The World Cup drove record wagering at major U.S. sportsbooks, creating an opportunity for operators to turn newly engaged customers into NFL bettors as football season approaches.

Key Takeaways:

• The Spain-Argentina final became the most-bet soccer match ever for multiple major U.S. sportsbooks, with Caesars reporting wagering handle nearly 65 percent above its previous record.
• The World Cup benefited from an expanded U.S. sports betting market, a tournament hosted in North America, and strong marketing and promotions that helped drive customer engagement.
• Bakowicz says sportsbooks can use the larger audience attracted by the World Cup as a foundation for marketing efforts heading into the heavily bet NFL season.

“They’re going to have a bigger and wider population to cast a net over from a marketing strategy to get them involved in the NFL,” Matt Bakowicz said.

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