, boosted odds and constant markets during matches. A month-long tournament creates plenty of repeat opportunities, especially when games arrive day after day.
That does not mean World Cup betting is automatically a problem. It does mean regulators and operators should treat the event as a high-risk period for advertising, inducements and safer gambling messages. A responsible gambling line at the bottom of a promo is not much use if the rest of the campaign is shouting “don’t miss out”.
For sportsbooks, the tournament is a commercial opportunity. For regulators, it is a stress test. The volume of bets, ads, social content and new customer sign-ups will show how well legal markets manage major-event gambling without letting promotion swallow the sport.
The World Cup will be sold as football first, and rightly so. But behind the matches, sportsbooks are preparing for a month that could rewrite betting records.
The ball has not been kicked yet. The market already has.