World Cup Expected to Drive Prediction Market Volume, Bernstein Says

The 48-team FIFA World Cup is expected to bring a major surge in activity to online sports betting and prediction markets, according to Bernstein. The firm described the tournament as potentially the single largest catalyst for the sector in history.

That matters because prediction markets have become a growing part of the broader crypto-adjacent trading landscape, where users speculate on real-world outcomes rather than only on token prices. A global event with the scale of the World Cup could test how much mainstream sports demand these platforms can absorb.

Bernstein’s view points to the tournament as a possible “watershed moment” for the category. The World Cup’s expanded format increases the number of teams involved, which may create more events and outcomes for betting and prediction market users to follow.

For companies operating in the space, the tournament could serve as a high-profile stress test for user acquisition, liquidity, and platform reliability. For readers tracking crypto market infrastructure, it also highlights how prediction markets are increasingly tied to mainstream cultural and sporting events.

The forecast does not guarantee that volume will meet expectations, and the source does not provide specific figures beyond the prospect of billions in activity. Still, Bernstein’s framing underscores how the next World Cup could become a defining moment for online sports betting and prediction markets.