Fans back Messi for goals on record breaking appearance: Sportradar

Sportradar has reported high betting market engagement following Lionel Messi’s record-breaking appearance for Argentina against Austria, with the tech company handling over four million tickets.

Press release.- Lionel Messi’s record-breaking appearance in Texas last Monday (June 22) drew high levels of engagement amongst football fans in the global betting markets, according to insights from Sportradar.

The sports technology company handled more than four million betting tickets on behalf of 250 betting operator clients during the game between Argentina and Austria, which saw Messi become the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Messi dominated the player betting markets as fans backed the forward to continue his scintillating start to the competition. In the ‘player to score’ market, Messi accounted for 93 per cent of the betting volume.

Fans engaging with the ‘player to score with left foot’ market will be content as both Messi’s goals came courtesy of his favoured left foot. Messi accounted for 90 per cent of the betting volume in that market.

The 38-year-old history-maker missed a penalty in the 8th minute of the match, which led to a spike in betting activity in the minutes that followed as fans reacted to the miss. Approximately 10 per cent of the money wagered during the match took place in the aftermath of the penalty – 11-15 minutes.