Strategies for Predicting World Cup Outcomes

The World Cup is now less than 100 days away and soccer fans everywhere can’t wait for the tournament to begin. This year’s edition will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will be watched by billions of enthusiasts around the globe. Spain, England, Argentina, France and Brazil are among the favorites to lift the World Cup trophy this summer.

Some fans will predict the outcome of matches to add an extra layer of excitement to the action on the pitch. If you are keen to explore betting opportunities around the World Cup but a relative novice, this article will provide tips and guidance on the strategies to follow so that you can make smart and informed decisions from a place of knowledge and authority.


Bonus
BetMGM Sportsbook#1 BetMGM
REVIEW
New Customers - Up to $1500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days
One new customer offer/Add'l Terms

Bet Now
21+ Playable in Ohio only
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-589-9966

Become a World Cup Expert

Every World Cup tournament is different. That means it’s imperative you take the time to learn all about the participating teams. You should also thoroughly understand the tournament’s new format, which will directly impact the ways in which teams qualify for the knockout stages. 

Previously, the World Cup had featured 32 teams in eight groups of four with the top two going to the next round. However, this summer’s competition will see 48 teams battling for supremacy in twelve groups of four. While the top two teams will continue to advance, so too will the eight best third-place teams. That means the 24 top-two teams and 8 best third-place teams will combine to compete in a 32 team second stage.

With more nations taking part than ever before, knowing which countries are playing, their squads, strengths and weaknesses is absolutely critical. You must have an awareness of who the favorites are and which teams could prove a surprise package, particularly during the group stage.

Conduct Thorough Research

If you’re new to betting on soccer, you must take the time to conduct thorough research around what is required when placing wagers. This will ensure that you know the processes involved and what to expect, while not running into any shocks or surprises. Being prepared will help you to make bets with confidence by the time the first game kicks off in June.

Learn how to read odds so that you are aware of which teams are being favored and which sides are being seen as underdogs. Get a grasp on what the numbers mean so that by the time the tournament comes around, you know instantly what the odds refer to. Be aware that there are different types of betting odds as this will help you maintain focus if suddenly you come across a new variation.

There are American moneyline odds, fractional odds, and decimal odds. There are also implied odds, which represent the percentage chance a side will win given the sportsbook’s current betting odds. As the team’s odds change, so to will its implied odds value.

BetMGM Ohio - 21+ Playable in Ohio only
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-589-9966
New Customers - Up to $1500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days
One new customer offer/Add'l Terms

Bet Now BetMGM Ohio

Tune in to Team News

No manager in the World Cup is ever going to reveal his starting line-up but that’s not to say you can’t gather clues to get a decent idea of the most likely team. Having an idea of how strong or weak a side is can help you make smart predictions using actual detail and information. With this in mind, paying attention to what is said in a pre-match press conference is crucial.

Ahead of each match, coaches will address the media and confirm which players are set to be sidelined due to injury or suspension. This information is vital as it can help you make an educated guess on the most likely line-up. Knowing which players are definitely unavailable will give you the opportunity to assess the squad list and work out who is most likely to deputise. From there, you can weigh up the team’s chances while comparing the side to the opposition.

Follow the Form

When it comes to betting on competitions like the Premier League, MLS and La Liga, following the form guide can be a useful tool to making smart predictions. However, when it comes to the World Cup, this is a little tricky as there are far fewer games played and so less data to look back on. Saying that, it’s still a wise move to assess recent results to get an idea of how each nation has been playing in the lead up to the tournament.

Using World Cup scorelines is perhaps useful for the final group game onwards as you will be able to look back on the opening two results and see clearly whether teams have enjoyed a strong start or failed and on the brink of crashing out of the tournament.

Wager during Live Games

As the World Cup is a short tournament, betting during live games can give you an advantage. This will allow you to watch games in real time, adjusting your wagers and betting strategies accordingly. So, for instance, if England striker Harry Kane picks up an injury during the game and is sidelined, you can assess how his absence impacts of the balance of play before making your next bet. This strategy will give you the chance to use your knowledge and soccer intuition, as opposed to making blind assumptions.

Conclusion

Overall, it is crucial that you take time to devise and follow strategies when wagering on the World Cup. From tracking team news to following the form guide, looking at data will ensure you are making savvy predictions with the aid of information.

Soccer Betting Resources

Learn how to bet on soccer, or study up on some basic soccer betting strategies. Then, be sure to look over our suggested soccer betting sites before kickoff.

North American

  • MLS Betting Odds – Review the latest 3-way moneylines, 2-way moneylines (Draw, No Bet), totals, and Asian Handicap for upcoming USA Major League Soccer games, plus MLS Cup futures odds.
  • Liga MX Betting Odds – Whether it’s the Torneo Apertura or Torneo Clausura, Mexico Liga MX soccer is among the most exciting and competitive in the world. We’ve got moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps for upcoming Liga MX matchups, plus futures for each tournament.

South American

  • Brazil Serie A Odds – Running from April to December each year, the Brasileirao Serie A is the top-tier soccer league in Brazil. See odds for upcoming matchups and learn how to bet on Brasileirao Serie A soccer.
  • Copa America Odds – The Copa America tournament is one of the most competitive soccer events in the Western Hemisphere, featuring teams from South America and invited guests. Review odds for upcoming tournament matches.

UEFA Competitions

  • Champions League Betting Odds – The UEFA Champion’s League is the world’s most prestigious soccer league, with top-tier teams hailing from various European club leagues, all vying to win the trophy each season. See moneylines for matches and tournament futures odds.
  • Europa League Betting Odds – The UEFA Europa League is Europe’s second-tier soccer tournament, contested each year July to the following May. Check out moneylines for upcoming matches and review the latest odds to win the Europa League.
  • UEFA Euro Betting Odds – Every 4 years, national teams from across Europe compete in the UEFA Euro Championship to crown the best European team. SportsBetting3.com has the latest odds to win the Euro Championship, in addition to a full slate of lines and odds for upcoming qualification and tournament matches.

European Club Leagues

  • Premier League Betting Odds – The English Premiership is among the world’s most popular soccer leagues. See the latest moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps for its next matches.
  • EFL Championship Odds – Known as the English Football League Championship, or “The Championship” in England, this competitive English soccer league has betting odds for each and every matchup, including exciting prop bets.
  • La Liga Betting Odds – Bet on Spain’s greatest soccer teams like Real Madrid or Barcelona. We’ve got the latest moneylines, totals, Asian Handicaps, and odds to win La Liga this season.
  • Bundesliga Betting Odds – Germany’s Bundesliga 1 is the most competitive league in this soccer loving country. Review odds for upcoming German Bundesliga matchups and see which team is favored to win this season.
  • Ligue 1 Betting Odds – Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille dominate France’s top-tier soccer league. Our page has odds for the next scheduled Ligue 1 matchups, including money lines, totals, and Asian Handicaps, plus league futures.
  • Serie A Betting Odds – Italy’s Serie A is among the greatest club leagues in the world, so be sure to review the odds on its next matchups before the season comes to a close. See moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps for teams like Juventus and Napoli.
  • Primeira Liga Betting Odds – Don’t overlook Portugal’s energetic and gifted soccer teams, like Porto and Benfica. Be sure to review the odds to win the Primeira Liga and moneylines for its next scheduled games this season.
  • Eredivisie Betting Odds – Dutch Soccer is not to be ignored, sporting powerhouse teams like PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord Rotterdam. Analyze the odds on Netherlands soccer carefully, you might find an opportunity to win betting on your favorite Dutch soccer team.
  • Scottish Premiership Odds – Stay on top of Scotland’s top soccer league. We have the odds for upcoming matchups, odds to win the Premiership outright, plus prop bets for each matchup.
  • Jupiler Pro League Odds – Belgium’s pro soccer includes top teams like Club Brugge, Racing Genk, and Antwerp. Our page has odds for upcoming Belgian soccer matchups including 3-way moneylines, 2-way moneylines, goal totals, and Asian Handicaps, plus odds to win this season’s Jupiler Pro League.
  • Swedish Allsvenskan Odds – Sweden regularly contributes its top teams to the UEFA Champions and Europa Leagues. Follow your favorite Allsvenskan teams all season with the latest betting odds, prop bets, league standings, and Allsvenskan futures odds.
  • Swiss Super League Odds – Switzerland is home to a number of respected football teams, including Basel, Young Boys, and Lugano. See betting odds for upcoming Swiss Super League games, league futures, and prop bets.
  • Danish Superliga Odds – Denmark offers some of the most competitive soccer in Europe, regularly sending good teams to the UEFA competitions.
  • Turkish Super Lig – Turkey’s Super Lig is among the most popular soccer leagues in the world. See odds for upcoming matchups, including 3-way moneylines, 2-way moneylines, totals, and the Super Lig Asian Handicap.

Global Competitions

  • World Cup Betting Odds – The next FIFA World Cup is around the corner. SportsBetting3.com has World Cup Futures odds, plus moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps individual matchups between countries during group play all the way through to the World Cup Final.
  • Women’s World Cup Betting Odds – The Women’s World Cup takes place a year after the men’s competition. Have a look at the latest odds to win the Women’s World Cup, plus lines and odds for every game of the tournament.

CONCACAF Competitions

  • CONCACAF Leagues Cup Odds – Get the latest odds for CONCACAF Leagues Cup matchups, featuring exciting games between the United States’ MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX teams.
  • CONCACAF Nations League Odds – Moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicap odds for the next CONCACAF Nations League matchups, with prop bets for each team’s total goals, corners, both teams to score, and match to be won by 1 goal exactly.
  • CONCACAF Gold Cup Odds – Review CONCACAF Gold Cup matchup odds, including moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps, plus the 2-way moneyline and various prop bets for upcoming matchups throughout the tournament.