• The FIFA World Cup: Global wagers on the tournament are expected to top $50 billion, with U.S. bettors placing roughly $3.1 billion.
• March Madness: Americans legally wagered an estimated $3.3 billion on the NCAA Division I basketball tournaments.
• Super Bowl: The biggest single-day betting events regularly see over $1 billion wagered on a single game. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be one of the biggest economic and sports betting events in history, creating potentially lucrative opportunities for investors. 

As billions of fans tune in and wagering activity surges worldwide, sports betting stocks, online gaming companies, and related exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could see a significant boost in revenue and investor interest. For those looking to profit from the World Cup without placing risky bets, investments tied to the growing sports betting industry may offer a smarter and potentially more rewarding way to capitalize on the tournament’s global impact.

World Cup Momentum May Put DraftKings in the Spotlight

In fact, according to DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG), “Combined with our unified platform strategy, which allows customers to access either sportsbook or sports predictions, depending on location, and includes a Spanish-language feature, we believe the tournament has the potential to be a meaningful driver of both new customer acquisition and strong engagement across our existing customer base,” as quoted by CNBC.

In addition, according to analysts at Oppenheimer, who rate DKNG a buy, said the company’s push into prediction markets via the World Cup will serve as a trial run to prepare the platform for a rush of volume in the fall to coincide with the NFL season.

How Investors Can Approach Trading DKNG

Obviously, investors can buy DKNG stock, which has been aggressively bouncing back from its April low of $20.46 to a current price of $29.68.

But there are other ways to profit and, in some cases, collect yield.

The ETF That Monetizes DraftKings Price Swings

With an expense ratio of 0.99%, the YieldMax DKNG Option Income Strategy ETF (NYSEARCA: DRAY) last traded at $19.32 and is likely to gain even more traction with the World Cup. 

While the fund does not directly invest in DraftKings, it does generate monthly income by selling/writing call options on DKNG. Even better, it pays a weekly dividend. Most recently, it paid out just over 18 cents per share on June 12. Before that, it paid out just over 21 cents on June 5. And before that, it paid out just over 32 cents on May 29.

A Closer Look at the BETZ Sports Betting ETF

Or, investors can jump into an ETF that invests in sports betting stocks.  With an expense ratio of 0.75%, the $20 Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF (NYSEARCA: BETZ) offers diversification with Flutter Entertainment, Penn Entertainment, DraftKings, Churchill Downs, MGM Resorts, and many more.  What’s nice about an ETF is that it offers greater exposure at less cost. Last trading at $20, we’d like to see it run back to $30 a share initially.

The FIFA Effect: What It Means for Sports Betting Stocks

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be one of the largest sporting events in history, attracting billions of viewers and generating significant betting activity around the globe. Whether through direct exposure to DraftKings, income-generating strategies like DRAY, or diversified exposure through BETZ, there are several ways to participate in the growth of sports betting. Also, as interest in online wagering expands, the World Cup could serve as a powerful catalyst for the companies and funds positioned to benefit from the surge in betting activity.

There are two primary, and perhaps related, reasons for the stock’s decline.

First, DraftKings delivered an underwhelming earnings report on November 7. In its third quarter, DKNG’s revenue of $1.14 billion fell short of estimates of $1.2 billion.

It got worse on the bottom line. An earnings per share (EPS) loss of 52 cents was worse than estimates of a 43-cent per share loss. Guidance of $5.9 billion to $6.1 billion in sales was below estimates of $6.19 billion. 

A Predictable Outcome

However, the gambling stock was under pressure for two months before earnings. That brings in the second reason.

That is, gambling stocks have been under pressure following disruptions from prediction market companies, such as Kalshi and Polymarket. These companies reportedly offer far more competitive gambling odds and lower trading fees. 

As noted by Walkner Condon, “Because there’s no house acting as counterparty, Kalshi and Polymarket don’t charge a traditional rake on the spread. Their revenue comes from small trading fees (e.g., 0.5-2% per trade or settlement), which are typically much lower than the 4.5-10% implied rake at the typical sportsbook.” 

As a result of the increased competition, DraftKings resigned from the American Gaming Association over a disagreement about how the gaming industry should approach prediction market companies, like Kalshi and Polymarket. 

Is DKNG Stock Oversold?

However, it now appears the negativity has been priced into DraftKings stock. 

At its current price of $29.26, DKNG is an oversold bargain. That’s supported by a number of technical signals, like an RSI around 38 and a MACD that is showing signs of a bullish crossover.

Plus, DKNG insiders have been buying the stock. 

Former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer CEO Harry Sloan bought 25,000 shares of DKNG at $30.30 each, for a total of $757,500. New board member Gregory Wendt bought 10,000 shares for $30.27 each, for a total of $302,700. 

In addition, analysts at Needham just reiterated a buy rating on DKNG with a price target of $52. The firm cited DraftKing’s core online sports betting and iGaming products, which have contributed to the company’s 18.5% revenue growth over the last year. 

Alternatives to Trade DKNG Stock

While you can always buy DKNG stock here, you may be better off buying an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that pays you to hold it. For example, look at the YieldMax DKNG Option Income Strategy ETF (DRAY). 

The fund has an expense ratio of 0.99%, a 30-day yield of just over 4%, and a distribution date of 93.36%. Although the fund does not directly invest in DKNG stock, it does provide the potential for weekly income through a covered call option strategy on DKNG stock.  

DRAY paid a dividend of just over 54 cents per share on November 20. Before that, it paid a dividend of just over 45 cents per share on November 14. And before that, it paid out a dividend of just over 36 cents per share on November 7. 

This Gambling Stock is Down But Not Out

At a time when valuations are being put under the microscope, it’s important to note that DraftKings is not consistently profitable. But after a steep sell-off, DKNG stock is trading a whopping 67% below the consensus analyst price target of $67.38. And analysts project earnings growth of 139% in the next 12 months.

Something’s got to give. If you’re the gambling type, DKNG stock now looks like it’s worth a spin of the wheel. And if you prefer to collect a yield along the way, use the DRAY ETF as a proxy for DraftKings stock.