48 teams. 104 matches. 40 days. There has never been more to bet on – and crypto users have better access to it than anyone
Tom watched the 2022 World Cup from his flat in Manchester. He wanted to bet on a few group stage games, but his bank wouldn’t let him. By the time he figured it out, the odds had changed. He lost three bets he was sure he would win. He was annoyed for weeks.
He did things differently in 2026. He bought $300 worth of USDT in May, set up an account on a crypto sportsbook, and had everything ready before the tournament started. First match, he bet £10 in eight minutes, and the bet was placed ten minutes before kick-off. No drama. There are no blocked cards. No phone calls.
That’s what’s happening to millions of sports fans this summer. They chose the biggest tournament in history to try this.
Why this World Cup is different from all the others
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will have 48 teams instead of 32. It runs from 11 June to 19 July. There are 104 matches in total, across 16 stadiums in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The previous record was 64 matches in Qatar four years ago.
The more matches there are, the more markets there are. There are more markets, so there are more chances to find good deals. If you watched the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and thought you would have bet on one of the five matches, you’ll have 40 more games to think the same thing about this time.
The new format also created completely new bet types. There are now 12 groups instead of 8. Eight “best third-place” teams go through to the knockout rounds – that’s a completely new market that didn’t exist before. The odds of the outright winner changing are going up and down more quickly because there are more teams in the bracket, and upsets happen more often when more smaller teams are involved.
Before the tournament, people placed about $2 billion worth of bets on prediction markets. That’s not a hobby just for a few people anymore. That’s a popular activity.
What kinds of bets are available for crypto users
The most basic are: match winner, total goals, both teams to score, and half-time result. These are the same at every sportsbook, whether it uses crypto or not.
Then it gets more interesting. The markets for the group winner opened a few weeks before the tournament began. Some people bet on Morocco, Japan, and Senegal before the group stage even began – teams that have done better than expected in recent tournaments. If you bet $50 on a horse that nobody thought would win, you could win $300 or more if it comes first.
The outright winner is the most popular single bet. France, England, Spain, and Brazil are the favourites. Argentina is the current champion. If you bet on Argentina to win the tournament before it started, you got good odds because the bookies weren’t sure. Messi scored three goals in the first match. Those who supported them at the start soon saw they had made a good decision.
Crypto is best for live betting. At half-time, the score is 0-0. You think the stronger team will score two quick goals in the second half of the match. You can place a live bet during the interval. With crypto, the deposit is cleared before the second half of the game starts. With a bank card, it might not.
And then there are prediction markets – a newer format that’s grown fast at this tournament. Polymarket recorded $93,600 in sales for a single group stage match between the Netherlands and Tunisia. It’s just one group game. One afternoon. People bet nearly $100,000 on the result. The knockout rounds will be much bigger.
What to actually look for in a crypto betting platform
Not all of them are the same. Some of these are well-run and licensed, and they pay out fast. Others are set up abroad and so are at risk if something goes wrong. The difference is important.
The first thing to check is whether the platform has a real licence. The Malta Gaming Authority, UK Gambling Commission, and Gibraltar are all reliable. Curacao is common, but it offers less consumer protection. The term “licensed and regulated” in the footer is meaningless if the regulator is a small island with no enforcement.
Secondly, how do I withdraw my money? Can you send USDT back to the same wallet you put it in? Does it take 15 minutes or 2 days? Some platforms claim to offer “instant crypto payouts”, but these are actually processed manually. Check reviews from real users, not the platform’s own testimonials.
Thirdly, which markets do they cover? A platform with 50 World Cup markets is very different from one with 500. In a 104-match tournament, you want to be able to place bets on player props, corner bets, card markets, and Bet Builder options – not just on the match winner.
For World Cup Bitcoin gambling, the platforms built specifically for crypto tend to do this better than traditional sportsbooks that added crypto as an afterthought. The payment layer is native, not bolted on, which means faster processing and fewer errors at the cashier.
The one thing crypto users should do before the knockouts start
Make sure you have your balance ready before the match you want to bet on. This might sound obvious, but… This is not how most people behave.
The problem is that when people want to bet on a match, they try to deposit money, but the transaction takes longer than expected due to network congestion or confirmation delays—the odds change. The match starts. The moment has passed.
Make sure you have your USDT or Bitcoin ready before the match day even if you’re not sure what you want to bet on yet. It’s better to have $100 in your sportsbook wallet ready to bet than to have $100 in your crypto wallet that requires 5 extra steps before it can be used for betting.
The tournament is now in its knockout stages. Every match has an impact. Every result changes the odds. This is when most of the interesting betting happens – and when being set up properly makes the difference between watching the match while betting, and watching it while trying to figure out why your deposit is pending.
Frequently asked questions
How many games can you bet on during the 2026 World Cup?
There will be 104 matches in total between June 11 and July 19, 2026. That’s 40 more than the 64 matches at Qatar 2022. There are 12 groups, a new Round of 32, then quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
What are the best bets for people who use cryptocurrency during the World Cup?
The winner and the group winner are the same for the longer-term value. You can also bet during a match. When there are two attacking teams playing against each other, you can bet on both of them to score. Try picking player props like ‘first goalscorer’ for higher-risk, higher-reward options.
What are prediction markets, and how are they different from regular betting?
Prediction markets like Polymarket let you trade yes/no contracts on outcomes. You buy a contract at a price between $0 and $1 based on how likely it is that something will happen. If it does, the contract is settled at $1. If not, it is settled at $0. You are trading against other users, not a bookmaker. The odds are based on the market, not set by the house.
Is it safe to use crypto for World Cup betting?
On licensed platforms, yes. Make sure the casino has a real gambling licence before you deposit any money. MGA, Malta, UK Gambling Commission, and Gibraltar are reliable. Make sure you read the withdrawal terms before you deposit. Don’t invest in a platform that doesn’t make it clear how to get your money back.