İddaa’s 2026 World Cup Report Card: Issues and Innovations

The 2026 World Cup ran for nearly 40 days and prompted İddaa and betting operators worldwide to expand their offerings. So how did the first 48-team tournament go for İddaa? What changed? Will the new markets remain available during the domestic season? And where did the main problems emerge? We examined each of these questions.

Major tournaments often become a carnival for bettors, and the 2026 World Cup was one of the biggest events of all. Sources we consulted described the tournament as highly productive for İddaa, Turkey’s legal sports betting system, pointing in particular to a sharp rise in betting volume during the group stage.

Official figures were not made public. The scale of the tournament was also said to have played an important role in higher revenue, but, in our view, the main factor was that the odds and market selection moved closer to European standards.

Team, Player and Special Bets Made the Difference at the World Cup

İddaa usually offers lower odds than European betting sites and a more limited range of markets. This is one of the reasons illegal betting has become so prominent in Turkey. At the World Cup, however, the gap narrowed to some extent.

Odds in 1X2, goals, cards, corners and similar core markets still fell short of satisfactory levels. However, team props, player props and special bets featured lines and odds comparable to European standards. Some prices were even unusually high. This was enough to attract bettors to İddaa, at least during the group stage.

Team markets included total shots, shots on target, offsides, possession, fouls, throw-ins, tackles, interceptions and goal kicks. All lines during the group stage were set at the same level as those offered by European betting sites. For example, when a European bookmaker offered 1.85 on Argentina to take at least six goal kicks, İddaa listed the same line at around 1.80-1.85.

Player props also made a difference. Markets such as a player to draw a foul, attempt a shot, complete passes, be caught offside or commit a foul were again offered at lines comparable with Europe during the group stage.

İddaa also expanded its special bets during the World Cup. Same-game combinations such as Lionel Messi to attempt two shots, record one shot on target and Argentina to win were available as a single selection. Markets on headed goals and headed shots on target also stood out.

All of this helped İddaa make a difference. The advantage, however, did not last throughout the tournament.

Lines and Odds Fell Below Standard After the Group Stage

İddaa had already fallen short of expectations in the main markets but made up ground with its special bets. Once the group stage ended, that advantage began to disappear.

İddaa had followed similar patterns in previous years. This was seen repeatedly in NBA betting in particular. Some player lines that opened close to the international market at the start of a season were raised over the following weeks, while the odds were reduced. İddaa did not explain whether these changes reflected risk-management decisions, recent results or broader market movement. A similar pattern emerged at the World Cup.

For example, one international bookmaker offered 1.75 on England to take at least six goal kicks, while İddaa raised the line to seven and priced it between 1.49 and 1.55. This stripped those markets of much of their appeal. On the other hand, some semifinal and final markets moved back toward the group-stage standard.

Value betting opportunities still appeared after the group stage, but there were not enough of them.

İddaa Refunds and Global Statistics Problems

İddaa has become more interesting in recent years as it has expanded its range of markets. Major gaps remain and it is still far behind European standards, but the progress is clear. That progress has not always benefited bettors. Refunded bet slips, cancelled selections and similar disputes can all be added to the list. With so many markets offered at the World Cup, some problems were expected.

To be fair, fewer problems occurred than anticipated. Refunds were occasionally issued on special bets involving starting line-ups and similar outcomes. Many bets were refunded in the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. A 30-minute rule was then highlighted, stating that bets placed in these markets less than 30 minutes before kick-off would be refunded. Similar issues arose in Canada’s matches, although sources told us that most payouts were ultimately made.

The most notable refund issue occurred in the France-Morocco match. Noussair Mazraoui starting at centre-back made the passing markets attractive. We believe the selections that opened at around 48 passes drew heavy interest, and İddaa announced that all bets would be refunded 25 minutes before kick-off.

The World Cup also produced statistics problems that were not caused by İddaa. Bettors in many countries complained about how statistics such as shots, tackles and dribbles were recorded. Attempts that did not travel fully between the posts were not counted as shots on target, while ambiguous incidents were not recorded as shots at all, fuelling widespread frustration.

The first examples that come to mind are Kylian Mbappé’s fourth-minute attempt in France-Morocco and Erling Haaland’s 53rd-minute header in Norway-England, neither of which was recorded as a shot on target. A Mexican bookmaker even departed from the official statistics and announced that it would settle bets on Haaland to record two shots on target as winners.

¿Ya vieron sus apuestas del tiro de Haaland? 😎 ✅

— Playdoit México (@playdoitmexico) July 11, 2026

Opta has clearly explained how it classifies shots and shots on target. The rules were not applied this strictly before the World Cup, but this now appears to have become the standard approach. Similar disputes over shots on target may therefore continue during the domestic season.

Under Opta’s interpretation, a shot counts as on target only if it is travelling fully between the posts. A goalkeeper may make a save, but if the ball would have gone wide without the intervention, the attempt is not counted as a shot on target. AI and automated systems generally record the data before it is reviewed by people. Corrections can take two or three days to be finalised after the match, but we did not see many significant revisions during the World Cup. The only clear example came in the Panama-Ghana group-stage match, when an Antoine Semenyo shot was first added, then removed and restored the following day.

In short, although İddaa itself did not encounter major problems, Opta’s stricter application of its statistical definitions created difficulties for bettors. In our view, these issues will continue during the domestic season.

The Key Question: Will the World Cup Betting Markets Be Available in Domestic Leagues?

The officials we spoke to were cautious on this point. Such a wide range of markets is not expected to cover every league. Similar bets were already available in Europe’s five major leagues, however, and we expect markets on player shot attempts, fouls drawn and team shooting totals to return.

The key issue is how the lines and odds will be set. Because of the conditions in Turkey, İddaa is unlikely to offer high prices in match-result, goals, corners, cards and similar core markets, but the World Cup showed that European-standard odds can be offered in additional markets. If all the markets offered during the World Cup are integrated into Europe’s five major leagues and the lines and odds remain close to European standards, İddaa can make a genuine difference.

We expect the lines and odds to open at acceptable levels initially. As the season progresses, however, high lines may again be paired with low prices, following the pattern seen during the World Cup. A similar pattern occurred in the NBA. At the start of the season, lines and odds were comparable with European standards. Later, İddaa’s NBA player props became almost unplayable. For example, Bam Adebayo to record 10 rebounds was priced at around 1.85 across the international market, while İddaa raised the line to 12 and offered odds of around 1.55. With no under option available, this was, to put it politely, a message not to bet.

Our outlook is the same for Europe’s major leagues, but we have clearer information on the Turkish Super Lig. Additional markets are not expected to be offered in the Super Lig. With the betting and match-fixing investigation still ongoing, markets such as a player to draw a foul, commit a foul or attempt a shot are seen as risky. No final decision has yet been taken on team props.

A Different Experience Comes to an End

The 2026 World Cup featured the widest range of markets İddaa has ever offered at a tournament. It was a new experience for both İddaa and bettors, and İddaa now needs to draw the right lessons.

Increasing the odds and market range, while reducing last-minute cancellations that are not clearly explained, makes İddaa more attractive and also deals a significant blow to illegal betting. Some of the factors preventing substantially higher odds are beyond İddaa’s control. However, these findings need to be reported to the relevant authorities, together with a clear explanation that the strongest response to illegal betting is improving the regulated market.