The most spectacular event in the football world is starting and punters all over the world are excited to make their predictions. If you are unsure where to start, we will give you the best tips and tricks in our World Cup Betting Guide, so keep reading!
T&Cs apply. New players only. 18+
T&Cs apply. New players only. 18+
T&Cs apply. New players only. 18+
All you need to know about World Cup Betting
Betting on the World Cup 2022 is not very different from regular football betting. However, as this is the biggest football event, you should keep some things in mind.
Don’t look for thrills
While it can be fun to pick which top teams will go out early, for the most part, the World Championship is usually very basic in the early stages of the tournament.
Of course, there will always be one or two title favorites to disappoint, but most of them will make it to the last 16. Trying to find a team that can fall apart to make a lot of money can be a foolish task. While value is still important, don’t shy away from negative odds the way you bet on football every day.
The World Cup isn’t quite like March Madness. The best team often wins, especially early on, and the talent gap between the top teams and those lucky ones usually shows.
Follow the logic
Keeping the previous point in mind, it’s also important to know what the team is up to and follow the different qualifying scenarios.
This will especially come into play on the final day of the group stage when some teams have already qualified for the knockout stages. These teams usually rest players or tone down their aggression because injuries can be fatal in the later rounds.
Conversely, teams that are fighting for their lives in the group stage will be more aggressive and play with extra talent knowing they need to get good results to stay afloat. These are teams to watch, especially when they’re up against a powerless opponent.
Follow the trends
As the game keeps going on and the knockout stages progress, the point gap becomes smaller and smaller, making it harder and harder to win the game. This is where observant fans can start looking for openings.
Pay close attention to how teams score, or in what ways they are vulnerable when they concede. The ability to understand how teams fit together can come in handy, especially in the late stages, and while one top team might be slightly “better” than the other, they could be up against a team that is exploiting their weakest link team.
For example, if a team is good at creating chances from set pieces, look at how their closest opponents defend against dead-ball situations. If a team is passive in terms of defense and pressure in midfield, then see if their opponents develop possession as one of their strengths.
Finally, the form could be a serious factor: what applies to one game will likely carry over to the next, as certain teams play every 3-4 days. While overall talent can shine in a month-long league season, the contrast between in-form teams and talented teams can be seen in tournaments that last several weeks, especially in close games.
Betting Types
If you are new to the world of online betting and especially football betting, this will help you understand the most popular and hottest betting options.
Research is crucial, and those who gamble successfully often know the value of trend-based betting. Of course, this is football and shocks can and will happen, but it is possible to minimize the risk and increase your chances of winning.
Single Bets World Cup Betting
A simple ‘single bet’ is the type of bet most of us place when we start football betting and is the easiest to understand. You predict what will happen between Team A and Team B. Standard betting has three options, home win, draw, or away win.
How much you will see in return is easy to calculate. 10/1 gives you 10 per bet. So a successful bet of £10 will pay out £100 and you will get your stake back for a total return of £110. So £10 in a draw would cost you £60 (£10 x 5 + stake), and an away win would cost you £12.50 (£10 x 1/4 = £2.50 + £10 stake).
Accumulator Bets
Accumulators are very popular among football betting fans as they can have a big return, however, accumulators are more difficult to win due to unexpected results. Unlike single bets, in accumulator bets, you combine your predictions in a single slip and any winnings will be rolled over to the stake on your next bet.
The danger with accumulators is that if only one outcome doesn’t come up for you, you lose. Luckily, some bookmakers offer “ACCA” insurance, so you can get your stake back if the game disappoints you. You can also use the bookmaker’s Bet Builder, which allows you to combine different bets on the same match.
It’s always worth investing time and evaluating all the different types of bets you can place. You’ll find that you can bet on almost anything. Goals scored, warnings, sent off, corners, the minute the first goal was scored, the list is almost endless.
Over / Under + BTTS World Cup Betting
Football is all about goals and one of the most popular bets is the over/under betting market. It’s really easy to understand, the bookmaker gives some number of goals and you predict whether the total number of goals in the match will be higher (over) or lower (under) than what is shown.
We strongly encourage you to use the website to view your team’s current scoresheet, such as Soccerstats.
Another popular market is Both Teams to Score (BTTS). As the name suggests, you predict whether both teams will score. Check our page on BTTS predictions to find out more about this market.
World Cup Betting Odds
The latest World Cup betting odds for Qatar 2022 have Brazil as the favorite, followed by Argentina and France.
Brazil
Brazil are the favorites to win this year’s tournament. The team has a strong backbone, including Alisson Becker, arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, Neymar, and rising star Vinicius Jr. Despite winning the most World Cup titles, Brazil’s reputation is still recovering from a crushing 7-1 defeat to Germany in the 2014 semi-finals. Nevertheless, they performed well in qualifying, taking first place in the CONMEBOL Libertadores. Brazil are also the favorites in Group G, however, Serbia and Switzerland performed well in qualifying as well, successfully advancing to the top of their group.
Argentina
Argentina is also the favorite to win this year’s World Cup for a number of reasons. The link between the team’s midfield and forwards is currently at its peak, helped by a Champions League victory over Italy in June, which ended in a 3-0 victory for Messi and Argentina. That leaves the South American team unbeaten in 32 matches, just five short of the all-time record. It will be Messi’s first World Cup title and possibly his last appearance at the most spectacular football event. His experience could be the catalyst for Argentina to bring home a win, but there could be a breakdown on the defensive end and Argentina could struggle defensively if the team picks up the pace.
France
France is right after Argentina in the World Cup betting odds table. Unbeaten in the European preliminaries, France easily won the first place in the group. This team has a lot of young talent, but given their history of returning titles, they can’t be taken for granted. Star striker Kylian Mbappé helped the team win in 2018 and has since become increasingly dangerous, making him one of the most talented players in the tournament. Since winning the title in 2018, France also won the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League after beating Spain in the final.
