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Imagine my delight when BetMGM contacted me — Cole Rush — to write about its Goal Rush promotion. Destiny, right?
That excitement faded slightly when I learned the campaign was already underway and there was no opportunity for my self-appointed role as “the face of the 2026 World Cup.”
Still, with or without my face attached to it, BetMGM’s Goal Rush promotion is generating major attention among US soccer fans and sports bettors.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already delivered historic moments, and BetMGM is leaning into the excitement by tying its biggest promotion directly to every US men’s national team goal.
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Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Doesn't Win*
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BetMGM Goal Rush delivers $2 million after Paraguay match
At the center of the campaign is BetMGM’s Goal Rush promotion, which awards $500,000 in bonus bets for every goal scored by the US men’s national team during the tournament. Bettors who place a pre-match wager of at least $5 receive a share of the bonus-bet pool each time the Americans score.
Following the USMNT’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay in its World Cup opener, BetMGM distributed $2 million in bonus bets to qualifying customers.
“The thinking behind Goal Rush was to tie the promotion directly to the biggest moments of the tournament — goals,” said Matt Prevost, BetMGM’s chief revenue officer. “It allows the experience to build in real time and keeps fans engaged across every match.”
That emphasis on live engagement extends beyond a single promotion. BetMGM is offering more than 300 betting markets on each World Cup match, including wagers on goal scorers, corner kicks, yellow cards and other in-game moments that keep bettors invested throughout all 90 minutes.
Tim Howard helps amplify BetMGM’s World Cup push
BetMGM’s World Cup campaign also prominently features former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard, who appears in new casino games and a daily free-to-play Penalty Kick Shootout available through the BetMGM Sportsbook app.
Users can test their luck against Howard for a chance to win parlay boosts, odds boosts and bonus bets without placing a wager.
Howard has served as a BetMGM brand ambassador for years, but Prevost said the partnership carries added significance during the World Cup.
“At BetMGM, we partner with legendary athletes who define their sport, like Derek Jeter, Barry Sanders and Wayne Gretzky,” Prevost said. “Howard represented the United States at the highest level for more than a decade and holds nearly every major goalkeeping record in US soccer history.”
Howard remains one of the most recognizable figures in American soccer, largely because of his memorable 16-save performance against Belgium during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. His continued visibility as a broadcaster also helps BetMGM connect with dedicated soccer audiences during the tournament.
World Cup betting activity surges across the US
The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks the first men’s World Cup hosted in North America since 1994, and BetMGM executives say World Cup activity has already surpassed expectations.
“We’re significantly ahead of the 2022 World Cup, the first played during the legalized online sports betting era,” Prevost said.
He credited several factors for the surge, including expanded legal sports betting markets across the US, the tournament’s extended 39-day schedule and the expanded format that has created more compelling group-stage storylines.
“It’s creating a dynamic similar to March Madness, where you have global powerhouses alongside underdog stories,” Prevost said. “Results like Cape Verde drawing with Spain are exactly the kind of moments that fuel betting participation and keep customers engaged throughout the tournament.”
The USMNT’s strong opening performance has also boosted betting interest. The Americans defeated Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles behind two goals from Folarin Balogun, marking one of the most impressive World Cup wins in team history.
“We expect this to be the most-bet World Cup ever and one of the biggest sporting events in BetMGM history,” Prevost said. “The home-soil factor adds another layer of excitement.”
More BetMGM World Cup promotions still to come
Beyond Goal Rush, BetMGM’s World Cup offerings also include its popular 2-Up Early Payout promotion, which pays winning wagers once a team takes a two-goal lead, along with a Marriott Bonvoy sweepstakes tied to Sports Illustrated’s Beyond the Pitch Party in New York City and watch parties at retail sportsbooks across the country.
Attention now shifts to Friday’s Group D showdown between the United States and Australia in Seattle, where first place in the group — and potentially another major Goal Rush payout — could be on the line.
The USMNT’s four-goal performance against Paraguay triggered $2 million in bonus bets for qualifying BetMGM customers. With Australia coming off a 2-0 victory over Türkiye, Friday’s matchup could deliver another high-stakes, high-scoring World Cup moment for bettors and soccer fans alike.
