Brazilians are the most patriotic nation when it comes to bettors tipping their country to lift the FIFA World Cup, with Spaniards opting to put their “head over heart,” Entain data found.?

The company carried out a survey just ahead of Sunday’s kick-off in Qatar. It found that almost 50 percent of Brazilian bettors back their own team to win. That was followed by Portugal at 41 percent and Canada at 30 percent.

Amongst the English, only 18 percent of U.K. punters expect their team to win after a poor performance in the Nation’s League. Despite that they are the third favourite in the tournament globally, Entain said.

Brazil and Argentina are the top two picks globally, while Canada is below even Qatar, which has the longest odds of any host nation since the World Cup began in 1930.?

Only 9 percent of Spanish punters expect their team to go all the way to the top.?

“As a global tournament, the World Cup brings the group’s brands and customers together like no other sporting event, with Entain predicting a record number of actives, bets, stakes and first-time-deposits,” Entain Chief Commercial Officer Dominic Grounsell said.?

The group has launched a range of World Cup-themed products to drive engagement. In the U.K., its Ladbrokes brand has launched a Half Time Quiz, which is free-to-play for over 18s and tests players on their knowledge of first-half action.?

In Italy, Eurobet is running a parallel World Cup, which features Italy, which isn’t in the real thing.?

The World Cup is expected to be a bonanza for sports betting operators, prompting regulators to issue warnings about responsible gambling. The Dutch regulator said it does not want to see a “tidal wave” of irresponsible advertising.

Saying goodbye to 2022, facing fully-forward towards 2023

That’s a wrap on 2022, and what a terrific year it has been! We at SiGMA Group are incredibly grateful to all the delegates, collaborators, sponsors and of course, the core team itself whose hard work and support is crucial to hosting the landmark quality events everyone has come to associate with the name SiGMA.

That being said, the world keeps on turning, and so shall the wheels of this event-hosting machine that was kickstarted in 2014. Coming right up is SiGMA Group’s premier event into Africa, with Nairobi 2023 set for next January. Visit our?webpage?for more information!