The FIFA World Cup is the biggest and most prestigious tournament in the world of football. Held every four years, it pits the best teams from around the globe against each other in a month-long battle for supremacy. The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar, and as always, there will be plenty of opportunities to gather for some entertaining moments – whether it will be at the stadium, or in front of the TV.
As usual with football tournaments, punters gather to bet on the outcomes of the games. In this article, we will give you some tips on how to choose a trustworthy betting site, explain the different types of odds that are available for the FIFA World Cup, as well as what you actually can bet on in the tournament.
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Choosing a trustworthy betting site
The first thing you need to do when looking for a betting site is to make sure that it is licensed and regulated by a reputable authority. For example, Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) or the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) that ensures that the site is transparent in its operations, and that the odds are fair.
You can usually find this information at the bottom of the betting site’s homepage, together with its license number. If you are unsure, you can always control the license number at the licensors website to validate it.
Another thing to look for is whether the site offers plenty of markets for the World Cup. You should be able to bet on things like who will win the tournament, the top goal scorer, or even which team will progress furthest from their group. It’s also important to make sure that the betting site of your choice, offers the games you wish to bet on.
Usually, most of the betting sites tend to offer bets on similar games, but it can differ slightly. For example, if you want to bet on more unique markets like “player x to score the first goal and team y to win”, it’s important that the betting site offers this market. The sites can also differ in how the odds are placed, which can make a significant difference in earnings if you were to place the correct bets.
Different types of odds
Once you have found a good betting site, that offers both the odds you like, and on the games, you wish to bet on, it’s time to take a look at the different types of odds that are available There are three different types of odds that you will encounter when betting on the World Cup: decimal, fractional and American. The most common type of odds in Europe is decimal, which is also used by the majority of online betting sites.
Decimal odds
Decimal odds are easy to understand, because they show you exactly how much money you will get back if you win the bet, including your original stake.
For example, if the odds are 2.00 (1/1), and you bet €100, you will get €200 back if you win – your €100 stake plus €100 in winnings. If the odds are lower than 1.00 (1/1), that means that the event you are betting on is more likely to happen than not, and the overall earnings tend to be less. If the odds are higher than 2.00 (1/1), that means it’s less likely to happen. In this case, the higher the odds, the higher the potential winnings.
However, it’s important to note that just because the odds are more favourable, they do not guarantee any wins. Whether you win or not, is based on luck and how well you know the teams and their players.
Fractional odds
Fractional odds are mostly used in the UK, and they show you what your potential winnings will be in relation to your stake. For example, if the odds are 1/2 (2.00 in decimal odds), and you bet €100, you will get €50 back if you win.
American odds
The last type of odds that we will mention is American odds, which are mostly used in the United States. With these odds, there are two possible outcomes – either you win your bet, or you lose it. The odds will be either positive or negative, and they indicate how much money you will win or lose for every €100 that you bet.
For example, let’s say the American odds are +250. That means that for every €100 you bet, you will win €250 if your prediction is correct. If the odds are -250, that means you need to bet €250 to win €100.
What can you bet on?
Now that you know a little more about the different types of odds, and how they work, it’s time to take a look at what you can actually bet on. As we mentioned before, most betting sites will offer similar markets for the World Cup, but there might be some slight differences. The most common bets are usually on who will win the tournament, the top goal scorer or which teams will progress furthest from their group.
But as we also mentioned there are more unique markets available if you know where to look. For example, you can bet on how many yellow cards will be shown in a match, or who will score the first goal.
