England’s stunning 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium has left UK bookmakers counting significant losses following a historic Round of 16 clash at the 2026 World Cup.
The Three Lions progressed to the quarter-finals in front of 80,000 fans in Mexico City, with 16 players stepping onto the pitch during a dramatic and unforgettable encounter.
Flutter Entertainment-owned Sky Bet reportedly paid out approximately £11.6 million on the match, despite the seriously inconvenient 2:00am kick-off time for UK-based punters.
Independent operator Geoff Banks described the result as “our most expensive loss in any football match,” underlining just how damaging the night proved for bookmakers across the board.
Betway PR Manager Lewis Knowles confirmed to SBC News that the Round of 16 tie on Monday “was obviously not a bookmaker friendly result,” reflecting a widely shared frustration across the industry.
Knowles noted that business was not entirely one-sided, explaining: “We actually made a profit on the To Qualify market in singles, for example,” suggesting some relief amid an otherwise costly evening.
He added that punters concentrated heavily on traditional markets, including win-draw-win, both teams to score, total goals, goalscorer markets, corners, and cards throughout the night.
Bet builders proved particularly popular, with Knowles describing the combination bets as “a bit of a nightmare result for all bookmakers I suspect,” as punters cashed in on goals and assists.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway, Knowles struck a more optimistic tone, saying: “There will be a real buzz, especially with the game being at a much more reasonable time in the evening, and especially on a Saturday.”
Norway’s own impressive win over Brazil has further fuelled excitement among bettors, with bet builders expected to generate enormous interest ahead of the 10:00pm Saturday kick-off.
Betway plans to remain competitive despite the Mexico setback, with Knowles confirming the operator will offer “plenty of boosted specials on the game through our BetwayBoosts promotion.”
Betway also reported a sharp spike in England outright betting immediately after the final whistle against Mexico, with Knowles stating: “It seems fans are really believing now that England can go all the way.”
Despite the surge in England support, Knowles revealed that France and Spain have still attracted more bets overall, as many punters remained sceptical of England both before and during the group stages.
Knowles predicted the Norway game could break records in terms of turnover, referencing Donald Trump’s remark that “every game is like a Superbowl” to illustrate the scale of interest in the tournament.
For England’s players and supporters, Monday morning brought the satisfaction of one of the squad’s grittiest and most memorable victories, even as bookmakers quietly nursed their losses.
