Information Diffusion and Market Efficiency in Football Lottery Betting: A Complex Network Analysis of International Football Events

Authors

  • Siddharth A. Banerjee School of Computing, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.
  • Mikkel A. Zimmerman Department of Computer Science, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
  • Jan Alviroz Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
  • Seahal Gupta School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.

Keywords:

football lottery; market efficiency; complex networks; information diffusion; betting markets; network governance; system architecture; fairness; sustainability

Abstract

Global football lottery systems constitute a multi-billion-dollar socio-technical infrastructure in which information diffusion profoundly shapes collective wagering behavior and market outcomes. This paper presents an interdisciplinary analysis of football lottery betting through the lens of complex network theory, examining how the structural properties of betting communities govern the transmission of information and influence market efficiency during major international tournaments. We conceptualize bettors and their communication channels as scale-free, small-world networks with pronounced community structure, and we explore the dynamics of information cascades, the role of influential hubs, and the propagation of algorithmic betting strategies. The discussion integrates perspectives from behavioral economics, information systems, and sports analytics to evaluate structural trade-offs between transparency, fairness, robustness, and sustainability. A system-level examination of governance architectures reveals how regulatory frameworks can be designed to mitigate manipulation, reduce problem gambling harms, and preserve the integrity of wagering markets. By situating football lottery betting within the broader discourse on networked socio-economic systems, this study identifies principles for constructing equitable, resilient, and efficient betting infrastructures that can adapt to the accelerating pace of data-driven innovation and global connectivity.

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Published

2026-06-19

How to Cite

Siddharth A. Banerjee, Mikkel A. Zimmerman, Jan Alviroz, & Seahal Gupta. (2026). Information Diffusion and Market Efficiency in Football Lottery Betting: A Complex Network Analysis of International Football Events. Global Financial Analytics Research Review, 1(1). Retrieved from https://www.gfarr.org/index.php/home/article/view/145