Worldwide, How Much Money Is Bet On The World Cup Compared to the Superbowl?

BAGIANT · Jun 16, 2010

Soccer is the "worldwide" sport that people love to bet on, but through the years, the Super Bowl has increased its following in countries around the globe.

So, overall, is the Super Bowl still the most heavily bet game in the world? Now I'm talking about a one day event vs. all the games played in the World Cup, not just the championship.

Soriano12 · Jun 16, 2010

BAGIANT said:
Soccer is the "worldwide" sport that people love to bet on, but through the years, the Super Bowl has increased its following in countries around the globe.

So, overall, is the Super Bowl still the most heavily bet game in the world? Now I'm talking about a one day event vs. all the games played in the World Cup, not just the championship.

I think that the whole world cup will draw much more betting, but then again it's kind of unfair to compare a one-game final like the Superbowl to the accumulated volume of 64 games.
There should be huge amounts bet on the world cup, esp. from the UK and Asia...

TomGshotput · Jun 16, 2010

ESPN Magazine gave exact figures. World Cup wins by a large margin, like 20 times as much. Like stated above, a long tournament versus one game is what makes for the difference -- even Vegas is expected to do more World Cup action than Super Bowl action. But if you only count bets made on team to win, it still isn't close

ensign_lee · Jun 16, 2010

yeah, I think you'd have to compare the NFL Playoffs in their entirety to the world cup as a whole. And even that wouldn't be that fair.

either that, or just compare the money on the championship World Cup game vs. the Superbowl.

Really unfair to compare one game to 64.

BAGIANT · Jun 17, 2010

I don't see where its unfair at all. In Vegas, they say the SB is the most bet sporting event followed by March Madness. We all know that March Madness has tons of games...like the World Cup....but dollar wise, the SB still comes out on top.

X-Files · Jun 17, 2010

What's unfair is the Super Bowl is bet much more by Americans with more money
than they will be betting on the WC. Americans don't give a piss about the WC.
And the rest of the world doesn't bet nearly as much per capita on the SB.

TheComputerGroup · Jun 17, 2010

Isnt soccer legally bet everywhere in Europe & the UK but football isnt legally bethere in the USA except for Vegas. So im assuming all the numbers are estimated here in the states.

Soriano12 · Jun 17, 2010

Betting is still a grey area in Germany and many other European countries. In most parts it's not much of a problem because nobody cares, but officially betting is still a grey area where local laws and federal monopolies on betting and lotteries have been taken to European court because they're said to conflict with EU guidelines/laws.

VIEJODINOSAUR · Jun 17, 2010

Not even close...World Cup get the most action and it is by a wide margin...

SayHeyKid · Jun 17, 2010

Better question would be what gets more action, UEFA Championship/World Cup Championship or the superbowl? I'd imagine it's very close, as in mostly all free societies online gambling is completely legal and not seen as taboo.