2026 World Cup: Punter Reportedly Loses $1 Million After Spain Fail to Beat Cape Verde
- A punter lost nearly $1 million after Spain drew with Cape Verde in World Cup opener on Thursday, June 16
- Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha shone, securing a historic 0-0 draw against football giants Spain
- Spain dominated possession, yet failed to score, leaving one bettor devastated by unexpected outcome
A punter has reportedly lost nearly $1 million after Spain failed to secure victory against Cape Verde in their World Cup opener on Monday, June 15.
La Roja entered the tournament as reigning European champions and one of the teams expected to compete for the title.
Source: Getty Images
With stars such as Rodri, Pedri and Lamine Yamal in their squad, Spain’s opening match against Cape Verde appeared to be one of the safest fixtures on paper.
However, the game produced a stunning result as Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw in one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha and his teammates were the heroes of the night after producing a defensive masterclass to keep one of football’s strongest nations from scoring over 90 minutes.
The unexpected result left one bettor suffering a huge financial loss after backing Spain heavily before kick-off.
Polymarket bettor loses massive amount after Spain draw
Polymarket, a prediction market platform that has gained popularity in recent years, revealed that one user placed a huge wager on Spain before the match.
The punter backed Spain to defeat Cape Verde with a stake of $999,068, with the platform giving the European giants a 92% chance of securing victory.
Had Spain won as expected, the bet would have returned $1,085,943.48, giving the bettor a profit of $86,875.48.
Instead, Cape Verde remained organised and disciplined throughout the match, forcing Spain to settle for a goalless draw.
The result meant the punter lost almost one million dollars on an outcome that few people predicted before the game.
Spain dominate statistics but Cape Verde hold firm
The numbers made Cape Verde’s achievement even more impressive.
According to SofaScore, Spain controlled 74% of possession and produced 2.1 expected goals during the match.
They also created two big chances, recorded 27 shots and earned 11 corners, showing how much pressure they applied.
However, Cape Verde’s defensive organisation prevented Spain from turning their dominance into goals.
Source: Getty Images
According to Opta, Mikel Oyarzabal became the first player on record since 1966 to play the opening 30 minutes of a FIFA World Cup match without registering a single touch of the ball.
The statistic highlighted just how effectively Cape Verde executed their defensive plan against one of football’s traditional powerhouses.
At first glance, the record appeared almost impossible for a player of Oyarzabal’s quality, but it showed the level of discipline displayed by Cape Verde.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, who produced a standout performance at the age of 40, also emerged as one of the biggest performers of the night.
Supercomputer tips Spain as 2026 World Cup favourites
In a related publication, YEN.com.gh reported that Opta's supercomputer had disclosed its early forecasts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The data-backed predictions placed Spain as the leading favourites to lift football's most coveted prize.
Source: YEN.com.gh
