In late December 2020, OpenBet released a statement that European participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup was up 23% over the previous tournament. Canada, which together with the United States and Mexico will host the 2026 World Cup, also had a record-breaking 21% rise in participation.
The amount wagered on the World Cup in North America was much more than that wagered on the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball championships combined. Over the course of the World Cup, OpenBet stated that over 12 million bets worth over $100 million were made on the U.S. team. OpenBet’s CEO, Jordan Levin, said the company’s success in these regions proves its ability to adapt to fast regulatory regimes, setting it up favorably for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
How Many People Watched The World Cup Final?
Table of Contents
Twenty percent of the world’s population, or more than 1.5 billion people, were estimated by FIFA to have watched the World Cup final between Argentina and France. According to geotargeting and scam detection expert GeoComply, the final was the second-most bet-on sports event in the United States (8 million betting transactions), second only to the NFL.
While this great number paled in comparison to the 23.5 million wagers placed on the Super Bowl, it was much higher than the 5.1 million wagers at the NBA Finals and the 4.8 million placed on the NCAA Tournament title game. According to GeoComply, 1.7 million people placed wagers on the World Cup championship game, making it the second-most popular sporting event in terms of betting volume, behind only the Super Bowl (3.1 million active users) and the NBA and NCAA championship games.
Was This The Biggest Betting Amount In The Event’s History?
Since online sports betting has only become popular in the last few years, it may be difficult to precisely monitor and compare betting activity across various sports events and time periods, making it difficult to establish the largest sums placed on major sports events in history. Further complicating attempts to correctly monitor and analyze worldwide betting activity is the fact that the legality of internet betting differs by location. However, important athletic events such as the Super Bowl and the World Cup attract a lot of wagers, and in the future, with more accurate and organized data collection, we may be able to determine which is the most bet-on sporting event in the world.
Since the World Cup was held in Qatar, we also know that a large number of Arab players participated in the surge in betting activity. As the first World Cup ever hosted in the Middle East, the 2022 tournament was a huge success for the Arab world. In the midst of an often cutthroat athletic and political climate, it has featured huge surprises and brought rivals together.
One of the most visited sites by Arab football enthusiasts for the event’s duration was www.arabicbet.org, which offered great sportsbook odds on the World Cup matches, trustworthy betting tips, and up-to-date news articles on the latest happenings in the FIFA World Cup.
How Do the Event’s Future Hosts Look?
For North America, the 2022 FIFA World Cup was a huge sports event. As the first World Cup game after the repeal of PASPA and the reregulation of sports betting in Ontario, this one has extra significance. For the first time ever, the best football players from both the United States and Canada competed in the same World Cup. This was only Canada’s second time qualifying for the World Cup. Between 1950 and 1990, the United States didn’t send a team, while Canada’s previous participation was in Mexico in 1986.
However, this is not their last appearance together. The United States, Canada, and Mexico will all host the tournament and will all automatically qualify for the tournament. Consequently, Qatar 2022 was a watershed moment that taught us interesting things about the sport’s popularity in North America.
The game between the US and England received 4.3 million geolocation checks, making it the most-watched US game of all time.
The Future Is Looking Good
While the 2022 FIFA World Cup had much of Europe and the Arab world with their eyes glued to television screens or jumping around in packed stadiums, America’s increased presence and participation was a pleasant surprise, which many hope will only improve with future events. Stay refreshed to find more Quintdaily ideas and informative updates.
