The greatest tournament in sports is surely the soccer World Cup, with more global viewers even than the Olympics. Originating in 1930 by the then FIFA President Jules Rimet, the tournament takes place every four years, and to date there have been twenty World Cups, with Brazil the most successful country, having won the fabled competition five times. Italy and Germany (including under the former guise of West Germany) have won the trophy four times.
From the original tournament where just 13 teams did battle, every four years now sees 32 teams gather in the country of choice, though this is set to change in 2026. In this year, the World Cup will host 48 teams across three countries. These are two firsts for the tournament.
Each World Cup consists of a group stage and knockout phase, with eight groups of four teams, the top two in each group progressing to the knockout phase. From then on, it’s a cup competition, with drama, thrills, extra-time and often penalty shoot-outs deciding the fate of each country in what is largely recognized as the greatest sporting spectacle on Earth.
This World Cup in America will be very different from years past, making predicting the winner even harder than in other years. Read on to learn how to bet on this exciting World Cup!
Best World Cup Sportsbook Odds
Who’ll win the 2026 World Cup? Brazil, France, Italy, and England are the favorites this year. Have a look at the latest odds. Will perennial underachievers England or fancied outsiders such as Belgium manage to win a rare World Cup?
With round one over, it’s time to watch the second group game. The best teams start to look to achieve the early qualification. The odds were last updated on September 17, 2024:
| World Cup 2026 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Brazil | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| England | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Spain | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Argentina | +800 | +900 | +900 |
| Germany | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Portugal | +1300 | +1300 | +1300 |
| Netherlands | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Italy | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Belgium | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| USA | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
Last updated on: December 16, 2024
What Are The World Cup Standings Today
Look at the group standings for the World Cup and make your bets accordingly. You’ll be able to diagnose whether a futures bet is in the cards or if you’re better off sticking to a one-off.
How To Make Money Betting On The World Cup
There is many ways to make money betting on the world's most-watched sporting event, the World Cup. Sports bettors love tryint their luck with futures bets for this type of event as it adds excitement to the tournament and these types of bets usually offer good payouts.
Prop bets are becoming increasingly popular for international soccer tournaments. There is no shortage of potential props to keep you entertained and it's a great way to make money quickly and efficiently. Betting on the top goal scorer of the tournament is another bet that is on the radar of most World Cup bettors.
Keep an eye on individual game odds and check them frequently as they'll fluctuate as game time approaches. Make sure you jump on the odds when they favor your potential bets so you're payout is higher.
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