Bets on national team games rise 180% ahead of World Cup matches.
The anticipation for the start of the 2026 World Cup games led bettors to anticipate their financial transactions. A survey by Pay4Fun, a Brazilian fintech payments company, based on the analysis of aggregated and anonymized deposit transaction data, shows that transactions on the platform grew by up to 180% in the hour before matches involving the Brazilian National Team, compared to the period when the game was actually in progress.
The biggest spike was recorded during the match between Brazil and Morocco, in the first round of the group stage. In the hour leading up to the game, financial activity was 181% higher than that recorded during the match itself. Similar behavior was observed in the duel between Scotland and Brazil, when the volume of transactions before kickoff was 179% higher than during the match.
The analysis considered three moments of each match: one hour before the start of the game, during the match, and one hour after the end. Games involving the Brazilian National Team and other teams with great international appeal, such as Argentina, France, Spain, and Portugal, were evaluated.
According to the survey, the pattern of increased activity before matches also appeared in games involving other national teams. Highlights include the match between Portugal and Uzbekistan, which saw a 97% increase in activity during the pre-game period compared to the time of the match, and Argentina vs. Algeria, with an 87% increase.
Spain also showed significant growth before the matches. In the games against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, financial activity in the hour before the start of the matches was approximately 78% and 79% higher, respectively, than during the games themselves. France, on the other hand, saw its biggest increase in the match against Iraq, with a 60% rise in the pre-game period.
According to Pay4Fun, the data indicates that the anticipation surrounding major sporting events directly influences user behavior, leading them to make their transactions before the matches begin.
"The observed behavior shows that the moment of greatest preparation for bettors happens before the initial whistle. The anticipation for the match, the placement of bets, and the monitoring of lineups all contribute to concentrating activity during this period," the company states.
The survey reinforces a trend already observed in other championships: major sporting events serve as moments of greater user engagement, with financial activity concentrated mainly in preparation for the games.
About Pay4Fun
Founded in 2018, Pay4Fun is the first payment institution operating in the sports betting sector to receive authorization from the Central Bank of Brazil. The company was considered the Best Payment Method for Latin America in the awards promoted by SAGSE and chosen as the Best Payment Method in the Brazilian iGaming Awards. Recently, the company earned the RA 1.000 seal from Reclame Aqui, 3rd place as the best financial services company to work for in GPTW, and 2nd place in the SBC Awards in Barcelona for payment innovation of the year. To learn more about the company, visit the website or connect via LinkedIn.
