The FIFA World Cup has been underway for two weeks, and the drama of the group stage has been both incredible and surprising.
The knockout stage begins on Saturday, Dec. 3, with the United States taking on the Netherlands at 9 a.m. ET, and although it will be fun to watch the matches being played, knowing what you’re looking at when it comes to sports betting can be confusing so we have some World Cup betting tips for you.
Understanding soccer betting can be tough enough for novice American sports bettors who are used to the straightforward betting markets you’ll find in popular sports like football, basketball, and baseball. When it comes to the World Cup, NY online sports betting apps offer all kinds of betting markets, and with enough research, they can be used to your advantage. Let’s take a look at some of the soccer betting markets that will be available during the knockout stage and how they compare to the mainstream markets offered in other sports.
World Cup Betting: Three-way Moneyline
The three-way moneyline is available for virtually every soccer match offered by a sportsbook throughout the year, and it’s different from two-way moneyline wagers available in other sports.
For instance, here are the moneylines available at Caesars Sportsbook NY for both teams in Sunday’s NFL game between the New York Giants and the Washington Commanders.
- Giants +115
- Commanders -135
If you bet $100 on the Giants to win, and the Giants do win, you will profit $115. On the other hand, you would have to bet $135 to profit $100 on a Commanders win because the Commanders are the favored team. If this game ends in a tie, both moneyline wagers are graded as a push, and you get your money back.
Because ties are more prevalent in soccer, sportsbooks typically list three-way moneylines for most matches with the third option being the tie.
Here is how DraftKings Sportsbook NY lists the odds for Saturday’s World Cup Round of 16 match between the USA and the Netherlands.
- Netherlands win -105
- USA win +340
- Draw +230
If you bet on the USA to win or the Netherlands to win, and the match ends in a draw, you lose your bet. If you bet on the draw and either team wins the match, you lose your bet. That’s different from the two-way moneyline because, with a two-way moneyline, your moneyline wager is a push if the game ends in a tie.
It’s important to note that in World Cup knockout stage matches, only the first 90 minutes of play count toward three-way moneyline wagers. The first 90 minutes include any stoppage (or “injury”) time added by the referee before the final whistle of the second half.
If the game is tied at that point, and you bet on the draw, then your wager is a winner. If you bet on either team to win via the three-way moneyline, then your wager is a loser.
Because it is tied and a winner on the field needs to be determined, however, the teams play two more periods of extra time and then a penalty shootout if they are still tied. None of that will matter if you bet on the three-way moneyline.
World Cup Betting: Team to Advance
This is where betting on soccer is most like the betting markets you’ll find basketball, baseball, and tennis. Someone has to advance, and that’s exactly what you’re betting on no matter how it happens.
On Friday night, the Brooklyn Nets face the Toronto Raptors. At FanDuel Sportsbook NY, the Nets are favored on the moneyline at -120, and the Raptors have an underdog moneyline price of +102. Because basketball doesn’t have ties, moneyline wagers on either team will pay out or lose no matter what.
You can find a similar betting market on Saturday’s World Cup match between the USA and the Netherlands at FanDuel. The United States is +192 to advance, while the Netherlands is -240.
Those “to advance” prices take into account the entirety of what is possible in the match — the first 90 minutes, the two extra periods, and the penalty shootout.
It doesn’t matter if the first 90 minutes end with a 1-1 draw and then the game is tied 2-2 at the end of the two extra periods. If the team you bet to advance then wins the penalty shootout, your bet is a winner.
World Cup Betting: Draw No Bet
This type of wager gives bettors a bit of a cushion when betting on either team to win.
Most sportsbooks list this betting market as “Draw No Bet,” and you should read it like this, “If there is a draw, then there is no bet.” That means, if there is a draw, the wager is graded as a push and you get your stake back.
Also important to note: The Draw No Bet betting market only includes regular time or the first 90 minutes. In this way, it is just like the three-way moneyline.
Here are the Draw No Bet odds available at DraftKings for Sunday’s match between France and Poland:
- France -1400
- Poland +750
That’s a hefty price to pay for France to win, but if the first 90 minutes end in a draw, you don’t lose anything. On the other hand, you may want to take a shot with that nice price on Poland to win knowing that if Poland can at least hang on to a draw in the first 90 minutes, you won’t lose your bet.
World Cup Betting Bonuses
No matter which online sportsbook you use to place your bets, you’ll have a chance to claim a New York sports betting bonus if you’re a new user. New York has a multitude of options, and they all have different types of promo offers.
If you’re ready to dive into betting on the World Cup, here is a look at the top bonuses that are available this weekend.
| 📱 Sportsbook | 💰 NY Sports Betting Promo | ✅ Claim Now |
|---|---|---|
| Caesars NY | $1,000 Bonus Bet | NYSDDYW |
| FanDuel NY | $150 No Sweat First Bet | Click to claim promo |
| DraftKings NY | $50 Bonus Bet + $1,000 Deposit Match | Click to claim promo |
World Cup Round of 16 Schedule
Here are the eight games in the first round of the knockout stage:
Saturday, Dec. 3
United States vs. Netherlands, 10 a.m. ET
Argentina vs. Australia, 2 p.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 4
France vs. Poland, 10 a.m. ET
England vs. Senegal, 2 p.m. ET
Monday, Dec. 5
Japan vs. Croatia, 10 a.m. ET
South Korea vs. Brazil, 2 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Dec. 6
Spain vs. Morocco, 10 a.m. ET
Portugal vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m. ET
AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
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