What's happened
The World Cup is expanding to 48 teams and 104 matches this summer, with sportsbooks and prediction markets driving a record- breaking wagering surge in the United States. Analysts say mobile betting, broader formats, and mainstream interest are fueling this growth, while U.S. lawmakers weigh regulation of prediction markets.
What's behind the headline?
Overview
- The World Cup is driving a significant uptick in legal betting activity in the U.S. and is reshaping the online wagering landscape.
- Prediction markets are emerging as a complementary, but controversial, channel alongside traditional sportsbooks.
What this means for bettors
- Odds on teams to win, group outcomes, knockout rounds, and individual player props are drawing broad interest.
- The market is becoming increasingly sophisticated, with country-specific scoring props and niche bets gaining traction.
Regulatory and market dynamics
- States have expanded online access since PASPA repeal, fueling growth but inviting scrutiny over integrity and consumer protection.
- Industry executives see prediction markets as a major, ongoing disruption to traditional sports betting models.
How we got here
The 2026 World Cup is being hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking a shift to a 48-team format and a six-week schedule. This expansion broadens betting opportunities, with traditional sportsbooks and prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket projecting major gains. The surge follows PASPA repeal and a wave of online sports betting across states.
Our analysis
New York Post reports on the betting boom and the rise of prediction markets, highlighting the scale and controversy. The Independent provides analysis of forecasted wagering volumes and odds, including the strong U.S. market growth and the expanded World Cup format.
Go deeper
- How is the World Cup betting surge changing how fans engage with games?
- Are prediction markets likely to be regulated more strictly in coming months?
- What should bettors know about the odds for the U.S. team this year?
More on these topics
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DraftKings - Daily fantasy sports content provider
DraftKings Inc. is an American gambling company based in Boston, Massachusetts. It offers sportsbook and daily fantasy sports (DFS) services. The company was originally launched in 2012 as a DFS provider, competing principally with the New York–based..
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Kalshi - American prediction market platform
Kalshi Inc. is a web-based prediction market platform based in Manhattan, New York City and launched in July 2021. The platform is used primarily for sports betting, which constitutes more than 90% of the activity on the site and 89% of the site's revenue
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Polymarket - Online prediction solicitation and aggregation engine
Polymarket is an American financial exchange and the world's largest prediction market, headquartered on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City and offering event contracts.
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United States - Country in North America
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.