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The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is steadily approaching, and with it comes a rising interest surrounding soccer for U.S. sports bettors. The U.S. national team made its first appearance in the inaugural competition in 1930, and although it didn’t qualify for several decades, it has proven since the 1990s that it has what it takes to join world-class soccer teams.
Many sports betting enthusiasts have grown curious about how to bet on World Cup soccer matches. Throughout this article, we’ll explain betting on soccer in general and the World Cup in particular.
Soccer Rules for Beginners
Before diving deeper into how soccer betting lines work and tips on how to bet on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, it’s essential to understand the fundamental aspects of the sport. Matches last 90 minutes, split between two 45-minute halves, with a 15-minute break.
The referee will usually add a few additional minutes at the end of each half to account for lost playing time (e.g., fouls, injury stoppage, etc.). For events such as the World Cup, which includes elimination rounds, games that finish the regulation period on a draw will see overtime.
The overtime period lasts 30 minutes, split into two 15-minute halves. Should the match still result in a draw by the end of overtime, both teams will face each other on penalty kicks. The one winning the best of five passes moves through to the next stage.
Alternatively, if there is equality on the penalty kicks after five players of each team attempt their luck, both teams will continue the face-off until one misses their shot.
Types of Soccer Betting Odds and Lines
Moneyline
The moneyline bet in soccer has the same purpose as in any other sport: The bettor simply tries to predict or pick the winner. The sportsbook will establish the odds for each team according to their chances of winning the match, determining the favorite and underdog.
Although many sports betting fans opt for this type of bet, some prefer the three-way money line due to the sport’s nature.
Three-Way Moneyline
As mentioned, soccer matches last 90 minutes and can end in a win, loss or draw. The three-way moneyline covers all these possibilities, providing bettors with odds for winning, losing or a draw.
Let’s consider a hypothetical match between France and Australia with the following odds:
- France -475
- Draw +550
- Australia +1100
France won the 2018 World Cup and continues to have a solid national team, with many of its players being among the world’s best, leading it to be the firm favorite with odds of -475. On the other hand, Australia isn’t known for its soccer abilities, thus being the underdog with odds at +1100.
A draw is also unlikely due to the skill difference, which led the sportsbook to set the odds at +550.
Two-way Moneyline
Also called “draw no bet,” the two-way moneyline bet in soccer is very similar to the three-way moneyline, except that it removes the option to bet on “draw.” The sportsbook adjusts the odds for each team accordingly.
This type of bet is often available for all competitions that must have a winner. If there is still a draw at the end of the regular period or additional time, the sportsbook will consider the bet a push, and the bettor will receive their original wager back.
Spreads
Soccer is a low-scoring sport, which leads the spread betting options to usually consider minor goal differences. Some sportsbooks might call this type of bet a point spread or handicap, and the spreads typically range between 0.5 and 2 goals. Nevertheless, the spread might be longer if there is a big difference skillswise between both teams.
If we consider a match between France and Australia at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the point spread odds might look something like this:
Looking at the first option, France would have to win the game by four or more goals to cover the spread. On the other hand, if Australia loses by three goals or less or wins the match, the bettor wins their bet.
On the second and fourth columns, bettors can learn about the cost of making each wager. For instance, a bettor would win $450 for each wagered $100 if they pick France -3.5. Should the bettor choose Australia +3.5, they would have to risk $900 for each $100 they intend to win by making this bet.
Over/Under
Over/Under bets, called Total Goals in soccer betting, consider the total number of goals both teams score during the match. As it happens with this type of bet in football or basketball, the odds contemplate the overall goals scored throughout the game, not those scored by each team individually.
Futures
Futures are another popular bet type for major soccer competitions. These long-running bets allow players to put money on which team will win before the World Cup begins.
For the World Cup, bettors can also place future bets on the winning group, the winning team of each group and the top scorer.
Futures odds aren’t static. Sportsbooks will update their future odds as the national soccer seasons develop, accounting for possible injuries, overall results and player performance. Futures bets are also prevalent for other soccer competitions, namely the national leagues, the UEFA Champions League, or the Euro.
Props
Specials or props allow you to bet on particular events during a match or the overall competition. For instance, you can bet on the following:
- The first or last team to score
- Winning margin
- During which minute period a team scores their first goal
- If a team scores an own goal
Events such as the World Cup or the Champions League offer hundreds of possibilities for this type of bet.
Halves
As the name suggests, this type of soccer bet allows you to wager on the events happening during match segments. Each soccer match has two 45-minute halves, and bettors can make totals, sides and props bets for strictly the first or second half.
How to Bet on the FIFA World Cup
The World Cup is the biggest and most important competition in soccer. This international tournament happens every four years and usually occurs during summer.
Exclusively in 2022, the World Cup will take place during winter to accommodate the harsh summer weather in Qatar.
Organized by FIFA (International Federation of Association Football), the World Cup welcomes 32 teams that have already undergone a challenging qualification process in each continent.
Group Stage
The 32 qualified teams are divided into eight groups of four. Each team within the group will match the other three in a round-robin competition, and only the two best teams from each group will move forward to the knockout stage.
During the group stage, matches will last 90 minutes, and winning teams earn three points, while losing teams don’t earn any. In the case of a draw, both teams receive one point.
Below you can find the eight groups competing during the Group Stage, which will take place between Nov. 20 and Dec. 2:
Knockout Stage
The remaining 16 teams will then face each other in a single-elimination tournament. Should a match end with a draw after 90 minutes, there will be a prolongation of 30 minutes, split into two 15-minute halves. If both teams remain tied after the additional period, they will face each other in a penalty shootout.
There are four stages in the knockout stage:
- Round of 16 (eight matches): Dec. 3-6
- Quarterfinals (four matches): Dec. 9-10
- Semifinals (two matches): Dec. 13-14
- Final (one match): Dec. 18
Soccer Betting Tips
Betting on any sport requires expertise in its rules, the teams and their players. However, if you wish to start betting on soccer during the World Cup 2022, you may want to consider the following tips to get ahead:
Team’s Performance
You can research how each national team has performed in previous competitions and inspect the statistics of each player. Since most soccer players play in international club teams, understanding how they will perform while on the national team might give you an advantage.
Injuries and Lineups
The national teams’ lineups are often released a few weeks before the World Cup begins. Learn more about each player, their performance and whether they have suffered any recent injuries.
Before each match, the team manager will release the lineup for that particular event. The lineup, or any changes to the regular one, may also impact the outcome depending on the position of each player.
Match Location
All the matches in the World Cup will take place across several stadiums in Qatar. The weather and temperature might also impact how each player performs, especially those who aren’t accustomed to drier and warmer temperatures.
Team Strategy
Some national teams and their managers opt for a more offensive performance, while others use more defensive gameplay. Learn each individual matchup and try to understand how each team will interact with the other.
Odds
Most online sportsbooks will accept bets for the soccer World Cup, but not all will offer the same odds. Do your research before placing a bet, as a slight difference in the odds might mean an extensive payout or loss after the match ends.
The U.S. Soccer Team at the World Cup
The U.S. national team will begin its journey in the FIFA World Cup on Nov. 21 against Wales. The team’s second game will be against Englan on Nov. 25, followed by a face-off with Iran on Nov. 29.
After not qualifying for the last World Cup in 2018, the U.S. soccer team has returned with an improved performance, skill level and squad, leading many bettors to turn their heads to the competition.
Make sure to follow the World Cup developments and, above all, bet responsibly.
