TWO of Jamaica’s main betting companies are reporting significant increases in wager activity for the 2026 World Cup as thousands of spectators seek to win big on and off the field, placing bets as high as $250,000 on their favourite team to clinch victory.

Island Bet CEO Adam Epstein said the company has seen a 200 per cent increase in new customers seeking to get in on the action, with one lucky customer already walking away with $1.2 million after placing a bet that Spain — a favourite to win the tournament — would draw with World Cup newcomers Cabo Verde. He added that loyal customers are also seeking to get in on the action, placing larger bets.

On his end, Supreme Ventures Gaming Limited CEO Stefan Miller said interest in the international football event has exceeded expectations, with the first eight days of the event bringing in a 40 per cent increase in betting activity when compared to the previous World Cup held in Qatar in 2022.

He added that the company has also seen an influx of casual or new bettors, and he is expecting that interest will grow as the tournament continues.

Both CEOs said that, with each tournament, the love for the game has grown, describing the display of star-studded players and the ability to bring countries together as major pull factors. They added that technological advancements have also made it more convenient for customers to place their bets online, a welcome move for punters.

Miller said that, for Supreme Ventures, both retail and online betting outlets have seen thousands of customers buying into the action.

“It has been growing year after year. If I trace back to 2019, every year we’ve had double-digit growth in terms of the number of people patronising sports betting. And if you look across the world, sports betting is the single largest growing betting discipline. So it stands to reason, if you look at how the population is developing globally, the younger people are gravitating towards it because it is skills-based.

EPSTEIN…I think the biggest bet I’ve seen so far is about maybe $250,000 on any one game

“It is something where they have to apply some logic, a little bit of history, they have to be a little bit of a mathematician or statistician. So it’s exciting, and so we’re seeing the same thing for the World Cup. We are seeing those numbers in terms of customers,” said Miller.

“In terms of spend pattern, I can tell you right now, the average spend has increased between now and the last World Cup, somewhere in the region of about 20 per cent, which is good. We have bets ranging right now from as low as $100 to as high as a few hundred thousand dollars.

“It’s not entirely surprising that what you find is the more avid sports betting fans are betting in larger amounts and then the casuals — who are just perhaps doing it for entertainment or because they like Brazil, Argentina, or Cristiano Ronaldo who is playing for Portugal — they are gonna bet and try their hand,” he told the
Jamaica Observer.

He added that, in addition to the powerhouse countries such as France, England, Spain, and Portugal, customers are also placing their money behind the underdogs, Cabo Verde being one such nation that has peaked punters’ interest after its draw result against Spain.

Epstein said Island Bet has also seen a growing interest in Cabo Verde following their historic draw, with one lucky customer who believed the island could hold off the European powerhouse walking away with more than a million dollars. He said other nations, such as the host country, United States of America, and African nations, have also had the support of punters.

However, he said previous winners of the World Cup remain the favourites to win, particularly Brazil.

Epstein said bets range from as low as $20 to $250,000, with some customers simply wetting their feet, while others have gone all in on the action.

Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha celebrates with his national flag after their 1-1 draw with former champions Spain during the FIFA World Cup at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, recently. (Photo: AFP)

“I think the biggest bet I’ve seen so far is about maybe $250,000 on any one game, and I’ll probably see bigger numbers going forward in terms of when it gets to even the finals and who will win and all of that, but our risk management team is on top of it and we’re certainly ready for anything that comes our way,” he told the
Sunday Observer.

He added, “In all honesty, to me, the World Cup starts during the knockout stages, in terms of high entertainment, where you have the best teams now playing against each other. There are no outside surprises; it’s the best versus the best. Right now, they’ve expanded the World Cup to other teams, so there are a lot more countries that have never made the World Cup before, and they’re playing with their flag on their chest. When you play for your country it’s a different form of output you get from players. It’s more for pride, and no matter how big or small the country is, they’re going to play,” said Epstein.

Miller said Supreme Ventures is also expecting interest to peak as the tournament continues and the company has invested in the marketing and promotion of its Gold Rush campaign, with weekly prizes and surprises for customers, three of whom have won tickets to the round-of-16 matches. He added that watch parties are also being hosted at Caymanas Park through to the finals.

“We’re investing a lot in it because we believe the World Cup, football, sports, in general, is one of those things that brings together the community. It is, perhaps, one of the few times where if you and I are at odds, we forget about it and we go up together and watch the games and we enjoy ourselves, and that’s what we like about sports, and we are tapping into it. We’re very excited about what has happened thus far, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the competition brings for us,” said Miller.

Epstein added that Island Bet has also invested in making the World Cup an experience for its customers, launching a new location at Port Henderson Plaza in Portmore, St Catherine, in partnership with Lucky Play, where customers can watch the matches on a big screen.

“To all the football fans out there, enjoy the World Cup. It comes once every four years, and it’s a treat. Entertain yourselves and bet responsibly,” he charged.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup features 48 countries from across the globe, the largest expansion in the history of the event, which will run from June 11 to July 19.

MILLER..if I trace back to 2019, every year we’ve had double-digit growth in terms of the number of people patronising sports betting