Messi sparks sports betting surge

Jake Graves December 11, 2023

SiGMA news

Messi sparks sports betting surge

The seminal arrival of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami has in no small way made waves.

The famed Argentine footballer has brought many a change to Major League Soccer (MLS) including a 33 percent increase in sports betting activity.

According to sports betting operator Kambi, the overall popularity of the league and Inter Miami in particular has skyrocketed.

World-class appeal

Messi’s acquisition has propelled the David Beckham-led club to become the most bet-on MLS team of the year. The Herons participated in 8 out of the 10 most bet-on games over the season’s duration.

In contrast, Inter Miami previously could only generate betting activity that placed them 15th across the MLS.

The record eight-time Ballons D’or winner’s global appeal has made Messi himself the most bet-on player in the league over the past four years, despite only notching 6 league appearances so far.

During this time, Messi exceeded the betting volume placed on Denis Bouanga, the second most bet-on player by a staggering 140 percent, a feta that coincided with an MLS Cup victory for the Messi-captained Miami.

More to come for Miami

Kambi’s head of soccer, Jonathon Hurst, describes Messi’s contribution to MLS as a “landmark moment” and anticipates further growth in Inter Miami’s popularity, especially with the addition of former Barcelona teammate, Luis Suarez.

Hurst continued that Messi has an undisputable global appeal that will continue to positively affect his team.

The World Cup winner’s star power has captured the attention of fans worldwide, and this has translated into a significant increase in betting engagement on all MLS matches.

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