Americans expected to bet $5.5 billion on World Cup

Americans are expected to wager $5.5 billion on the World Cup that begins June 11 across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Bookies.com forecasts $3.1 billion in online sports bets and another $2.4 billion through prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket.

"Prediction markets that have been around for a long time, but they didn't start taking sports trades until last year," said Bill Speros, a sports betting analyst for Bookies.com. "So you're going to see Kalshi and Polymarket probably do a significant number on this."

Americans legally bet $1.8 billion on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, roughly the same amount they wagered on the 2026 Super Bowl.

A recent PwC survey found that 58 percent of Americans plan to bet on the World Cup. About a third of those planning to wager say they will put down at least $250, according to the poll of more than 2,000 adults conducted in April.

The expanded field of 48 teams and 104 matches is also expected to drive betting volume. John Ewing, a public relations executive at BetMGM, said more games in prime time should make it easier for fans to watch and place bets compared with the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

"People tend to wager on their favorite teams, or in this case, they tend to be patriotic and support the Americans," Ewing said.