How sporting tournaments affect customer trends at sports betting sites?

Global events can drastically alter sports betting customer behavior. The industry is shaped by the international sporting tournaments: the UEFA Euros, the FIFA World Cup, the NBA Finals, the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the League of Legends Worlds, and the IPL. For example, sportsbook operators detected a 50% spike in first-time deposits during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Germany alone witnessed an 887% surge in FTDs during the 2024 Euros.

Sportradar processed more than 12 billion betting tickets worldwide in 2024 and soccer events accounted for around 50% of this number. Our comprehensive guide helps operators prepare properly for major sporting events, such as the LA28 Olympic Games or the 2026 FIFA World Cup, by raising awareness of their impact on bet sizes, player acquisition patterns, post-event retention, and live betting share.

Why tournaments reshape sports betting customer behavior

Major sports tournaments generate revenue for iGaming operators worldwide. According to estimates, around 75% of the Earth’s population are watching the FIFA World Cup. This means that around 6 billion people are interested, and many of them will likely wager on individual 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. The tournament includes 48 teams. So the numbers speak for themselves.

To capitalize on opportunities presented by sports events, operators should plan their marketing campaigns and prepare their web platforms with a well-defined business strategy. What matters most is speed. Personalization follows. The users should have a seamless experience to encourage them to stay on the platform longer.

The sports betting websites aren’t the only iGaming companies benefiting from such events. Prediction market platforms also generate significant revenue. Social features and streaming integration go a long way in this.

First-Time Depositor (FTD) spikes during major tournaments

First-Time Deposits (FTDs) skyrocket during global tournaments, because spikes in viewer engagement drive increased bettor activity. Billions of viewers are interested in world events, which makes it much less expensive for betting companies to boost user acquisition.

Many sports betting platforms do not miss the opportunity to grow their user base during tournaments. They launch various marketing campaigns before and during these global events. Some of the most popular player acquisition methods include affiliates, free-bet promos, and welcome offers. Because the outcome of each game matters, users understand they have to act quickly, which creates a buzz around wagering on the winning team.

The popularity of mobile betting has been a major driver increasing FTDs. Customers can watch the matches on their TV, all while making their wagers effortlessly through their mobile phones. This phenomenon is called “second-screen betting”. As betting is often a spur-of-the-moment decision, doing this through a phone makes it easy to bet instantly in real time.

Football: the FTD king (World Cup, Euros, Copa America)

There are specific football events that accelerate the highest FTDs. The Copa América is considered one of the oldest major football tournaments. Even though it takes place in the USA, other nations are also interested in watching it on TV, travelling to the matches to watch in-person, and, of course, wagering on the outcomes. The FTD spikes during this tournament are especially impressive in Latin America.

The Euros (UEFA European Championship) is a tournament held for European teams. It is held every four years and attracts football fans from all over the world. Even though FTD figures spike during the UEFA, about 92% of bets are placed by regular bettors or people reactivating accounts for the event.

The FIFA World Cup takes place once every four years and involves men’s teams from around the world. This tournament records the largest single FTD surge out of all the global sports events. Not only do dedicated fans bet during it, but also plenty of mass-market viewers and casual fans.

Regional impact — host nation effect

The “host nation” effect temporarily provokes spikes in FTDs. This happens as a result of sports tourism, aggressive local marketing campaigns, cross-selling strategies, and boosted patriotic betting behavior – all of which bring first-time bettors to online betting platforms. The Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), on the contrary, decreases.

Why FTDs acquired during tournaments show lower retention

The FTDs acquired during tournaments tend to show lower retention, usually because they are driven by spontaneous impulses provoked by the high-profile events. Retention is reliant on users who are genuinely interested in engaging with the sportsbook. Another factor is the promotions. Many people are attracted to a platform by short-term promotional offers, and they get too many promos from various brands to stick with just one company.

Shifts in betting behavior during tournaments

For many bettors, the entertainment factor becomes more important during global tournaments than team knowledge or loyalty to particular players. Fans often bet just for fun and social interaction, rather than solely for money. People can bet more often and less rationally when hanging out in groups or with friends. The crowd phenomenon creates more impactful behavior, because fans have very little time to make decisions and rely more on the opinions or reactions of those around them.

Marketing plays a crucial role in increasing bets, too. TV promos become much more productive, resulting in instant live betting experiences. Bettors who love taking risks often follow the offered bonuses and free bets. These simple tools inspire chasing behavior.

These tendencies and psychological factors should be considered when adjusting responsible gaming tools on your platform in advance. It is highly recommended to learn players’ habits from previous tournaments in order to prepare for upcoming ones.

Live betting surge — from 54% to 69%+ during major events

Around 54% of global live betting volume is placed in real time. Prediction market platforms generate more than 69% of their trading volume on real-time contracts during mega-tournaments. Innovations help to increase engagement. The sub-second data feeds and API integration allow sports betting platforms to update lines instantly, creating a seamless user experience for bettors.

Bet Builder and Prop Bet boom

Bet Builder and Prop Bet tools became game changers in the sports betting industry. These personalized products have massively increased user engagement at sportsbook platforms. Such dynamics are fueled by mobile-first technologies and the prevalence of micro-statistics.

Prop bets shift a bettor’s focus to exact specific moments of the game, rather than just a match outcome. They allow users to dive into the game environment and bet on micro-events related to it. In addition, they allow users to bet on the behavior of selected players, too.

Bet Builders allow users to collect various prop bets in one accumulator ticket. If all the predictions come true, a bettor receives multiplied winnings. However, if one prediction does not occur, there is no payout.

Average bet size — higher volumes, smaller stakes

When the number of casual bettors is higher, individual stakes tend to become smaller. However, when this balances out, the total number wagered can still significantly increase during major sporting events. This is because the transaction volume increases, even though the average bet is smaller. Bets placed by casual bettors at the sports betting platforms during this time tend to range from $5 to $10. Such dynamics bring the average stake down quite fast.

Pre-Match vs In-Play distribution

Pre-match wagers with a calculated approach no longer dominate at sports betting platforms during tournaments. Instead, impulsive real-time betting prevails. Casual users visit sports betting platforms due to media coverage, crowd mentality, and general enthusiasm.

Immediate micro-events capture bettors' interest; they bet on who will score in a specific match, how the player will perform, etc. The final match outcome is no longer the only result to predict. Analytical betting is still popular, although this is mostly before sports events, rather than during them.

Tournament-by-tournament impact analysis

Let’s analyze a range of events and see how global sporting tournaments can alter player behavior and the gross gaming revenue (GGR) operators can generate. These sports betting trends can differ due to cultural differences and organization-specific features.

FIFA World Cup — the industry's largest single event

The most significant shift in betting behavior occurs before and during the FIFA World Cup. The impact is radical, driven by the massive influx of new users on sports betting platforms.

The 2026 World Cup is expected to result in wagers totaling more than $50 billion. This year, a record number of 48 teams are involved in the tournament. The FTD spike is especially significant among the USA bettors – it is estimated that around 90% of sportsbooks’ visitors are placing wagers for the first time. Their behavior is often driven by community, sportsbooks’ pre-match research, and patriotic preferences.

In the EU, the tendency is totally different. 92% of sportsbook visitors are already experienced (or have placed wagers at least a few times before). During this event, they become more frequent in their betting and place more wagers in shorter periods. More than 60% of all bets are placed live during the event. This happens due to mobile-first technologies. Bettors wager more frequently on the events in the game and the players' personal narratives.

UEFA Euros

The UEFA Euro tournament drives Gross Gaming Yield (GGY) growth for betting platforms up by 10-16%. For example, there was a 16% spike in the GGY during UEFA 2024, but pre-match betting does not spike revenue as intensively as live in-play wagering. Bettors tend to prefer reacting to real-time developments in the match, rather than only wagering on the final outcome.

Online casinos benefit from the UEFA as well. Football-related slot games gain popularity during the matches, with a 35-40% increase in logins and engagement.

Copa America

There are massive localized surges in FTDs on online sports betting platforms during the Copa America tournament. Usually, FTD growth is around 176% higher when compared to regular, non-event days. Sportsbooks face a 2-3x increase in new account registrations.

In addition, platforms register the largest increases in user engagement when their national teams progress through to the knockout stages. Bettors tend to place parlay bets with multiple predictions on one slip.

Olympic Games — Spike Without Sustained Engagement

Sportsbooks witness significant spikes in sports betting customer behavior and revenues during international events. Around $13 billion was wagered during the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. But as long as there is no correlation between such tournaments and domestic leagues, this activity declines quickly following the event.

Unlike football tournaments, which have month-long active betting periods, the Olympic Games create very short, intense opportunities for engagement from the opening ceremony to the closing one. Such dynamics give operators less time to profit and Long-Term Value (LTV) is not really acquired.

The “bet-and-get” promos launched in time help operators quickly raise FTDs to fit within the compressed window they have. This strategic tool creates immediate activity among casual bettors.

NFL Super Bowl and March Madness — the US anchors

Tens of billions of dollars have been placed as bets, both during and before the NFL Super Bowl and March Madness tournaments. Both events are extremely favorable for operators, who prepare thoroughly for them.

The Super Bowl drives legal handles of $1.7-23 billion, including pool and casual betting. According to the American Gaming Association, over $67.8 million in wagers are placed on the Big Game.

March Madness draws legal wagers of around $3.3 billion. The window for player acquisition is quite long (multiple weeks), and there are 68 teams, which makes it very beneficial for sportsbook operators. The prediction market platforms benefit as well, offering micro-event contracts to their visitors and experiencing a surge in activity.

IPL and ICC tournaments — the South Asian powerhouse

The Indian Premier League (IPL) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments created a huge impact on the South Asian sports betting market. They prompted a dramatic shift from underground activities to the official digital economy.

In-play micro-bets are leading in player popularity. Big ICC tournaments are far ahead of the IPL, considered a very prestigious Twenty20 (T20) cricket tournament, in terms of wagering volume. This tendency shows an increase in interest in international tournaments rather than local ones. The ICC also cooperates with gambling companies, allowing them to sponsor events.

Esports majors — Worlds, Shanghai Major, Esports World Cup

Esports major events, including the League of Legends Worlds, the Shanghai Major, and the Esports World Cup, all exhibit dynamics distinct from those of traditional sports tournaments. Around 60% of bettors choose pre-match wagering over live-in-play betting. The majority of these bettors are from the Gen Z demographic. The Esports World Cup results in sports betting industry trends such as building cross-game slips (Club Slips), tying together various outcomes from completely different genres. Multi-match accumulators have gained popularity in this area, too. The tournament contains more than 21 game titles; which is why bettors prefer convenient mobile esports formats to watch it continuously.

Regional patterns in tournament betting

Specific cultural values can shape bettors’ behavior in different ways across different countries. This depends on the sportsbooks users’ perception of risk, conservatism and how easily accessible the platforms are.

Europe: mature markets, high engagement, mobile-first

The greatest values for European bettors are still analytics, a rational approach, historical insight, and statistics they can openly check. So pre-match data is highly important for them.

The market is mobile-oriented. Algorithmic live-betting tools significantly influence audience behavior. Prop bets and handicap betting are highly popular.

North America: World Cup 2026 as the inflection point

Parlay bets are currently dominating North America. The bettors are attracted to the chance of larger winnings for smaller stakes. The NFL Super Bowl, NCAA March Madness, and the College Football Playoff are the major tournaments that create the biggest spikes in sports betting activity in this region. The bettors are mostly stat-driven. Mobile-first platforms generate a significant share of revenue, enabling real-time betting while simultaneously watching tournaments.

Latin America: Brazil's regulated boom

Unlike Europe and North America, Latin America tends to have bettors whose decisions are driven more by impulse and emotion, rather than by statistics and a critical pre-match approach. The feeling of national identity is very strong in Latin American countries and this influences decisions as well. Sportsbook platform users react most actively to dynamic, energetic content. Community-oriented betting is favorable here, too. It is recommended to use affiliate channels for promotions in this region; influencers play a huge role in such campaigns.

Asia-Pacific: cricket dominance, esports growth

The Asia-Pacific betting market is estimated at more than $28 billion. The annual growth is predicted to be around 11.5%. Bettors in this region are not accustomed to high-stakes wagering, preferring control and lower risk. Cricket is a traditional national sport of India, and betting on it is extremely popular there (57% of APAC’s fantasy sports market share, according to Mordor Intelligence). The average age of the IPL audience member is 25-40 years. Esports bettors are a bit younger, with 80% of them under 35. Philippines, Vietnam, and South Korea are highly involved in esports. Asia accounts for more than 50% of global esports betting revenue.

Africa: virtual and mobile-led markets

The sports betting market in Africa is expected to hit $11.3 billion by 2032. Mobile-first technologies are driving rapid growth, with a young, tech-savvy population leading the way. 94% of sportsbook users in Africa place bets on mobile devices. Many of them use M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, etc. (mobile money wallets) to wager quickly. In-play micro-betting is very popular. Around 80% of Africans place bets of less than $5 per month. Virtual sports, such as horse racing, football, and basketball, are also in demand. Goalscoring markets and in-play betting are highly preferred.

What operators should do before, during, and after tournaments

The core factors betting platform operators should address first before launching advertising campaigns are reliable servers and proper compliance. Let us dive deeper into each stage of readiness of operators to analyze a tournament impact on sports betting properly.

Pre-tournament: acquisition campaign architecture

What matters most before the tournaments is a thoroughly developed marketing strategy. Betting operators use this time to build audience pools, collect data, and launch analyses and forecasts for bettors with a rational approach. Educational articles and manuals that help bettors understand how to use the platform are also very important. It is recommended to launch them between one and two months prior to the event.

SEO articles and paid campaigns start attracting intentional bettors about one month before the tournament. Pre-match sign-up incentives are best launched around two weeks before the event. Affiliate marketing is very efficient.

It’s very important to test servers under heavy traffic to ensure they perform well during peak user periods. Besides, operators should always mind regulations and check them beforehand. Risk management is key.

During the tournament: live markets and Bet Builder readiness

The competition is high. To stand out among other sportsbooks, operators should give their users the option to bet on micro-events, player props, and extra-time coverage.

It is also recommended to offer Same-Game Parlays, Bet Builder functionality, live cash-out tools, and Auto-Sub options to the bettors. The integration of low-latency data feeds also increases the platform's efficiency. Integrity monitoring will help to maintain high levels of security.

AI-driven automated risk engines help with dynamic suspension in the event of an unexpected, rapid shift during the match, so operators can avoid large liabilities. User retention can be boosted by fast bet options.

Post-tournament: retention strategies for tournament-acquired players

The LTV of new users is mostly formed during the first 72 hours after the tournament has ended, so thoughtful gamification and cross-selling opportunities are essential to implement here. The latest sportsbook operator trends show that they can encourage users by sending them notifications with advice on how to bet on their preferred team in the next match, for example. It creates an instant invitation to the next interaction. Another funnel can be created by encouraging bettors to try online casino games or virtual sports. It is better to do this right after the tournament in order to capture the momentum or enthusiasm of the player. When launching marketing campaigns, it is important to focus on each individual group of bettors separately, rather than creating universal promos, in order to avoid attracting bonus chasers. Progress-based mechanics (with delayed value acquisition) should be used to drive bettors’ attention from bonuses to long-term interaction. Inactivity triggers, like welcoming the bettor back with a specially-created incentive if they are inactive for a set period of time, can work pretty effectively too.

How Slotegrator can help

Slotegrator has a wide range of services and products for betting operators – from consulting and licensing, to launching turnkey casino platforms. Here are the main products correlated with sports betting:

1. Sportegrator. Our sports betting software is designed for smooth operation through a convenient, high-functioning backend system with a variety of modules and settings possibilities. Sportegrator is a fully equipped sports betting platform with a wide choice of data feeds and sportsbook odds for online bookmakers, available for seamless integration into a single aggregated feed.
2. Predictor by Slotegrator. Prediction market software allows operators to organize events from politics to entertainment and run a prediction platform easily. Predictor by Slotegrator introduces a prediction mechanics module for operators, enabling outcome-based interactions through binary contracts — either “yes” or “no”..The module enhances platforms with the most popular and rapidly growing engagement mechanics, enabling operators to launch events across any vertical without rebuilding their infrastructure. This can integrate with an existing wallet system in less than 24 hours.
3. Partnergrator. Slotegrator developed a complete business intelligence solution for real-time affiliate program management and analysis. Partnergrator provides a unified protocol that processes and segments event data to track and manage affiliate programs.

Feel free to contact our expert team for any inquiries regarding the gambling/betting business.