Optimove Insights Finds that World Cup 2026 Group Stage Increased the Number of Bettors but Decreased the Average Wager Amount Across US, Europe and LATAM

Results based on aggregated data from ~19 million monthly active sports bettors across US, Europe and LATAM markets

New York, July 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optimove Insights released its World Cup 2026 Group Stage Report, finding that the tournament’s first stage increased the number of bettors participating across the US, Europe and LATAM while driving an even stronger surge in first-time depositors. At the same time, the average wager amount per player decreased in all regions. Results were indexed against each region’s own April-May 2026 pre-tournament baseline to allow regional trends to be measured independently. The analysis is based on approximately 19 million active sports bettors per month between April and June 2026. 

Optimove Insights is the analytical and research arm of Optimove, the creator of Positionless Marketing and the #1 Player Engagement Solution for iGaming and sports betting operators.

The report establishes the World Cup Group Stage as a powerful acquisition and reactivation moment for sportsbooks. LATAM stood out as the region with the most pronounced growth pattern, especially in the number of first-time depositors. During the Group Stage, first-time depositors peaked at 300% of the pre-tournament baseline in LATAM, compared with 200% in Europe and 171% in the US.

The data has direct implications for sportsbook strategy. While the Group Stage expanded the active bettor base, the report also shows that higher participation did not automatically translate into deeper betting behavior. Across all three regions, individual bettors placed fewer bets and wagered less, on average, than during the pre-tournament baseline. These results indicate that the broader audience is not as committed to World Cup betting.

Methodology

The report is based on aggregated data from leading sportsbook brands across the United States, Europe, and LATAM, covering approximately 19 million active sports bettors per month between April and June 2026. Comparisons were indexed against each region’s own April-May 2026 pre-tournament baseline to allow regional trends to be measured independently. All wager amounts were converted to $US dollars.

Key findings

• The number of bettors participating rose across regions: The World Cup Group Stage increased the number of bettors participating across all three regions. LATAM showed the strongest overall growth pattern, confirming the tournament’s ability to mobilize football-driven betting markets.

• First-time depositors surged: The number of new depositors grew at a larger scale than the broader number of bettors. The sharpest peak came in LATAM at 300% of the pre-tournament baseline, followed by Europe at 200% and the US at 171%.

• Acquisition outpaced general engagement: In all three regions, the growth rate of first-time depositors exceeded the growth rate of the total number of bettors. In the US, the gap between the two metrics was 55%; In Europe, 61%; and in LATAM 156%, more than double the other regions.

• Player commitment declined during the Group Stage: In the US, the average number of bets per player fell to 94% of the pre-tournament baseline, and the average wager per bettor declined from $266 to $239. In Europe, the average number of bets per player fell to 78% of the baseline, and the average wager declined from $99 to $83. In LATAM, the average number of bets fell to 69% of the baseline, while the average wager landed at $47.

• The knockout phase and post-tournament require operators to have precision segmentation: It is important for operators to segment high-value loyal football bettors from casual event-driven users, first-time depositors, reactivated players, and bonus-sensitive customers. 

"The Group Stage created exactly the kind of moment and peak interest operators hope for: more active bettors, more first-time depositors, and more chances to build long-term relationships," said Pini Yakuel, Founder and CEO of Optimove. "But the data also shows the risk. A wider audience does not automatically become a deeper audience. Operators now need to distinguish casual, event-driven players from customers with real long-term value. That is where Positionless Marketing matters: it helps teams move fast while keeping offers, budgets, responsible gaming, and customer experience under control."

The full report is available at https://www.optimove.com/resources/reports/world-cup-2026-group-stage-report 

About Optimove

Optimove is the creator of Positionless Marketing and the #1 Player Engagement Solution for iGaming and sports betting operators. Positionless Marketing frees marketing teams from the limitations of fixed roles, giving every marketer the power to execute any marketing task instantly and independently. Positionless Marketing has been proven to improve campaign efficiency by 88%, allowing marketing teams to create more personalized engagement with existing customers.

For two years running, Optimove has been positioned as a Visionary in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Multichannel Marketing Hubs, recognized for its AI-driven decisioning, prescriptive insights, and proven ability to orchestrate thousands of personalized campaigns in real time across channels.

Its Positionless Marketing Platform includes Optimove Engage and Orchestrate for cross-channel campaign decisioning and orchestration; Optimove Personalize, a digital personalization engine; and Optimove Gamify, a loyalty and gamification platform.

All are powered by Optimove AI, the marketing AI suite that brings AI everywhere marketers work. Inside the platform through Native AI agents for decisioning, analysis, and creation, outside it to external AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT through the Optimove MCP, and into custom-built applications on top of the platform through Optimove Custom Apps. Optimove has embedded AI in its platform since 2012, paving the way for Positionless Marketing.

Today, its comprehensive AI-powered suite is at the leading edge of empowering marketers to streamline workflows from Insight to Creation and through Optimization. Optimove provides industry-specific and use-case solutions for leading consumer brands globally.

About Optimove Insights

Optimove Insights is the analytical and research arm of Optimove, dedicated to providing valuable industry insights and data-driven research to empower B2C businesses.

Olivia Arruda
Optimove
8585881053
olivia_a@optimove.com

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