IGT PlaySports Head of Sports Trading, Tony DiTommaso, elaborates on how a vast amount of experience will ensure that IGT supports, and scales up, opportunities for customers ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

American interest in soccer continues to surge as exposure to the world’s most popular sport rises. With the FIFA World Cup scheduled to start in mid-June, billions of eyes will be on North America while it hosts matches for the first time since 1994.

In addition to the massive worldwide audience, millions of fans will descend upon the 16 host cities – two in Canada, three in Mexico, and 11 in the U.S. 

All this attention on soccer will drive a significant increase in the volume of wagering on the sport across North America, which typically lags behind more popular sports in the U.S., such as American football, basketball, and baseball.

New York-based financial services firm Gabelli projects the overall handle in the U.S. alone will more than double the $1.8bn figure from the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar.

We think this is a great opportunity to push the World Cup for our customers and keep business up during the typically slower summer months.

We already have wagering available for the group stage matches starting June 11, along with several tournament props, including qualifications, eliminations, group winners, and individual awards.

The expansive wagering menu for the World Cup is similar to other marquee sporting events, such as the Super Bowl, March Madness, and playoff games in the other major sports. 

It includes the unique win, lose, or draw three-way money line, and prop bets – team top scorers, assists, player discipline, etc. – that require intimate knowledge of international teams or players, in addition to wagers for the novice soccer fan. 

We’ve made a strong effort to be proactive with our messaging to our customers regarding the tournament. 

We are currently offering hundreds of  props for each game being played in early June, as well as many futures tournament markets, such as group betting, the Golden Boot, teams to advance, and odds on when host nations get knocked out.

Fortunately, for IGT customers, the PlaySports Trading Advisory Service team places an emphasis on events of this scale and has a deep understanding of the sport and its betting trends and opportunities.

As we approach events of this magnitude, IGT’s trading advisory team ramps up communication with its customers and informs them of new content as it is being deployed. 

Preparations for this year’s World Cup are particularly vital, because much of the event will take place in the United States and is expected to drive significant handle.

According to a study by global payments platform Paysafe, the World Cup is expected to create opportunities for first-time wagers and additional engagement for seasoned sports bettors. 

The study mentions that among those planning to bet, 92% expect to wager either more than usual or about the same as their typical activity and, within this group, 37% plan to bet more than normal, with U.S. residents leading at 51%.

The increase in online wagering and the ongoing popularity surge for soccer in the U.S., combined with the exposure in typically slower summer months represents a convergence of potential for IGT customers.

Unlike previous years, the event is in the same time zone as the U.S., there are more teams in this year’s tournament, and the matches are all easily accessible to watch. 

Some members of our team remember the 1994 World Cup, which undoubtedly generated additional handle, so with technological innovations driving play in 2026, we could see even more growth.