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Optimove Pulse. The iGaming Industry Benchmark Tool
Explore Optimove’s iGaming Pulse to instantly benchmark your performance against the rest of the industry.
Why it matters:
October was the strongest month of the year for the US sports vertical. Bet amounts, bettor numbers, deposits, and activity days all moved up together, in a month that featured the MLB World Series, NFL season, WNBA playoffs, and start of the NBA and NHL seasons. For operators, this is a high-engagement window: more players are betting, and they are coming back more often. The opportunity now is turning that peak activity into lasting retention as the calendar moves toward the end of the year.
Key takeaways:
Optimove Insights' iGaming Pulse provides a 12-month benchmark of player behavior across the US and global iGaming markets. This analysis compares key online gaming indicators based on a monthly average of 3.2 million active players in the US and 21 million globally. The period analyzed spans from November 2025 through October 2026 and covers deposits, casino and sports betting volumes, bettor growth, activity frequency, and retention.
Sports led the month. The US average sports bet amount rose 25.3%, from $880 in September to $1,103 in October, and the number of active US sports bettors rose from 93% to 117% of the November 2025 baseline. Both are 12-month highs and came in a month that featured the MLB World Series NFL season in full swing, WNBA playoffs, and start of the NBA and NHL seasons. Global sports metrics moved in the same direction, with the global average sports bet amount up 9.1% to $457 and global sports bettors at 112% of the baseline.
Deposits and engagement rose alongside sports activity. US deposits grew 12.0%, from $750 to $840, moving back above their 12-month average, and activity days reached 9.4, the highest level of the period. US players continue to deposit roughly three times the global average and bet more than three times as much on casino.
Casino was steady. The US average casino bet amount rose 1.6% to $5,478, and the number of US casino bettors held close to the baseline at 101%. Retention eased from September's 12-month high of 75% to 71%, back in line with its usual range and below the global rate of 74%. With more bettors active and engaging more often, the opportunity now is to keep October's sports bettors coming back in the months ahead.
| US metric | October 2026 | 12-month trailing average | Difference |
| Average deposit amount | $840 | $821 | +2% |
| Average casino betting amount | $5,478 | $5,710 | -4% |
| Casino bettors growth trend | 101% | 106% | -5 percentage points |
| Average sports betting amount | $1,103 | $970 | +14% |
| Sports bettors growth trend | 117% | 103% | +14 percentage points |
| Average activity days per active player | 9.4 | 8.8 | +7% |
| Active customer retention rate | 71% | 70% | +1 percentage point |
Definition of Total Monthly Sport Bet Amount: The average sport betting amount is the total sum of all sports bets divided by the number of bettors who have placed at least one sports bet.
Definition of Sports Bettors Growth Trend: The growth of the number of active sports bettors over the last 12-month period. It uses the first month of the analyzed period as a baseline (100%) and shows relative growth or decline from there.
Definition of Average Activity Days: The total number of activity days divided by the number of Casino and Sports bettors who have at least one activity day.
October 2026 was a strong month for the US sports vertical. Sports bet amounts, sports bettor numbers, deposits, and activity days all reached or moved above their 12-month averages, in a month that featured the MLB World Series, while casino held steady and retention returned to its usual range.
For operators, the opportunity is to convert this period of higher engagement into lasting value by keeping new sports bettors active, cross-selling into casino, and personalizing communication around how often players return.
Download the Increasing the Value of New Online Gaming Players report and discover proven methods to increase new player deposits, retention, and lifetime value when empowered by Positionless Marketing
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