Spotlight Sports Group releases 2026 World Cup Betting Outlook
Spotlight Sports Group has published its World Cup 2026 Betting Outlook, outlining how fans across the UK, US and LATAM plan to watch, wager and engage with the expanded 48-team tournament. The research signals a significant influx of first-time bettors and a growing requirement for personalised, trusted betting content.
Spotlight Sports Group has released its World Cup 2026 Betting Outlook, presenting new data on how sports fans intend to watch, bet and consume information during the expanded 48-team, 39-day tournament.
The findings point to substantial shifts in betting behaviour, driven largely by new and inexperienced audiences entering the market. According to the report:
- 66% of planned bettors will be wagering on the World Cup for the first time
- In the US, this rises to 90%, indicating a considerable influx of new bettors
- 70% of fans plan to place a bet, yet only 7% feel confident doing so
- 44% say late-night or early-morning fixtures – particularly for UK viewers – will lead to more pre-match betting
- 96% want personalised betting content aligned to their interests
- Social media ranks as the least trusted source of betting insight
The research also reflects strong enthusiasm for the tournament expansion, with 93% of respondents positive about the 48-team format and 86% intending to remain engaged throughout the full 39-day schedule.
Mark Langdon, Group Sports Director at Spotlight Sports Group, said: “The data shows that the 2026 World Cup will bring a huge wave of new and inexperienced bettors into the market. Operators that deliver simple onboarding, strong pre-match insight and personalised content will be best positioned to capture and engage this audience.”
The full Spotlight Sports Group 2026 World Cup Betting Outlook is available to read online.
The findings will also be examined in the SBC webinar Engaging Audiences During the 2026 World Cup on Thursday 4 December at 2pm GMT.
About the research
The survey gathered insights from 600 sports fans across the UK, US and LATAM, focusing on behaviour, confidence levels, content preferences and engagement expectations for World Cup 2026.
