USA Ghana A Bookie’s Dream… Or Worst Nightmare

USA Ghana, the rematch, takes place Saturday at 2:30 pm EST and the draw will be huge, especially among US-based bettors, but can the sportsbooks really afford a Team USA win Over Ghana?

It's summertime and typically the US-facing bookmakers are thinking more about their NFL and College Football marketing campaigns than taking actual bets.  Sure there is baseball, but as any bookie will tell you, there simply isn't much sustainable action on the sport.

This weekend - and the entire month for that matter - everything changes. 

With millions of people across the globe tuning in to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a rather large percentage of those are going to be betting on the games at one point or another. 

And while those living in the USA haven't exactly caught on to the beautiful game, they will bet on it, especially when the US is playing. 

"The 2010 World Cup will result in tremendous revenues that would not be there otherwise," Gambling911.com's Don Shapiro asserts.

While the online betting sites catering to North American gamblers do not typically release financials, Las Vegas books are quick to point out how good the World Cup has been thus far.

Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Hilton Superbook, estimated that the Hilton would increase its handle 25 to 30 percent from the 2006 World Cup, despite much worse economic conditions. 

"I know anti-soccer guys always laugh at this, but there is a growing interest in this event here," Kornegay told the Las Vegas Sun this past week. "I'm not saying it's the NFL or March Madness, but on the soccer meter, it's growing every time this event is held."

While the handle on Saturday's game will be substantial, it will also be lopsided in favor of the US.

At press time Friday evening more than 85 percent of the bets were coming in on Team USA.  The rest was on the draw and a few wagers on Ghana.  Sportsbook.com, the largest North American-facing online sportsbook in terms of overall customer volume, had action on the US team closer to 90 percent. 

"Only the bookies will be celebrating should the US team lose," Shapiro says.  "So too will all of Africa, but few people in the States."

The bookies were probably kicking themselves when Landon Donovan kicked that last minute goal in added time we suspect.  The USA-England draw resulted in outstanding numbers for online bookmakers, including those based in the United Kingdom.  The USA-Slovenia draw also provided great results.  The USA-Algeria game certainly did not favor bookmakers and neither will a US win against Ghana Saturday should it happen.

It may not if history has a say.  Ghana beat the US the last time these two teams met at the World Cup.

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher