Read time 4 minutes
Why it matters:
The analysis in the Optimove 2026 World Cup Playbook for Sportsbooks Part 2: Pre-World Cup Report helps sportsbook operators protect long-term player value and revenue by showing how World Cup-driven growth actually impacts retention across regions. By understanding where acquisition spikes convert into lasting engagement and where they do not, operators can plan marketing execution that sustains value beyond the tournament.
Key takeaways:
Optimove Insights created The Optimove 2026 World Cup Playbook for Sportsbooks – Part 2: Pre-World Cup Report to help sportsbook operators understand how global football events have historically influenced acquisition, engagement, and retention ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Note: The post and the report use the term “football, “which is the same sport known as “soccer.”
Analysis of betting behavior before, during, and after the 2022 World Cup across Europe, LATAM, and the United States shows that the tournament’s impact on sportsbook performance is neither uniform across regions nor inherently durable. While the World Cup consistently drives short-term spikes in activity, it rarely reshapes long-term player behavior on its own.
As the industry prepares for the 2026 tournament, these findings provide important context for where the World Cup is likely to drive meaningful impact, and where expectations should remain measured.
Across all regions analyzed, the 2022 World Cup triggered clear increases in acquisition, engagement, and reactivation during the tournament period. However, these increases proved temporary.
In mature markets such as Europe, football betting behavior remained largely stable before, during, and after the tournament. LATAM showed greater volatility, reflecting a market still forming betting habits. The United States exhibited the most event-driven behavior, with engagement peaking during the tournament and normalizing quickly afterward as bettors returned to domestic sports cycles.
The World Cup’s impact on first-time depositors varied significantly by region.
LATAM experienced the strongest tournament-driven uplift, while Europe saw more moderate, predictable growth. In contrast, the United States showed no meaningful increase in first-time depositors during the World Cup itself, with acquisition instead peaking during NFL playoff season.
Taken together, these patterns underscore that the 2026 World Cup is unlikely to produce uniform acquisition outcomes across regions, reinforcing the importance of region-specific expectations.
Across regions, increased player volumes during the 2022 World Cup were accompanied by lower average deposit sizes, as new bettors entered cautiously with smaller initial deposits.
This effect was strongest in LATAM, milder in Europe, and short-lived in the U.S., where average deposits rebounded quickly once domestic sports resumed.
Retention trends reinforced the same pattern across regions.
European markets maintained consistently high retention throughout the year. LATAM experienced post-event drop-off, and the United States showed a pronounced spike-and-drop pattern, with retention peaking during the tournament and declining sharply afterward.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, these patterns indicate that expanded scale and duration alone are unlikely to alter retention dynamics without market-specific engagement beyond the tournament window.
The 2026 World Cup introduces unprecedented conditions, including expansion to 48 teams, increased match volume, longer duration, and hosting across the Americas. While these factors are likely to increase global betting activity, historical data suggests structural change is not guaranteed.
Across regions, mega-events reveal market maturity rather than override it. Operators that treat the World Cup solely as a volume spike risk seeing engagement fade once the tournament ends.
Want the full analysis? Read the full report Part 1 & 2 to explore the complete data, regional charts, and deeper insights behind these trends.
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Motti Colman, VP of Revenue, Gaming at Optimove, is a veteran expert in CRM Marketing within the online and offline gaming and retail verticals. Motti combines sharp business and finance skills with business and marketing best practices, positioning him as a leader in his field.
Previously, Motti headed up a High Net-Worth Family Office in London. Motti holds an ACA in Forensic Accounting from BDO.
