While the operator acknowledged some positive returns, overall figures suggest the event remains a work in progress for global betting audiences. Although the final saw a 21.6% drop in betting stakes compared to the UEFA Champions League Final, bet365 wasn’t too worried.
The company said this was expected, as the Club World Cup is still new to the calendar and took place in a very different time zone for many fans. “Given the time zone difference and the fact it was the first time the tournament had been played, this was not a disappointing outcome,” bet365 said in its review.
The operator noted that 67.9% of all bets were placed by customers in the UK, Spain, and Brazil. A Round of 16 match between Flamengo and Bayern Munich attracted the highest volume of stakes across the tournament.
Brazilian football clubs attracted a lot of attention from bettors. In fact, five of the top ten most-bet matches involved Brazilian teams. The most money was placed on the Round of 16 match between Flamengo and Bayern Munich, while another club from Brazil, Palmeiras, appeared twice in the top ten, even though they didn’t make it past the quarter-finals.
Trading expert Steve Freeth highlighted some surprising outcomes that proved favorable for the bookmaker. Among them was Boca Juniors’ failure to beat Auckland City despite being priced at 1/100, which disrupted many Bet Builders and accumulator bets. A 1-1 draw between Real Madrid (2/5) and Al Hilal was also cited as one of the most profitable results for bet365 during the group stage.
However, not all outcomes benefited the operator. A substitution promotion introduced by bet365 led to significant liabilities. The offer stipulated that if a selected player was substituted, the bet would automatically transfer to the incoming player. This mechanic resulted in the tournament’s biggest single-player payout when Jamal Musiala replaced Harry Kane – who had been ‘Super Boosted’ to score two or more goals – and went on to score a hat-trick against Auckland.
Another close call came in the final, where Cole Palmer’s standout performance helped the operator avoid another major payout. Vitinha had been the odds-on favorite to win the Golden Ball, but Palmer edged him out, nullifying what would have been a costly result.
Source: GMB
