Soccer Betting and Handicapping Articles

Expert World Cup Betting Picks: Quarterfinals Best Bets
by Trevor Whenham - 7/5/2018

Let's get this out of the way up front - while the Round of 16 was a classic in terms of play on the field, it was far less classic for me from a betting perspective. It was a case of close but not close enough in most cases - and then I picked Spain, which didn't go well at all. Really, that has been the case for this entire World Cup - I've been mostly pointing in the right directions, but just not right enough to make a profit. But that changes now. We are going to destroy this quarterfinal round. It's fate. Or something. And we are going to be fearless about it and make a pick in each of the four games. Go big or go home. (All odds are from Bovada):

Expert World Cup Betting Help: Elimination Round Trends
by Trevor Whenham - 6/27/2018

Soon the round robin will be over at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the 16 most deserving teams (at least theoretically) will be in a position where they have to win or go home. This is where the tournament really gets exciting - and fun to handicap. To help you get ready for the elimination rounds, here is a look back at trends that have emerged over the last four editions of the World Cup that could prove helpful. Note that the third-place game is not included in any of these calculations - it's a stupid game, and the next time a team cares about that game will be the first.

World Cup Expert Betting Advice: Handicapping the Elimination Round
by Trevor Whenham - 6/27/2018

As I write this we are just days away from the end of the round robin at the World Cup and the start of the elimination games, beginning with the Round of 16. There is no question that elimination games are significantly different from a betting perspective than the round robin games are. And the good news is that pretty much every difference means that the elimination games are better - to watch and to bet on - as well. Here are five of the key differences to keep in mind as we shift into the next phase of the tournament:

2018 World Cup Betting Advice: Handicapping Third Games
by Trevor Whenham - 6/22/2018

On Sunday the second round of the round-robin portion of the 2018 FIFA World Cup comes to an end. From Monday to Thursday the final games of round robin will take place, and all of the spots in the elimination rounds will be claimed. It marks a shift in the flow of the tournament, and not in a good way. There are four games instead of three per day, and more should be better. But both games from a group are played at the same time, so your thumb is going to get plenty of exercise as you flip from channel to channel between the games.

2018 World Cup Betting Trends
by Trevor Whenham - 6/22/2018

We passed the one-third mark of the 2018 World Cup. The 23rd game was played when Argentina shockingly was blown out by Croatia on Tuesday. This is a good time, then, to look at what has happened so far and whether any trends have emerged that can point us in the right direction for bets through the rest of the tournament. So, let's look at what has happened to this point so far, and how that compares to the last three editions of this tournament.

Betting on World Cup Teams After They Have No Chance to Advance
by Trevor Whenham - 6/21/2018

As I write this, we are only four games into the second round of the round robin for the 2018 World Cup, and already three teams have been knocked out of contention for the elimination round. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been eliminated in Group A, and Morocco is out in Group B. They all have a game left to play, and there will be several more teams that join them before the second round is done.

Free World Cup Betting Picks for This Week
by Trevor Whenham - 6/21/2018

The first week of World Cup action was exciting and often surprising on the pitch. And from a betting perspective it was okay but not great on this front. We picked six games that were interesting bets last week, and two of the six came through. We took flyers on some longer shots, so the result is only a small hole - and now it's time to dig out of it in the second week of action. We have seen more and know where teams are at, so we should be in better shape this time around. Between now and the end of action on Monday there are six games that stand out as playable. (Odds are from Bovada):

2018 World Cup Long Shot Teams with Betting Value
by Trevor Whenham - 6/14/2018

As I write this I am sitting here watching the opening contest in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. I'm not sure I could imagine a less-interesting, less-likeable matchup than Russia and Saudi Arabia, but it is still good to have things officially underway after months and years of lead up, speculation, and anticipation.

Expert World Cup Soccer Picks for First Week of Tournament
by Trevor Whenham - 6/13/2018

The World Cup is finally starting, and it should be a great month. It's tougher getting excited about this tournament than it is sometimes because of the time zone issues, the host. the lack of a certain team, and so on. But even a less-than-totally captivating World Cup is better than most sporting events. We've looked at the event from 100 different angles over the past months. Now that we are down to the start, though, it makes sense to look at the bets in individual games. Over the next week we will see all 32 teams play their first game of the tournament.

2018 World Cup Group H Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/12/2018

I have already stated that I expect the $#i% to hit the fan in Group D because of the balance and depth of the four teams in that group. Right behind that group, in terms of expected insanity, would have to be Group H, where any one of the four teams has a realistic opportunity to win the group and advance.

2018 World Cup Group E Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/12/2018

Brazil is no longer the greatest soccer nation on the planet. After spending a half-century with that unofficial title, I think that Brazil has finally been passed by Germany. The reverberations of Germany's 7-1 annihilation of Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semifinals are still echoing through the soccer world. The Germans enter the 2018 World Cup as the favorites, the defending champions, and as the No. 1-ranked team in the world.

2018 World Cup Group G Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/12/2018

Soccer is a funny game. Perhaps more than any other sport, dominance in the game doesn't always correlate to dominance on the scoreboard. Teams can control possession, dictate pace, and monopolize scoring opportunities - and still lose. So when betting on soccer you always want to be careful about getting sucked into wagering on things that seem inevitable.

2018 World Cup Group F Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/11/2018

The defending World Cup champion German national team will attempt to become the first team in more than 40 years to defend its title when they head to Russia this summer. Germany, which has not finished lower than seventh at any World Cup since World War II, is also looking to appear in its fifth straight semifinals, a feat no other nation has ever accomplished.

2018 World Cup Group C Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/11/2018

The French side enters Russia as one of the top five favorites to win the World Cup. Just two cycles removed from a fantastic flame out in the 2010 World Cup, France has completely turned over its roster. And now they are stacked with proven international quality and a generation of players that appears to be hitting its prime together.

2018 World Cup Group D Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/11/2018

Group D offers four teams that are loaded with talent, four teams that love to attack, and four teams with shaky back ends. The result could be some wild, high-scoring matches and some potentially shocking upsets. Two of the world's greatest players, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric, and one of the world's greatest stories, Iceland, have this group chock full of drama and intrigue.

Expert World Cup Betting Advice: Best Bets First Round
by Trevor Whenham - 6/8/2018

The World Cup is only days away from starting now, and it is strikingly odd how little buzz there is compared to recent editions of the biggest sporting event in the world. It doesn't help, of course, that the Americans humiliated themselves in qualification and are left to watch at home with the rest of us. And a tournament, held in Russia, isn't the most open and inspiring these days.

2018 World Cup Stage of Elimination Props Odds with Expert Betting Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 6/8/2018

World Cup Stage of Elimination prop bets are interesting to look at every four years when this tournament rolls around. A lot of people look at these as a way to gamble on who they think will win and which teams they think will go far. I don't see the value in that. There is too much that can go wrong, and for all but the best teams it's hard to differentiate between a semifinal loss and a quarterfinal loss - both would be unsurprising and acceptable for a lot of teams, so you are just reduced to making guesses. I hate making guesses as a sports bettor.

2018 World Cup Group A Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/8/2018

Vladimir Putin has been accused of meddling in elections, murdering spies, and all other sorts of heinous crimes. So what do you think he would do to ensure that his Russian soccer team advanced in the World Cup?The 2018 World Cup will take place in Russia from June 14 to July 15. Russia will host this year's quadrennial event, and current 2018 World Cup betting odds and odds to win the World Cup are currently posted at all offshore and Las Vegas sportsbooks.

2018 World Cup Group B Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/7/2018

Despite all the attacking prowess and big names, I wouldn't expect a lot of goals from Group B. Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Iran combined to allow just four goals in 36 combined qualifying matches prior to the World Cup. Spain and Portugal each have world-class defenders manning their back line, while Morocco and Iran can be effective playing a turtle-in-its-shell style that relies on frustrating opponents and counterattacking.

2018 World Cup Odds to Win Groups with Expert Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 6/4/2018

One of the big benefits of World Cup soccer betting is the variety of wagering options available to the public. Rather than simply picking which team you believe will win the 2018 World Cup, you can bet on things like which player will score the most goals and which teams will advance out of the group stage.