How to Bet the World Cup
A plain-English primer for US bettors: the markets that matter, how to read the odds, where it is legal, and how to keep it fun. New to this? Start here, then check our model-implied projections before you shop for a price.
21+ and present in a state where betting is legal. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Is World Cup betting legal where I am?
Online sports betting in the United States is regulated state by state, not nationally. It is live in many states and unavailable in others, and you generally have to be physically inside a state where it is legal, and at least 21, to place a bet. A sportsbook app uses location services to confirm where you are. If betting is not offered in your state, the legal options are to wait, or simply to follow the tournament and our projections for fun.
How to read American odds
US sportsbooks use moneyline odds. A minus number is the favourite and shows how much you must stake to win 100 dollars: at -150 you stake 150 to win 100. A plus number is the underdog and shows how much you win on a 100 stake: at +400 a 100 bet returns 400 in profit. The bigger the plus number, the longer the shot. The model odds across this hub use the same format, converted from our predictor's probabilities.
The main markets
Pick the team to lift the trophy on July 19. Long-priced and high-variance: you tie up the stake for the whole tournament, but the payouts on a mid-priced side can be large.
Shorter-term outrights. "To win the group" and "to qualify from the group" resolve after three matches, so you get an answer quickly.
Home win, draw or away win on a single fixture. Group games can end in a draw, so this is a three-way market; knockout markets are usually priced to include extra time.
Bet on the number of goals in a match, most often over or under 2.5. A read on tempo and game state rather than the winner.
Will both sides find the net? A popular, simple market that ignores who actually wins.
Golden Boot (tournament top scorer), anytime and first goalscorer, shots, assists and cards. Priced both per match and tournament-long.
Combine several markets from one match into a single longer-priced bet. Higher potential payout, lower strike rate.
Finding value with our model
Our AI predictor runs the whole tournament many thousands of times and turns the results into probabilities for every team and stage. We convert those into model-implied odds on the winner odds and group odds pages. When a sportsbook's price is longer than our model implies, that is where the model sees value. It is a guide, not a guarantee: real prices move with injuries, team news and how the public is betting.
Bet responsibly
Set a budget before the tournament and treat it as the price of entertainment, not an investment. Never chase losses, never bet money you cannot afford to lose, and take the break tools every licensed book offers if it stops being fun. Must be 21 or older. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
One of the largest legal sportsbooks in the United States, with World Cup outrights, match lines, player props and live in-play betting.
A fast-growing US sportsbook offering World Cup winner markets, group and match betting, same-game parlays and rewards.
Advertising disclosure: links to FanDuel and Fanatics are affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you open an account or place a bet through them, at no extra cost to you.
Any odds shown here are implied by our own AI predictor model and are illustrative only. They are not offers and will differ from live sportsbook prices, which change constantly.
21+ only. Available only where betting is legal. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call 1-800-GAMBLER.