​Want to attract more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. Team USA’s World Cup run, which ended in the Round of 16, delivered a substantial boost to sportsbooks—not only in immediate revenue but also in broader promotional value. The World Cup and the USA’s performance have significantly aided sports betting operators in acquiring new customers. A gaming professor noted that sportsbooks will leverage World Cup data to shape NFL marketing strategies, and questions are swirling about how the World Cup will influence upcoming NFL betting projections for this season.
Yes, in several operators, more than 80 percent of the money favored the U.S. team to beat Belgium and reach the quarterfinals, resulting in a net win for the house. The U.S. team, playing on home soil, represented the largest liability in futures markets. Caesars Sportsbook noted it would have faced a substantial loss if Team USA had won the World Cup after opening at +6,000. Those World Cup odds, once heavily bet, were trimmed to as low as +2,500 after the U.S. team moved through the group stage and defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. A disappointing 4-1 loss to Belgium left fans and bettors with sour memories of U.S. soccer, even as operators counted a wave of new customers who may still be active in World Cup wagering.
U.S. betting activity rose about 18 percentage points above the country’s typical level of first-time deposits, according to Optimove. The takeaway for sportsbooks was that World Cup-driven growth is real and broad, but not yet proven in durability. The challenge now is converting this larger audience into more frequent, consistent, and higher-value players. That’s precisely what U.S. sportsbooks aim to accomplish. Projected total wagers on the World Cup approach more than $3 billion across 39 legal sports betting states, nearly matching March Madness, and the tournament has shattered soccer betting records with nearly every match. The United States’ matches, including the Belgium game, set new handles for BetMGM—surpassing those for NBA, NHL, NCAA tournament, and most college football contests over the past year, with only the national title game drawing higher engagement. This momentum could shape a powerful fall season for sportsbooks.
Industry experts see the World Cup fueling NFL wagering as the calendar shifts toward football season. Matt Bakowicz, Director of the Sports Management Program at American University’s Kogod School of Business, noted that this period feels like “the Christmas of sportsbooks.” He explained that the World Cup is drawing people into betting on games, boosting engagement with bonuses and promotions, and expanding the audience of potential bettors. The American Gaming Association previously estimated that last year’s NFL season generated about $30 billion in wagers, and the ongoing World Cup activity suggests this season could see similar or even greater activity as bettors transition from soccer to football.
In sum, the World Cup has acted as a powerful catalyst for U.S. sports betting, expanding the customer base, increasing engagement, and providing valuable data and momentum for NFL marketing and wagering strategies. As operators seek to convert new fans into regular, high-value players, the coming NFL season could benefit from the heightened interest and the proven ability of major events to drive sustained betting activity.