EKG Projects US World Cup Betting To Reach Over $4bn in Handle

The 2026 FIFA World Cup could become the largest betting event in US soccer history, according to new projections from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG).

The research firm estimates online sports betting handle for the tournament could reach $2.82bn, almost three times higher than its estimated $900m to $1bn handle during the 2022 World Cup.

EKG’s forecast range spans from $2.32bn to $4.33bn, representing between 1.3% and 2.4% of total projected US online sports betting activity in 2026.

US National Team Performance Could Drive Betting Growth

A major variable within the forecast is the performance of the US men’s national team. According to EKG, a deep run by the host nation could substantially increase betting activity throughout the competition.

“An early US exit would likely keep betting activity toward the lower end of our forecast range, while a deeper run would materially amplify media attention, operator marketing, and casual bettor engagement around the tournament,” the report stated.

EKG’s base forecast assumes the US reaches either the Round of 32 or Round of 16 before being eliminated. However, the firm noted that the strongest upside involves the team beating expectations and advancing much further into the competition.

DraftKings And FanDuel To Dominate Market Share

The report also highlighted which operators are likely to capture the largest share of World Cup betting activity.

“We believe that DraftKings and FanDuel will contest the opportunity aggressively and modestly over-Index on handle share during the tournament,” EKG noted.

The firm projects the two operators that will control around 70% of total World Cup betting handle, translating into around $1.02bn for DraftKings and $945m for FanDuel.

Fanatics and Hard Rock were also identified as strong contenders. EKG estimates the two brands could collectively account for 14% of tournament betting activity, equivalent to $396m in handle.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the largest tournament in FIFA history. Therefore, operators can provide significantly higher betting opportunities than previous editions.

Research from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming has predicted that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be record-breaking in terms of betting activity and revenue. The company projects a total betting handle of $4bn and a best-case scenario if the national team goes far in this competition.