Sporting spectacles don’t get any greater than the FIFA World Cup. However, what happens when the glitz and glamour has left the building, the confetti is long gone and the world’s greatest sporting event has reached its climax?
In the latest of SBC News’ in-depth examination of the footballing showpiece, Amelco’s Trading Team Lead, Max Bailey, looks at the prime strategies for maintaining momentum.
We are fresh off the back of the world’s biggest sporting event. How would you assess your performance during the tournament when compared to pre-event expectations?
The tournament proved to be a huge success for us. We met our expectations for site engagement, profitability, and new customer acquisition. One of our key expectations was to see a significant uplift in turnover, and we achieved just that.
Our constant updates to the site and our broad range of markets kept customers engaged throughout the tournament, which was reflected in our gross gaming revenue (GGR) reaching double digits in some weeks. The results on the pitch also affected our performance, as the host nations, along with Scotland and England, exited the tournament earlier than anticipated – or in England’s case, fell short before the final.
Did you witness any surprising trends during the FIFA World Cup?
Honestly, there weren’t many surprises. Most markets and bet types performed as expected throughout the tournament. However, one trend that stood out was the sustained popularity of booking markets.
Despite this World Cup averaging the fewest cards per game in decades, players continued to place a high volume of bets on bookings. It was evident that referees adopted a more lenient approach than bettors are accustomed to in competitions such as the Premier League, yet this did not deter booking bets, leaving us in the green.
Can these be carried forward and applied to future events, and how will this be achieved?
If there’s one thing we’ve taken from the tournament, it’s that players know what they like. Even in more unique situations, they still come back to their favourite markets. That’s always been our approach. Having the evidence to back it up now gives us even more confidence we’re on the right track.
For us, it’s all about delivering what players want. We’ll continue making sure all the markets players expect are there when they want them, while keeping the product evolving alongside them.
What strategies do you put in place to ensure that momentum isn’t lost and the tournament doesn’t become a flash in the pan?
Major tournaments are a great opportunity to bring new players on board, but the real challenge is keeping them engaged once they’re finished.
Given that we service the world’s biggest betting brands, we’re constantly updating our sportsbook, whether it’s through simple UI improvements or a new batch of markets for players to get their teeth stuck into.
The goal is to keep those new customers on board while continuing to give our loyal players new reasons to come back. With plenty of exciting plans still to come, I’m confident we’ll keep that momentum going.
On an industry wide basis, what will be the major events that Amelco believes will appeal to players in the short-term, and how will you capitalise on these?
The next big focus is the return of domestic football and the start of the U.S. sports seasons. We know how much players look forward to these events, so we’ve ensured our outrights and futures markets are as broad and appealing as possible.
Ultimately, we want every type of bettor to get their foot in the door before a ball is kicked or punted, and to have plenty to keep them engaged throughout the season.
Looking further ahead to 2027, how can you possibly build on a year that had such a huge spectacle as the World Cup?
There will always be major sporting events throughout the year, so there’s always another opportunity to build on what we’ve learned. The Super Bowl in February and March Madness shortly after are major moments in the U.S., and we’re also seeing growing interest in the Super Bowl here in the UK.
Alongside that we’ve got Formula 1, darts, the golf majors and the Champions League, each with its own audiences and expectations. That’s what keeps us pushing the product forward, ensuring we’re ready to deliver for every major event on the calendar.
