With the 2026 FIFA World Cup touching down on home soil in Vancouver and Toronto, soccer fever across US is reaching an all-time high. If you want to get in on the action and test your soccer IQ without placing traditional single-game wagers, BetOnline has launched the perfect promotion: the $25,000 World Cup Pick’em Contest.
Here is a detailed breakdown of how bettors can participate, the core rules of the game, and how the guaranteed prize pools are structured.
⚽ How the Pick’em Contest Works
The BetOnline World Cup Pick’em is a prediction contest running throughout the entire 2026 FIFA World Cup. Registration officially opens on Friday, May 29th, 2026, and entries close on Sunday, July 19th, 2026.
The mechanics of the game are incredibly straightforward:
- Make Your Picks: Predict the straight-up winning team for every single game of the tournament. During the Group Stage, you also have the option to predict if a match will end in a draw.
- Earn Points: For every correct prediction you lock in, you earn exactly one (1) point toward the leaderboard.
- Maximum Flexibility: You can submit or change your predictions at any time right up until the specified kick-off time of each individual game. Once the match starts, your pick is locked.
- Online Only: Keep in mind that registration and all contest picks must be made strictly online through the contest portal; entries via phone, live chat, or email will not be accepted. There is a strict limit of one entry per account.
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💰 The Qualification Rule (The “Catch”)
While the contest is technically free to enter for anyone with a valid BetOnline account, there is a specific wagering requirement you must meet to actually qualify for and claim any cash prizes.
To unlock eligibility for the prize pool in any given round, you must wager a minimum of $25 in real money within the BetOnline Sportsbook, Casino, or Racebook during that specific round.
Example: To be eligible for the Round 1 payouts, you must place at least $25 in qualifying real-money wagers between June 11 and June 17. All qualifying wagers must be fully graded within 12 hours of that round ending to secure your eligibility.
🏆 The Prize Breakdown: $25,000 Guaranteed
BetOnline isn’t just handing out one massive prize at the end of the summer. To keep players engaged from the opening match to the final whistle, the $25,000 prize pool is split across four distinct stages of the tournament:
| Round | Tournament Stage | Dates | Prize Pool | Leaderboard Payouts |
| Round 1 | Group Stage | June 11 – 17 | $5,000 | Top 500 players paid (1st gets $250) |
| Round 2 | Group Stage | June 18 – 23 | $5,000 | Top 500 players paid (1st gets $250) |
| Round 3 | Group Stage | June 24 – 27 | $5,000 | Top 500 players paid (1st gets $250) |
| Round 4 | Knockout Stage | June 28 – July 19 | $10,000 | Top 500 players paid (1st gets $500) |
Because Round 4 covers the entire Knockout Stage (including the third-place consolation game), the stakes are officially doubled.
Tie-Breakers & Payout Logistics
If multiple contestants finish tied for a position on the leaderboard, there are no complicated tie-breaker questions. Instead, the prize money for those tied positions will simply be pooled together and split evenly among the tied players.
The best part of this promotion? All winnings are credited directly to your BetOnline account within 48 hours of the final game of each round. Even better, the prizes are paid out as pure cash with zero rollover requirements, meaning you can withdraw your winnings or use them as you see fit immediately.
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