And the Pulsey Goes To: The Ultimate World Cup Betting Pattern Awards
As the curtains draw on this unique World Cup, we turn away from the pitch and peek behind the scenes where a different kind of drama was taking place. In this final “Pulsey” Award Ceremony, we won’t rate goals and assists, rather betting patterns and behavior during the tournament and around the globe. Which nation bet higher amounts? Which game registered the most bets? Which nation stood out in retention and reactivation? Let the show begin
Yes, Argentina won it all, but the real winners of this World Cup are the fans (ok, and Messi). The excitement and drama reached new heights with last-minute goals and upsets, but the question is – did all that translate into betting galore? Well, actually, it did.
For the first time ever, our World Cup Pulse tool allowed operators a glimpse into how bettors behave and empowered them to compare their performance to the rest of the industry. We kept a close eye on everything, reporting daily on social media and even handing out awards, The “Pulseys” (for obvious reasons), halfway through. And one minute before we put it all behind us, it’s time for a tournament summary.
The High Roller Award
French bettors rallied behind their team, big time. They showed their confidence and support with rising total bet amounts, reaching a 2000% uptick compared to June 2022, on December 15, when they faced Morocco in the semi-finals.
The Sub-Zero Award
The 0% line represents the June 2022 baseline, when no big event occurred. This helps us see the percentage of change brought about by the World Cup. Few nations dropped below the 0% mark during the tournament, and Ireland was the first to do so. Well, it appears that once they ensured England was out, they kind of dozed off.
The Average Bet Award
The French pick up the Average Bet Amount Award with €51 average bet amount per bet, followed by Canada (€21.6), Cyprus (€17.2) and Romania (€15.6).
The Average Amount by Tournament Award
We compared the 2022 World Cup to Euro 2021. The World Cup wins this award, with an average of €7.2 per bet, a 9% increase compared to Euro 2021 (€6.6).
The Busy Bee Award
Most days were pretty busy, both on and off the pitch, with the occasional day off to catch our breath. November 27 was the tournament’s busiest day, with just under 28 million bets. Who faced off that day? Germany vs. Spain, Croatia vs. Canada, Japan vs. Costa Rica, and Belgium vs. Morocco.
The Surely it’s the Final Award
This one recognizes the stage with the highest average bet amount. It’s called Surely it’s the Final because, surely, it’s the final. But guess what? The average bet placed during the semi-finals was actually greater at €8.4, compared to €8 during the final.
Stage
Average Bet Amount
Final
€8
Semi-finals
€8.4
Third Place
€6.8
Quarter-finals
€7.4
Round of 16
€7.3
Group Stage
€7
The Most Noobs Award
Mega events attract new players; we didn’t invent the wheel there. But which nation stood out in new players? Brazil takes this award home and is way ahead of the pack. We doubt it is any consolation, but hey, at least they’re not going home empty-handed.
Country
First Time Depositors
Brazil
955,265
United States
195,302
United Kingdom
139,757
Italy
66,282
Chile
58,107
The Bet Type Pattern Award
The French don’t only do things pretty great, they also ensure it looks pretty. Check out this pattern of live betting peaks on December 7, 11 and 15.
The We’re Puzzled Award
Hungary seemed to prefer mobile betting all through the tournament, and suddenly had a change of heart during the 3rd place match, of all times. Go figure, and that figure is 49% of bets on Web on December 17.
The Yeah, We Don’t Do Web Award
Turkey is averse to web betting. They simply don’t like it. 94% of Turkish bets went to mobile, pretty steady throughout.
The We’ll See You Next Time Award – Retention
It’s another one for you, Brazil! Brazilian bettors led all nations in percentage of change in retention, as they peaked at 143%.
The Wake Me Up When it’s the Final Award
Italy, which didn’t qualify for the tournament, saw the biggest spike in reactivated players around the final. The Italians only play when it matters.
Roll Credits
And there you have it; another World Cup is in the books. Argentina and Messi made big history and we like to think our World Cup Pulse made its own much smaller history providing operators with unprecedented insight and visibility into the industry throughout the tournament. The World Cup Pulse will continue to operate following sports betting across the globe, so don’t forget to check in for your dose of betting pattern trends and benchmarks.
Guy Leshno, a seasoned PR and Communications professional, with a successful track record in leading PR strategies and projects in emerging startups. With over a decade of experience, his expertise lies in blending creative ideation, analytics, and expert writing capabilities, driving brand awareness, and improving sales.
Roni is a Marketing Research Analyst serving on Optimove's Professional Services team. As the Marketing Research Analyst, Roni specializes in gathering actionable marketing insights through research and analysis of customer data for retail and gaming clients. Roni holds a dual degree in Psychology and Business from Reichman University (IDC Herzliya).
