Can a popunder ad win the World Cup crowd? Martin’s trust and our ad manager’s end-to-end campaign support proved that yes, it can!
Most advertisers play it safe during big events like the World Cup, sticking to the same GEO targeting and hoping the traffic surge does the heavy lifting. Martin did something different. He backed a popunder ad campaign with a strict CPA goal, right in the middle of iGaming’s busiest season. And behind the scenes, it was our ad manager, Kevin, who had in-depth insights that made it work.
What happened next wasn’t luck. It was the result of a partnership that refused to settle for average numbers, a 2.09x ROAS while keeping the average CPA under $3.50.
The full FIFA26 iGaming case study breaks down every number, every decision, and every optimization that made it happen. Trust us, this is one you’ll want to read till the end.
How Martin’s iGaming Campaign Turned into a Conversion Boom During the FIFA26 Group Stage Surge
Martin, an advertiser from the USA…… He had been running iGaming ads for a while, but his old ad platform wasn’t delivering the results he wanted. Tired of this, he went online and typed “buy iGaming traffic” to search alternative options. That’s when he came across 7SearchPPC. He gave it a shot right when the FIFA 26 group stage was heating up. Let’s take a look at his iGaming advertising journey.
The Challenge
Martin had been advertising his iGaming offers on a generic ad network for weeks during IPL26. On the advertising dashboard, the IPL campaign received notable impressions and clicks, but the conversions were far off from the number of clicks the ad generated.
When he noticed the IPL campaign wasn’t generating enough conversions, he raised his concerns with the network’s support team multiple times, not just once. The iGaming campaign optimization tips they provided merely moved the needle for him.
iGaming Advertising Challenges Faced by Martin
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So, when he decided to tap into the emotions of the FIFA audience, he chose 7SearchPPC. He didn’t launch his iGaming ad campaign immediately. Instead, he consulted our ad manager for valuable insights on timing and targeting his campaign for maximum impact during the FIFA26 surge.
I wasn’t just looking to buy impressions and hope for the best. I wanted to buy iGaming traffic that actually converts; that was the whole point. I had a decent budget to work with, and I specifically wanted to make the most of the warm-up phase, before things got even more competitive.
— Martin
The Resolution
After a detailed session with Martin, Kevin, our ad manager, proposed the following promotional strategy for the FIFA season.
- Target Bangladesh and Pakistan to drive iGaming traffic. The craze for FIFA and iGaming is absolutely there.
- Run the iGaming ad campaign using the popunder ad format and the CPA Goal feature.
- Schedule ads to peak FIFA moments.
- Align the ad creative with the target audience’s intent, emotions, and GEO regulations.
- Highlight play-to-win and a limited-time offer to create scarcity and prompt users to sign up.
- Avoid using messages and visuals that target minors.
- Create engaging FIFA 26-themed messaging to foster instant connectivity.
- Measure the following KPIs to track the ad campaign performance: total sign-ups, CPA, ROAS, bounce rate, and time on page.
The Result
The first few days after the campaign launch were close to a breaking point; impressions were coming in, but conversions were still far off. After a point, conversions started to float and didn’t halt for a single day. [This is because the algorithm needs time to learn and adjust.]
From Bangladesh, he gained 346 conversions, while from Pakistan, he got 551.
The desktop helped him acquire the most conversions.
Total conversions reached 897, and earnings amounted to $6,279 in just 17 days. His overall return on ad spend was 2.09x, while the average CPA was $3.34 for the tournament’s group stage. Players were engaging and successfully converting from the iGaming popunder ad.
How 7SearchPPC Helped Generate 2.09x ROAS
7SearchPPC has years of experience in the iGaming industry and a broad network of verified publishers worldwide. Additionally, our experienced ad managers know exactly which GEOs, ad formats, and creatives deliver the best conversions for iGaming traffic.
This directly impacted Martin’s campaign. From narrow geo-targeting to buying popunder iGaming traffic during peak hours, the strategy was pitch-perfect. The native integration with RedTrack ensured that every conversion was accurately tracked, making CPA-based bidding reliable rather than guesswork.
Straight From Martin
Key Takeaways!
- Messages that convey scarcity are more impactful than generic ones during sporting events.
- Bangladesh and Pakistan are ideal GEOs for buying convertible iGaming traffic.
- Popunder ads perform amazingly for impulse-driven verticals like iGaming.
- Accurate conversion tracking is non-negotiable.
- Aligning ad creative with audience intent helps achieve exceptional results.
- Reaching the audience during peak engagement times is paramount.
Ready to Launch Your iGaming Campaign with 7SearchPPC?
If you’re currently using a generic traffic source, then it’s time to make the switch, just like Martin. Launch your iGaming campaign on 7SearchPPC and collaborate with a team that prioritizes your campaign goals and works diligently behind the scenes to help you achieve your desired ad performance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Do the results from the knockout stage differ from those of the group stage?
Yes, the results do vary. During the group stage, the audience’s momentum builds, while in the knockout stage, their intent intensifies.
Q2. Who can advertise on 7SearchPPC?
Anyone seeking to promote compliant offers and adhere to local, regional, and platform regulations can seamlessly advertise on 7SearchPPC.
Q3. What is viewed as a good CPA?
A good CPA is one that stays equal to or below the actual CPA. It depends on various factors, and if it’s high, it means you’re spending more per conversion than you should be.
Q4. Why is 7SearchPPC the best option for buying iGaming traffic compared to a generic ad network?
7SearchPPC has a large inventory of active publishers for purchasing bulk, relevant iGaming traffic. It helps advertisers pay for the traffic that genuinely matters to them and prevents ad budget waste. Reasons to launch your next big campaign on 7SearchPPC.
- Flexible Bidding Solutions
- 5 Responsive Ad Formats
- Postback Tracking
- Diverse Niche Support
- 24/7 Customer Support
Q5. What are the best practices to achieve the CPA Goal?
Perform hyper-targeting, target intense moments, optimize the post-click experience, and closely monitor performance to make necessary changes and achieve the lowest cost-per-conversion.
Q6. Why were Bangladesh and Pakistan chosen as target GEOs?
Bangladesh and Pakistan are both tier-3 countries with significant potential to drive iGaming conversions on limited ad budgets.
