By the time the FIFA World Cup kicks off on 11 June 2026, we’ll be walking into the biggest version of this tournament we’ve ever had: 48 teams and 104 matches, spread across three host countries. That’s more events to bet on, more time zones, more “I’ll just place a quick bet” moments, and also more ways to lose players for good if your platform feels slow, confusing, or unreliable.

GR8 Tech has built ULTIM8 Sportsbook specifically for this kind of pressure, so below, Dinos Doxiadis, Head of Sportsbook Business at GR8 Tech has identified the main things that every operator should focus on.

Trading: make the quiet matches pay their way

With more teams, you’ll get more group games that look “non-competitive”. And yet, everyone remembers what happened when Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in the World Cup 2022. In sports, things can often be unexpected.

So the question is: how do you keep attention even when the match looks one-sided?

Instead of relying on the match, rely on the moments.

• Go heavier on micro-markets (cards, corners, shots, player actions, team totals). These keep bettors engaged even if there are no scores. 
• Build in-play rhythm: price quickly, keep markets available, and make sure bet placement stays smooth during spikes.
• Use bet builders properly: many casual bettors want “a fun combo.” 
• Protect margin without killing the product: you’ll see volatility like injuries, rotations, and late-team news. Dynamic margin tools can help you here.

The group stage is long. If you can make “ordinary” matches entertaining, you’ll pick up volume.

Uptime and speed: one bad outage can cost you the whole tournament

Players don’t forgive downtime during a World Cup. You get repeated waves of traffic across different time zones, day after day. If the site slows down or the bet slip hangs at the wrong moment, people won’t wait around. They’ll go to your competitor.

Stress-test the platform around match blocks (not average daily traffic), test cashout properly under pressure, and monitor bet slip speed so you know exactly how long it takes to add a selection and place a bet. Make sure the uptime (ideally 99.99%) is consistent.

Advanced AI to run faster

Personalisation people notice (and use): Recommend markets based on what a player bets on; target bet boosts by segment; keep the homepage feeling relevant: more “your matches, your markets” and less generic fixture list.

Churn prevention while it still matters: World Cups are emotional: big wins, brutal losses, and plenty of wagers about to give up. If you can spot when a player’s about to drop off—lower activity, shorter sessions, repeated losses—you can step in with the right message or offer before they disappear.

Risk and fraud you can stop in real time: Major events attract sharp behaviour and outright abuse. Automated flags and anomaly detection will help you catch issues early, so you can act before the damage is done.

Don’t waste the extra matches and turn them into loyalty

More matches mean more chances to build habits, but only if you treat the World Cup as one connected journey.

Before the tournament, start earlier than you think you need to. Run a few warm-up campaigns to see what messaging and offers convert, and use that time to get players comfortable with your sportsbook (how to use bet builder, how cashout works, which markets they like). Simple prediction games and daily routines also help, because they give players a reason to come back even on days their team isn’t playing.

During the tournament, react to what’s happening. Trigger campaigns around moments like big wins, shock upsets, and eliminations, and keep people engaged with daily missions or streaks that reward consistency. Quiet matches don’t have to feel quiet if you’re serving tailored content and smart prompts at the right time.

After the final, don’t disappear. Have a plan for where those players go next: domestic leagues, summer transfer, preseason matches, and international windows.

If you don’t have a sportsbook yet, you still have time if you move now

Launching last-minute is how you waste the World Cup. If you’re casino-first and you’re adding a sportsbook (or replacing one that’s underperforming), you want to go live early enough to:

• let players get comfortable with it,
• collect data on what they actually bet on,
• and fix any friction before the tournament starts.

This is exactly where quick deployment options matter. If time is tight, a plug-and-play integration like GR8 Tech’s ULTIM8 Sportsbook via iFrame can get you live in 7 days and start preparing for the World Cup immediately. 

What we’re doing at GR8 Tech ahead of the World Cup

GR8 Tech has been through World Cups before, and we’re already prepared for all the traffic spikes and surprises that come with it. Right now, we’re doing what we always do ahead of a major spike: regular performance checks and stress tests. We’re actually running one right now to see if any new bottlenecks have crept in as the platform has evolved. So far, we’re not seeing anything alarming, no degradation, no weak spots, which is exactly what you want to find at this stage.

And if something does go wrong? That’s where process matters. We’ve got people online around the clock—tech support, infrastructure, and developers on shift—and we run proactive monitoring across the entire stack. If something starts to drift, we see it immediately, and we’ve got the tools to roll back and fix fast, often before players even notice.

Conclusion

The World Cup will quickly show where your setup is weak. Keep the offer sharp, keep the platform stable, and keep players coming back after the first few matchdays. If you can things right, the tournament will be a major profit driver.

If you want a sportsbook that’s already been tested under heavy spikes and built for matchday pressure, GR8 Tech’s ULTIM8 Sportsbook is worth a serious look. It’s proven to handle World Cup-level demand and deliver the speed and stability operators need when every second (and every bet) counts.