How to Bet the World Cup at a Sportsbook
We have seen host country Qatar showcase these gorgeous new stadiums built for this year’s grand event of all things soccer. Ask any of these players what event they care about the most, and I guarantee that representing their nation at the World Cup is at the top of their list an overwhelming majority of the time. The passion shown at this event is in part because of the infrequency of the World Cup, being every four years, compared to the fixtures that are cyclical throughout the year all over again.
So now the fun part; How do you bet on it? Here are the three markets I am looking at for the 2022 World Cup:
Connect with sportsbooks to automatically sync your balances and bets >>
Outright Winner
The first market I want to discuss is that of the outright winner. The last time a host nation won the World Cup was when France did in 1998, and no team has won back-to-back World Cups since the Italians succeeded in 1938.
But aside from the fun facts, the outright winner market allows fans to have another reason to follow along with a team, whether their home nation isn’t participating or if they think a team has a good chance to win! The odds on favorite this year is Brazil at +500, and while they are a loaded nation, they are not alone in being well equipped for the event.
Group Winner
If you are unfamiliar with the format that the World Cup uses in the group qualifiers, the 32 teams that made the tournament are selected randomly to be placed in groups of four to see who they compete with to start.
They then play a round-robin tournament within each group, and the top two teams advance to the Round of 16. However, it is EXTREMELY important to remember this type of bet is only for the eight winners of groups A-H that will result in winning tickets, NOT everyone that advances to the Round of 16.
I find this to be a good bet for a shorter-term result. Still, it’s the worst of the three as a bet because the team does not benefit at all for coming in first or second in the group, as long as they are in one of those two spots. So, I would be cautious with these.
Single Game Bets
Of course, they have single-game wagering for the World Cup, even though it is over four months away. In these matches, it is essential to see if they have played recently or if these players would have any familiarity playing against each other. Do this while also waiting for the starting lineup to be confirmed.
In betting a single soccer match, studying how both teams play against the opposing style is imperative to see because there will be teams that try to deflate the ball once they have secured a point or a win. As a result, these single fixtures will be very hard, but there will be opportunities to play underdogs and get behind your favorite players!
Join the BettingPros Discord Chat for Live Betting Advice >>
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners — or head to more advanced strategies — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread — to learn more.