As the 2026 World Cup draws nearer, the United States is poised to become a focal point for soccer betting, and the country’s leading sportsbooks are mobilising a suite of promotions to capture the surge of interest. The tournament is expected to represent roughly a quarter of all U.S. sports wagering during its span, prompting companies to vie for a share of a market that could generate between $2.3 billion and $4.3 billion in handle.
Goal‑Scoring Incentives
FanDuel is offering instant bet credits for each goal scored in the competition’s opening four days, while BetMGM will distribute $500,000 in bonus bets for every goal the U.S. side nets. Fanatics, meanwhile, is rewarding new customers with $10 in FanCash for each American goal, turning every strike into a tangible payoff.
DraftKings is taking a broader approach, rolling out goal‑scoring odds on more than 40 players across most matches and embedding these props within its newly branded ‘super’ app. The expansion aims to attract both casual fans who follow the tournament for the first time and seasoned bettors looking for deeper engagement.
Market Outlook and Executive Insight
Industry analysts project that a U.S. exit in the round of 32 or 16 could unlock a $2.8 billion betting handle, a figure that would push soccer’s share of the American wagering market toward 20 percent. Executives from the participating platforms have spoken openly about the strategic importance of the event. Karol Corcoran of FanDuel believes the World Cup offers a chance to reshape the trajectory of soccer betting in the United States, while Greg Karamitis of DraftKings describes the tournament as a ‘monster’ that will energise the company’s growth.
Matt Prevost of BetMGM highlights the addition of 16 teams and 40 games as a catalyst for heightened betting interest, and Matt King of Fanatics anticipates that a deep U.S. run could lift soccer’s share of the overall handle to 20 percent. Fanatics is also bullish on its ‘squad’ bets, which let users combine multiple player prop wagers into a single ticket, a feature the company expects to drive sign‑ups to its prediction platform.
Beyond promotions, the companies are leveraging the tournament to broaden their user base. DraftKings plans to launch its ‘super’ app in all legalised states for sports wagering while offering prediction‑focused markets elsewhere, a move designed to keep bettors engaged between NFL seasons. The convergence of goal‑based incentives, expanded app functionality and aggressive marketing signals a decisive push to embed soccer betting into the mainstream U.S. sports landscape.