How to Bet on the World Cup 2018

How to Bet on the World Cup 2018

The date is set. The curtain is about to rise. The greatest show on earth is almost here. The world will be looking at Russia to see the craziness unfold. The FIFA World Cup 2018 is expected to be the most viewed World Cup ever, surpassing the 3.2 billion viewership record of the last one.

Along with the increased popularity, there will be an increase in the betting game as well. The World Cup Winners market is also ready. Who do you think is going to take it home this time? Here’s a list of the top 7 favorites this year.

7. England

Well, they are the ones who invented this game, to begin with. It’s been long since they managed to take the trophy home though. Undoubtedly, they are the outsiders this year. But that’s the beauty of the World Cup betting game, betting on an outsider.

Can This England Squad Win the World Cup
Can This England Squad Win the World Cup?

But England is suddenly getting a lot of buzzes compared to the past. England is finally acting like ‘England’ again, and fans have surely taken note. This happened due to the recent changes brought about by Gareth Southgate. Star players with substandard tricks up their sleeves are no longer part of the World Cup team. Not all the newbies are pros though, but that’s whole another issue to talk about.

During the qualifying round, England had 8 out of 10 wins. For the European qualifying region, they scored a joined best defense record as well. So it’s not exactly out of the ordinary to hope for the trophy after 52 years of drought.

6. Belgium

When it comes to international football, Belgium is definitely the underdog. But their world cup ensemble is a strong one with each player having a distinct amount of strength. The Belgians have always suffered in the national side, even though they are undoubtedly dominant in the Premier League.

But the managerial duo Thierry Henry and Roberto Martinez could surely change things this time around. In the qualifier round, Belgium managed to score the highest amount of 43 goals, along with Germany. They had wins such as 6-0, 8-1 and 9-0. These are the reasons why everyone is looking at Belgium at a new light.

5. Argentina

The qualifying round didn’t go too smoothly for Argentina. Lionel Messi made it almost all on his own. The Argentines barely made it through the last day win that had a Messi hat-trick. But, you can’t really completely rely on these statistics while betting on Argentina, as the CONMEBOL qualification is really difficult, in fact probably the most difficult of them all. Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Chile – all fight for one of the 4 automatic places. You can’t downplay the fact that all these teams are in the top 16 of FIFA world ranking.

Argentina fans
Argentina fans /& pic. by CP DC Press / Shutterstock.com

And not to mention that Argentina has been runners-up in their last 3 major tournaments. With players like Messi, Banega, Dybala, Aguero and Di Maria, you can’t really consider them weak that easily.

And yet, all things aside, the 8/1 offer of Argentina looks weak, when you compare it to the price on offer for Belgium.

4. Spain

Spain was a major letdown in the 2014 World Cup. The world saw their demise when they didn’t even manage to pass the first round, and everyone thought Tiki-Taka was dead. Two years later, they made the speculations stronger by getting knocked out of the last 16 of the Euros.

Players such as Isco, Morata, Thiago, and Asensio are definitely the ones in the front. The backup isn’t looking too bad either, with players like Ramos, Pique and Andres Iniesta. They are a team of experienced winners and hungry newbies, and they certainly have something to prove after the last World Cup’s disappointment.

If you take a look at the qualifying round, you will notice it as well. They made 9 wins, 1 draw, with just 3 yields. They move like a team that is playing with new found energy and belief in themselves.

3. France

France has a team of 11 strongest players in the tournament this time. Their squad players can get into most countries’ starting 11. But they have a history of losing their cool, and since the Euro and World Cup in the 90s, they haven’t won.

France national football team
France National Football Team

They are infamous for having internal conflicts in their squad. This time around they are at least keeping it in and there haven’t been any such talks yet. But they are still not making it on the pitch. Having too many choices can be risky as well, at times like this.

During the qualifier round, they managed to get only 18 goals, which was the third highest in the group. The number is not satisfactory when compared to the range of players France has. They managed to make it as runners-up in the last Euros, but they did have the advantage of playing in the home ground.

2. Brazil

We have waited for that 6th win, and this year it’s finally looking like a possibility. Despite being the host in 2014, they couldn’t get past the semi-finals. They got destroyed by Germany in a 7-1 knockoff and lost the third spot to the Netherlands.

Brazilian soccer player Neymar
Brazilian soccer player Neymar / A.PAES / Shutterstock.com

But they took note and changes happened. The new manager, Tite, has brought 1-2 functional players. Renato Augusto can certainly help players like Neymar, Jesus, and Coutinho.

And while Argentina struggled being in the tough group, Brazil dominated the group by 10 points, with 41 goals and only 11 concedes. They lost only 1 game, to prove how strong they are right now.

1. Germany

The current cup holders are certainly the No. 1 fan favorite to reign the title for another 4 years. But if we look back, the cup has been retained only twice so far. This team is quite different from the champions of 2014. Newbies like Timo and Leroy are now coming up the ranks. They completely dominated their group in the qualifiers though, winning all 10 games. And they scored 43 goals.

Team Germany Brasil 2014
Germany team celebrates after winning World Cup Final 2014 / A.RICARDO / Shutterstock.com

In the paper, Germany is ticking all the marks to take it yet again.

How to Bet on the World Cup 2018?

It’s fairly easy thanks to the betting companies. Here’s the basic rundown.

1. Pick a Bookmarker

To choose that, go to sites such as Oddschecker to see the odds. You can compare the prices there to choose the best one.

2. Create Account

Signing up is easy, you just fill up stuff like your name and address. For free bets, make sure to check the T&C to see if you qualify.

3. Find the Winners Market

The market will most probably be in Football > World Cup 2018 > Outrights. Click on market to see the prices and selections.

4. Add Selection to Bet Slip

If you know the selection to bet on, click on it and it’ll be added to your bet slip. You’ll most likely find it on the right hand side.

5. Place your Bet

Now all you have to do is enter the stake to place your bet. Now sit back and wait for your winning.

Final Thoughts

Other than just thinking about winning the bets, try to relax and enjoy the tournament as well. This only comes back once in 4 years, and you should enjoy it to the fullest.