It’s a given that every major sports event sparks a significant increase in online betting, and with that comes a flood of opportunities and challenges for operators looking to make the most of such a lucrative period, says sports betting supplier Delasport.
With billions of viewers, the World Cup is arguably the most watched sporting event in history. For betting companies, the tournament in 2022 presents some brand-new, unheard-of challenges, including its unusual scheduling during the winter holiday season, and increased interest of players who are taking that into account with their betting choices.
The potential is huge
Qatar 2022 is the first world cup to take place in the Middle East and will last 28 days instead of a full month as normal. And, because it will be taking place in November and December, national leagues will be interrupted – meaning that players have got much more choice on what they want to bet, and operators a lot more pressure to ensure that all the betting opportunities are as optimized and accessible as possible.
Despite its unusual scheduling, the Qatar 2022 is nevertheless expected to draw sizable crowds and avid interest from sports bettors. The global industry for online sports betting is heavily dominated by football, particularly in European countries like Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. For instance, in the UK, football makes up to 90% of all wagers on sports, meaning that even the most casual football fan will have a flutter on the World Cup.
It is estimated that roughly €136 billion was wagered on the World Cup in 2018, and from the 2014 World Cup to the 2018 World Cup, gambling activity increased by 50% in the UK alone; In fact, there was an average of €2.1 billion in bets placed on each game in 2018. American operators are also trying their best to introduce football. The main reason is to create the habit so they can still get traction with bets on football between American sports seasons. Therefore, American operators will try their best to exploit the world cup as a global level event to gain player traction into football.
How the wintertime World Cup shakes things up
Qatar is not a typical destination for those looking to witness a football match, and coupled with it being the winter months, many bettors are likely to be watching the game from home or public spaces. As such, gambling sites are likely to get a significant flow of online players onto their platforms, catalyzed by the sheer availability of apps and websites that are available to them. Another unique element in the mix is the fact that Christmas is not too far behind, which may affect how much people are willing to wager when considering the normal festive expenses that this time of the year brings.
The 2018 World Cup was a huge success for the online gambling industry. Today, more than ever, many Internet gamblers will be using mobile devices to sign up and place their bets during the World Cup in Qatar, and they expect a simple, intuitive and quick way to place their bet on their national team or others.
Attracting and keeping players
Sportsbooks that are operating for the first time during the World Cup will be focusing on drawing casual and new bettors, and retaining them after the competition is over. When it comes to player acquisition some operators will choose to remove or lower the welcome bonus to avoid the high cost on recreational players, who are registering to bet only during the world cup. Other operators will not take a higher risk by offering too competitive pricing, as the players are more into a smooth and quick betting experience, rather than a better payout.
In either case, operators will inevitably experience a high level of churn – higher than normal – after the world cup has finished. Keeping them in the ecosystem during this time is paramount, so operators will have to hit the ground running and be ready for the next sporting event that’s in the pipeline.
Get market ready
To compete during Qatar 2022, your sportsbook needs to be of the highest caliber, and Delasport can provide that. If you manage a Casino brand but don’t currently offer any kind of sports betting environment, you run the risk of losing casual players who want to bet on this unique event on top of their normal activities.
With a Sportsbook iFrame, you can offer the very best that the online gambling industry has to offer, whether you’re a seasoned operation or just starting out. You won’t need any technical or sports knowledge, and our team will manage as little or as much as you want us to. Secure the largest margin by using one of the strongest sportsbooks in the business, backed by seasoned traders and a full feature set that includes special tools for player involvement. And, with a range of unique gamification, personalization and localization tools in the mix, your players are more likely to stay on your team.