France Bets Record Numbers on World Cup 2022

New data released by the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) said that sports bettors in the country have placed more than $650 million (€597 million) in sports bets, generating a total revenue of $76 million (€70 million) on the event.

These results were up 56% on the World Cup betting activity registered in 2018 and ahead by 37% from the Euros in 2021. The results cover the online sports betting industry only, with retail sales still being processed and due to be released in mid-February.

Tremendous Year for Sports Betting in France

However, the ANJ is confident that the total amount wagered across digital and retail channels would easily exceed $980 million (€900 million) when all numbers are in. In terms of individual games, the final game between France and Argentina saw €51 million placed on various wagers, ahead of the $41 million (€38 million) bet on the previous World Cup final when France faced Croatia.

The current overview indicates that there has been a strong increase in online wagering activity over the past months, and for the full year in 2022. The growth though wasn’t too big compared to previous years.

Revenue from interactive wagers grew by 2.5% in 2022, compared to a 44% increase in 2021 and 7% in 2020 when the country was dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, World Cup wagers accounted for 7.2% of the total amount of bets placed during 2022, as opposed to 10% in 2018.

Two factors may have contributed to the relatively lower interest in World Cup betting this year, the ANJ explained. On the one hand, the number of new account registrations was much smaller than it was in 2018. The second factor the regulator cited was that many sports bettors had probably placed their bets all throughout the year, and had diversified their betting risk by also weighing in on other important soccer competitions and not focusing entirely on the World Cup.

Accounts and Demographics of Sports Bettors for World Cup 2022

The ANJ noted that there were 177,000 new registrations during the World Cup in 2022, compared to 232,000 in 2018. However, 54 million wagers were placed, or more than double the number in 2018. Around 70% of betting accounts turned into a loss, with 23% winning and 6% evening out their wins and losses.

Meanwhile, those aged 18 to 24 accounted for 53% of those placing a bet. At the same time, the ANJ has taken measures to limit the potential harm perpetrated by gambling advertisements, ensuring that ads and promotional materials appear in a responsible and sustainable way across digital and retail channels.