iGaming software provider SOFTSWISS announced that its Sportsbook platform recorded a threefold increase in betting activity during the FIFA World Cup 2026, as the tournament drove higher player engagement and shifted wagering patterns toward pre-match betting.
According to preliminary estimates, around $210 billion was wagered globally during the competition, roughly double the volume recorded at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In line with this trend, the month-long football tournament represented one of the busiest periods for the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook.
The company said pre-match betting accounted for 57% of total turnover during the tournament, a sharp increase from its typical split in which around 80% of activity comes from live betting and 20% from pre-match wagers.
SOFTSWISS pre-match betting generated about 20% higher margins than live betting, although live betting continued to produce higher average stakes.
The tournament also attracted new sports bettors, with up to 20% of players who normally wager only on casino products placing their first sports bet during the event.
The heightened engagement was reflected throughout the tournament’s closing stages. The Spain versus Argentina final generated the highest betting volume and attracted the largest number of players of any match in the tournament, with nearly 70% of bets placed before kickoff. The third-place playoff also ranked among the competition’s highest-volume fixtures.
Mobile devices remained the dominant betting channel, accounting for 85% of wagers during the tournament, compared with the platform’s typical 90% share. Desktop betting represented 15% of activity, while tablets accounted for only a small proportion.
Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of Operations at SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, said: “The World Cup is not something you prepare for in the final weeks. The operators who performed best during this tournament had started months earlier by building out their promotional calendars, stress-testing their trading and risk management setups, and aligning their teams before the first ball was kicked.”
“The event itself confirmed what we have always believed: platform stability under high load has become a competitive advantage, not just a technical requirement,” he said.
SOFTSWISS said promotional initiatives, including free bets, personalised offers, player reactivation campaigns and match-specific promotions, helped operators maintain engagement throughout the tournament rather than concentrating activity around the highest-profile matches.
The company added that operational readiness and player engagement strategies were among the topics discussed during a recent SOFTSWISS LinkedIn Live panel on sportsbook launches and peak sporting events.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/08/05/125720-softswiss-sportsbook-sees-threefold-surge-in-betting-activity-during-fifa-world-cup-2026
