Prediction Markets Reach $1.91 Billion Daily Average as FIFA World Cup Sets Record
TL;DR — U.S. prediction markets averaged $1.91 billion daily volume in July, up 9% from June, with the FIFA World Cup generating $20 billion total—surpassing the 2024 election’s $3.6 billion. Sports led at 76% share while non-sports grew 5%. Major deals included IG Group’s $1.3B Underdog buy.
SCCG Take — This inflection point shows prediction markets maturing into a distinct class. Client-partners should anticipate tighter regulatory convergence around integrity and oversight.
U.S. prediction markets posted a record July with average daily trading volume hitting $1.91 billion, up 9% from June. The FIFA World Cup served as the dominant catalyst, generating roughly $20 billion in total volume across the month. That figure far exceeds the $3.6 billion tied to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, previously the category’s largest event.
Sports contracts led the way, rising 12% month-over-month to $1.33 billion daily and capturing 76% of all activity, compared with 67% in June. Non-sports markets, spanning politics, economics and other events, still managed 5% growth to $424 million per day. The data come from Jefferies research as reported by Gambling News.
Platform Performance and New Entrants
Jefferies analyst Daniel Fannon noted that platforms outside the largest operators produced $161 million in average daily volume, for an 8% market share, down from 10% the prior month. Rothera, the Robinhood and Susquehanna International Group partnership, posted $70 million daily, a 24% increase, though volumes fluctuated sharply as World Cup contracts settled.
Corporate Moves Signal Sector Maturity
July also brought several corporate steps. Fanatics acquired a regulated exchange and clearinghouse from BGC Group. Talks surfaced around a possible Crypto.com and Robinhood partnership. The period closed with IG Group’s announcement on July 30 of its planned $1.3 billion acquisition of prediction market operator Underdog.
These developments illustrate the speed at which prediction markets are scaling. The open question is how regulatory frameworks will adapt to activity at this magnitude without stifling the innovation that has drawn both sports and non-sports participants.
Reporting: GamblingNews
Prediction markets are now a multi-billion-dollar vertical demanding the same regulatory rigor and operator sophistication as mainstream wagering.
We've watched this category evolve from novelty to institution in real time. The $20 billion World Cup handle proves sports prediction markets can rival traditional sportsbook events, and the IG–Underdog deal shows the sector is attracting serious capital. Our partners need to know how fast the regulatory and compliance baseline is moving.
- $1.91B daily volume in July, up 9% month-over-month; sports 76% share, non-sports still growing 5%
- FIFA World Cup generated $20B total, dwarfing the $3.6B 2024 presidential election
- IG Group's $1.3B Underdog acquisition caps a month of M&A and partnership activity
SCCG angle: SCCG connects operators and platforms to the regulatory, compliance, and technology vendors who can stand up or scale prediction-market infrastructure quickly and compliantly. We've already helped partners navigate exchange mechanics, settlement protocols, and multi-jurisdictional licensing—precisely the expertise this inflection demands.