As the eyes of the world turn to the FIFA World Cup, the excitement extends far beyond the pitch; across the online gaming world, companies are preparing for one of the pinnacles of sport. The World Cup doesn’t just capture the imagination of football fans, it transforms the way people engage with betting, and it challenges operators to adapt.

In this special edition of our newsletter, we sit down with three industry experts, each offering their unique perspective on how they prepare for the World Cup. From operational adjustments and risk management to office sweepstakes, our guests share their insights into what makes the World Cup period unlike any other in the betting calendar.

This article aims to explore how betting behaviours shift, which markets see the biggest growth, and what happens behind the scenes when the world’s greatest football tournament kicks off.

Andrew Wright

The World Cup isn’t just another tournament; it marks a seismic shift in how people bet and how operators must prepare. We were delighted to speak to Andy Wright, International Betting & Gaming Executive, who noted that the difference from the domestic season is striking. The World Cup’s scale and diverse audience mean operators plan months in advance, engaging every part of the business to ensure a seamless customer experience.

During the regular football season, most betting activity comes from regular bettors who follow teams and leagues week in and week out. The World Cup, however, draws a much broader audience, with casual and first-time bettors far more likely to get involved. This influx requires platforms to be robust and responsive, capable of handling major spikes in activity and delivering a smooth customer journey.

“The World Cup is one of those rare events that transcends sport.”

The tournament’s global reach brings people together, reactivates dormant customers, and attracts even those with little previous interest in betting. The excitement and sense of occasion are palpable, with many operators focusing not just on acquiring customers during the tournament but also on creating a positive experience that encourages them to stay engaged afterwards.

“One of the fascinating things about major international tournaments is how much emotion influences decision-making.”

Unlike the analytical approach that characterises regular league betting, the World Cup sees bettors swayed by national pride and passion. This emotional edge makes behaviour less predictable, challenging operators to adapt quickly.

In-play betting markets become especially popular as customers engage with the action in real time. Next goalscorer, cards, and next goal markets see significant growth, along with bet builders that allow users to craft their own narratives around a match.

Operators rely on sophisticated models and real-time data, but the unpredictability of sport means that human expertise remains essential. Pricing is in constant flux, shaped by both new information and evolving customer betting patterns.

“One of the things I have always enjoyed about major tournaments is the atmosphere they create. Most operators will have a sweepstake or a competition that allows colleagues to watch matches together; there is usually a real buzz.”

“It is intense, it is fast-paced, and it is one of those moments where the industry genuinely comes alive.”

Despite the excitement and operational demands, operators remain focused on customer protection and safe gambling, working closely with sports bodies to monitor for unusual activity. The World Cup, in Andy’s words, is an event that pushes the industry to its peak, both in terms of business and community spirit.

Winner of the World Cup prediction? – Spain but a special mention to England if Harry Kane can stay on form…🔥

Nicklas Zajdel

With nearly two decades in betting and gaming, Nicklas Zajdel has held key roles across both B2B and B2C companies. Since 2023, he has led Winner, a Romanian operator, through a major transformation and is now 3 years into this new chapter. For the World Cup, Nicklas described a highly structured approach: “Operationally, we treat the World Cup like a tournament for our own team. We plan meticulously for every event, covering trading, risk, liability monitoring, and tech stability.” With 104 games this year – double the number from the last Euros – businesses face both increased opportunity and greater operational complexity.

A major challenge in the Romanian market is timing;

“Half the matches are played late at night in the European time zone, which, in Romania, means kick-offs as late as 4 a.m. This affects in-play betting volumes, as most recreational bettors won’t stay up for those matches. As a result, we expect a shift in the ratio of pre-match and in-play bets.”

Recognising this, Nicklas and his team have set “aggressive targets for new customer sign-ups, viewing the World Cup as a major acquisition opportunity.” The tournament fills the summer gap between domestic seasons, creating a prime window for customer growth.

Winner’s strategy is to invest more in bonuses and promotions during the World Cup: “We can engage new sports customers with gaming offers like free spins in the casino after they have placed a bet in the game.” The late-night kick-offs actually present an engagement opportunity, since gaming activity in Romania often peaks after 10 p.m.

To stand out, Nicklas is leading the development of a dedicated online destination;

“To enhance our offer, we’re developing a World Cup Hub on our website which will be a destination for interesting stats and content fixtures, specials, and branded content.”

The Hub will be a one-stop shop for Romanian bettors, offering everything from stats to specials and tailored promotions. Other innovations include “missions” with gamification, bet-and-get mechanics, and time-limited free spins during halftime, with the aim of driving real-time engagement and encouraging cross-product activity.

Winner’s planning goes beyond just product: it ensures clear ownership and accountability across all teams, allowing them to adapt quickly and operate as a unified front. Unlike many operators who freeze platform changes during major tournaments, Winner’s close relationship with their platform provider allows them to remain agile and responsive throughout the event.

Nicklas also addressed a unique local challenge this year: “Romania did not qualify for the tournament, which dampens local interest. When Romania participates, the whole nation is engaged… TV, media, and betting activity surge. Without the national team, we anticipate lower engagement, but we’re prepared to manage commercial and operational challenges, particularly those arising from the time zone and late-night matches.”

He concluded by emphasising Winner’s data-driven approach: “We are very data-driven – tracking KPIs like stakes, active customers, bonus ratios, margins, and cross-sell rates through dashboards and daily meetings. While the World Cup may not be as big for us as it is for operators in the UK, we approach it with the same seriousness and commitment.”

Winner of the World Cup prediction? – Portugal 🇵🇹

Patrick Jay

With decades of experience, we spoke to Patrick Jay to bring his perspective to World Cup operations. For him, the scale and duration of the tournament present a unique challenge—one that demands not just meticulous planning, but also unwavering discipline and a focus on long-term success. Patrick shares his view on what sets the World Cup apart from other major betting events, the hidden pitfalls operators face, and why the real mark of excellence often comes long after the final whistle.

When comparing the World Cup to other betting events, the difference is clear;

“The World Cup is more than a month-long marathon, not a sprint, with 104 matches this time -up from 64. The scale of organisation required is ‘geometrically higher’ than for any other event. Preparation starts as early as six months ahead, with every department considering not only the technical and trading aspects, but also the value proposition and how to stand out from the crowd.”

Patrick notes that while the industry excels at operational execution for on-the-day promotions and receives an “A plus” for event planning, the true test comes after the tournament ends.

“It’s all well and good spending months thinking about what we’re going to do for the World Cup. But you’ve got to spend at least the same amount of time thinking, well, what are you doing after the World Cup?”

He argues that retention, segmentation, and targeted follow-up are where the top operators distinguish themselves. The months following the World Cup are when real operational excellence and business impact are revealed.

During the World Cup, team discipline is vital. “I would never allow people to cheer in the office, for England, Scotland, or Wales. People knew if they did that, they were just thrown out of the office and weren’t welcome back until after the World Cup. We’re running a business, and things that harm the business, such as England goals and wins, are not things to be cheered about.” Emotional detachment and objectivity are necessary for risk management, particularly with the highs and lows of international football.

Patrick emphasises the unpredictable nature of short tournaments: “This is a business where you can do everything right for a day and for a week and maybe even for a month and lose money. And you can do everything wrong for a day, a week, or a month and win money.” With only a hundred games, variance and luck play a much bigger role than over a traditional league season. The key is to maintain process discipline, stay focused, and not let short-term swings disrupt strategy.

He likens a well-prepared operation to a luxury car: “If you have a well-oiled machine, like a Rolls Royce, it will deal with the bumps in the road.” Clear roles, communication, and visibility both within the team and up to executives and shareholders, are essential. He also notes that, despite the internal pressure and focus on the World Cup, its results rarely have a material impact on operators’ long-term performance or share price.

For Patrick, operational excellence during the World Cup is about resilience, objectivity, and keeping sight of the long-term game, ensuring the business emerges stronger well after the final whistle.

Winner of the World Cup prediction? – France 🇫🇷

First of all, we would like to thank Andy, Nicklas and Patrick for their time, their insight has been invaluable and has helped create a truly transparent newsletter into the process leading to the World Cup for online gaming operators.

The launch of the World Cup marks the beginning of a manic six-week period where people are brought together by football. At BettingJobs, we look forward to supporting our home nation, Scotland, and celebrating countries from around the world. Stay tuned for some engaging World Cup content as we look forward to embracing the beautiful game.

As for our prediction… come on Scotland!!🏴