A total of $35 billion will be wagered on the 2022 World Cup, a 65% increase on the previous edition after a surge in online gambling during the pandemic, according to Barclays analysts.

Betting activity is being helped by matches being played at prime times for Europe during winter months when fewer people are away on holiday compared with past tournaments held in summer, analysts including James Rowland Clark wrote in a note. That’s giving an extra boost to the gambling industry, which has also benefited from “stickiness” of growth generated during lockdowns, they said.

What’s more, match results in Qatar so far have been “marginally operator-friendly,” the bank said, noting that as of midday Friday there had been five tied games, an outcome that generally benefits odds compilers as most bettors tend to wager on one team winning.