US Sports is embracing betting in a big way. Ever since the Supreme Court struck down the Protection of Amateur and Professional Sports Act (PASPA) in 2018, essentially opening the way for individual states to make their own gambling laws, there have been millions more Americans able to give betting a go.
The major leagues have also welcomed sports betting into the fold, with sponsorship and other business relationships springing up all over the place. Now, every big sports event comes with a wide range of betting opportunities for people across the country. That is why many will be checking up on a new Lucky Rebel review to see how that sportsbook might be covering the FIFA World Cup this summer.
Soccer’s showpiece event is taking place in the US this year, alongside Canada and Mexico, and is sure to attract a lot of new fans – many of whom will also be looking to back their favorites and place bets on the outcome. But, if you are new to soccer betting or sports betting in general, here are some handy tips to consider.
Start Off With the Basics
Even if you consider yourself something of an expert when it comes to betting on soccer, for a tournament like the World Cup, it is wise to start off with the basics and not explore the thousands of markets available to you. Beginning with a bet on the outright winner is probably the best idea.
You will soon see that there can be hundreds of markets available on each and every game. This summer’s tournament will be the biggest World Cup ever, with 48 nations taking part. With the group stages and then the knockout rounds, that adds up to a total of 104 games taking place over 39 games. Pacing yourself is advised.
Check the Schedule
One of the most popular betting markets with any big soccer tournament is for the top goalscorer. As it sounds, this requires punters to make a prediction on which player they think will score the most goals throughout the entire tournament. The big players like Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappé will be favored by many, but checking the schedule is key.
It is obviously more likely that the top goalscorer will be playing for a team that goes far in the competition. But, tournament soccer can be very competitive, so it may be that many games produce few goals. Checking for a top team in a weak group is a good idea, as it gives the best players the opportunity to score more goals in the early stages of the competition and boost their total.
Back the Favorites to Win
There are always upsets at a World Cup. Soccer fans look back fondly on Cameroon beating Argentina in the first game of the 1990 World Cup, or Senegal beating holders France in the opener of the 2006 tournament. There will undoubtedly be some surprise results that might benefit some punters this time too, but the outright winner usually comes from a very select group of teams.
There have been 22 editions of the FIFA World Cup since it first took place in 1930. In that time, there have only been eight winning nations. The last six tournaments have actually seen different winners each time, but they are still all from the elite class of international soccer. Don’t be surprised if the eventual winner is Argentina, Spain, or France.
Look for the Value
This is one of the most important pieces of advice, no matter what sporting event you are betting on. Finding the value odds (or prices) is all-important. It might seem very tempting to bet on Cape Verde to beat Argentina, for example, because there is the potential for a huge payout. But the likelihood of that actually happening is remote.
Large odds are large for a reason. The opposite is also true. Using the same example, Argentina is very likely to win that game, but the odds will be so small that a single bet on the match winner isn’t really worth it. Look for the markets where the sportsbook has underestimated a team’s chances of victory and make your prediction there instead.
Consider Rivalries
One of the most attractive aspects of soccer is the rivalries. In club soccer, this usually comes in the form of “derbies” played between teams sharing the same city. But international soccer obviously cannot provide the same spectacle. That is not to say that there are no intense rivalries between countries that manifest themselves in the drama shown on the field of play, however.
Sometimes these international rivalries are evenly more keenly felt by the fans and players, as they are born not from soccer but from historical incidents and even wars. Some nations actively dislike others – and that can make for a great game. These games can also be more unpredictable because of that, so maybe avoid betting on them, or taking the history into consideration, at least.
Don’t Get Carried Away
We have already mentioned that this will be the biggest FIFA World Cup in history, so please ensure that you don’t get carried away with your betting. More games mean more betting opportunities than ever before, so taking the size of your bankroll into consideration is as important as any of the other tips offered here.
As with a huge event like the Super Bowl, there will also be countless prop bet opportunities. Many see these as “just a little bit of fun”, but if you really want to bet on the soccer, it might be best to moderate your prop bets. There will be plenty of other betting opportunities throughout what is considered the biggest sports event on the planet.