DATA.BET shared an analysis of betting activity during the FIFA World Cup 2026, reporting that France led national teams by stake. The top five teams accounted for 36.5% of total stake, while pre-match betting represented 63% of turnover and live betting 37%, the supplier said.
The figures give sportsbook operators a breakdown of betting activity across teams, formats and market types during the tournament.
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Prediction markets accounted for roughly 27% of legal US sports betting activity during the World Cup, according to an H2 Gambling Capital estimate. The figure sets event-contract trading against sportsbook activity in the same market.
Prediction-market trading volume reached a reported record $12.2bn in the week covered by the Italian-language report, with about $5.8bn linked to sports. The report attributed the figures to a16z Crypto and Dune Analytics and said the total amount committed to predictions reached $1.48bn in the week ending 15 June, around six times the level a year earlier.
Texas continues to prohibit legal sports betting for residents and visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reportedly. The ban covers online and in-person wagering within the state, preventing sportsbooks without Texas authorisation from operating there.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission launched its Safer Bets Start Here public awareness campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The campaign promotes legal gambling options and warns residents about unregulated operators, including prediction markets offering sports wagers to people under 21, the Commission said. It is also part of the rollout of the Commission’s PlayWell responsible gaming programme.
Yurii Berest, CEO of sportsbook supplier DATA.BET, told iGaming Business that prediction markets should be treated as a separate vertical, citing H2 Gambling Capital data showing March Madness handle rising from $16m in 2025 to a projected $530m a year later. DATA.BET launched its own prediction markets product in April.
Yurii Berest, CEO of sportsbook supplier DATA.BET, said prediction markets should be treated as a standalone vertical, in an interview with iGaming Business. Berest said the segment has moved from a niche format into mainstream discussion, citing a wider range of events and easier presentation as factors. DATA.BET launched its own prediction markets product in April, the company said.