As of Sunday night, there have been, there have been 12 soccer matches of the 104 or so expected to be played. On Monday, one of the favorites is in action as Spain takes on Cape Verde in Atlanta as one of the top four games. Another co-favorite, France, will open its play with a match against Senegal on Tuesday, while 2022 winner Argentina will take on Algeria in its opener.
France (-210) and Argentina (-255) are both big money line favorites. That’s not the only option in betting on soccer. Let’s talk about the most popular betting actions.
1)Bet the winner. You’re risking juice, but if you feel strongly that the favorite is going to win, then you can risk it. The problem that the top teams don’t always win, as ties do happen during the Group Stages. You can also bet on the Draw, so for example, you can bet Team A, Team B, or the Draw, with a money line attached. If you bet Team A -260 that means $26 wins 10. Team B +750 means $10 wins $75. Choosing the Draw (+380) means $10 wins $38.
2)Two-Way Moneyline. This is also referred to as Double Chance and Draw No Bet. This is graded solely on 90 minutes of regulation. Double Chance allows you to win your bet if two of the three possible match outcomes happen, so if Team A wins OR the game is a draw. Draw No Bet eliminates the draw, so if the game ends in a tie, your original bet is refunded. So you won’t win or lose. It operates like a two-way money line, offering better odds than Double Chance but requiring your team to win outright to make a profit. In terms of the Double Chance, you are essentially buying extra security. You only lose if your opponent wins. Due to high probability of winning, the odds are much lower and more expensive.
3)Spread Bets. If you are convinced a team (-1.5) is going to win by 2 or more goals, this is your best bet. Or if you like an underdog (+1.5), is going to lose by less than two goals or even win outright, you take the underdog. If you like Team B (+1.5), you get a payout if they win, draw or lose by a single goal.
4)Over/Under. I’d like to think that when the money lines are too high, and the spread doesn’t make sense, this makes the most sense if you don’t have confidence in going with the dog. The totals are usually set at around 2.5, but some are much higher in the Group Stage, because some of these teams are overmatched when it comes to defense. Or if you get a low total and the team has a key injury on offense, taking the under will make sense. It’s not the exciting route, but a lot of teams play it very conservatively, depending on their style and coach.
5)Group Winner. The Favorites have a clearer path through the Group Stage. Even though the matches started last Thursday, you can still bet on the winner. For example, the USA is -230 to win Group D. Mexico is -185 to win Group A. Brazil, which had a disappointing 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opener on Saturday, is still a -230 favorite to win Group C.
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Upcoming Events at ATS:
- The World Cup runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams and 12 groups in the Group Stage, mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world.
- US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)
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