2018 FIFA World Cup
The world’s biggest sports event will take center stage this summer with the 2018 FIFA World Cup taking place in Russia from June 14 to July 15. National pride won’t be the only thing that’s on the line for soccer fanatics, as bettors from every corner of the planet will be looking to cash in on everything from futures and individual game bets to countless props provided by sportsbooks.
OddsShark is the internet’s top source for World Cup betting information. Whether you’re new to betting and are wondering how to bet on the World Cup, or if you’re looking for expert analysis on each game, OddsShark should be your first stop on your World Cup handicapping journey.
World Cup 2018 Sleeper Picks
Sat, May 19, 12:00am
Upsets, sleepers, long shots, underdogs; whatever you want to call them, there are a plethora of bets on the board that could help you cash big at...
France 2018 World Cup Odds
Fri, May 18, 10:55am
Near the top of the oddsboard in several betting markets at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, France will be a very popular selection in odds to win...
Tunisia 2018 World Cup Odds
Fri, May 18, 7:00am
Tunisia will be aiming to put the brakes on an 11-match winless streak in World Cup competition as they make their first appearance on the soccer...
South Korea 2018 World Cup Odds
Fri, May 18, 7:00am
South Korea hopes to rebound from a dismal performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup as they prepare to make their ninth straight tournament appearance...
Sweden 2018 World Cup Odds
Thu, May 17, 7:00am
Sweden has a rich history in the FIFA World Cup. While the Swedish national football team has never won the tournament, it has had a few close calls...
Japan 2018 World Cup Odds
Thu, May 17, 7:00am
By qualifying for a spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Japan’s national football team earned its sixth straight bid into the world’s most...
Serbia 2018 World Cup Odds
Thu, May 17, 7:00am
Recognized as the successor of SFR Yugoslavia, the Serbian national football team has inherited the records of this defunct nation. While playing as...
Portugal 2018 World Cup Odds
Wed, May 16, 9:51am
Portugal could be one of the best value bets of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and being reigning kings of Europe...
Germany 2018 World Cup Odds
Wed, May 16, 9:41am
As you’d expect, bookmakers are high on the defending champion Germans heading into the World Cup – and can you blame them? In search of their record...
Egypt 2018 World Cup Odds
Wed, May 16, 7:00am
Egypt hopes to build on a strong performance in CAF World Cup qualifying as they prepare to make their first FIFA World Cup appearance since 1990....
2018 world cup betting basics
This is the 21st FIFA World Cup and the tournament will feature 32 national teams, including 20 teams that competed in the 2014 World Cup, which was won by Germany. It shouldn’t come as much of a shock that the Germans opened as the co-favorite to win the 2018 tournament — tied with Brazil — when odds were first released, coming in at +700. Germany will hope to join Italy and Brazil as the only countries to win back-to-back World Cups, but bettors will be interested to know there hasn’t been a repeat winner in the tournament since the 1962 World Cup.
Iceland and Panama will both be making their World Cup debuts and are considered extreme long shots to win the tournament. In addition to Germany and Brazil, the top of the World Cup oddsboard is filled with the usual soccer powerhouses, such as France, Spain and Argentina. Each of those nations has previously won a World Cup, with Spain’s win in 2010 being the most recent of the three.
betting on the home team
The Russians will be looking to take full advantage of playing at home and will attempt to become the seventh host nation to win a World Cup. France is the most recent to accomplish the feat, in 1998. Oddsmakers originally opened Russia at +3300 to win the tournament, but they had a bit of luck in the World Cup group draw and landed in a group with Uruguay, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. They opened with +120 odds to win the group — second-best to Uruguay at EVEN.
player prop bets
Aside from futures and game betting, World Cup bettors will also be wagering on individual player prop bets including the Golden Ball for best player and Golden Boot for top goal scorer, awards that are handed out post-tournament. Lionel Messi of Argentina captured the Golden Ball in 2014 while James Rodriguez of Colombia won the Golden Boot in that tournament after scoring six goals.
OddsShark will have up-to-date World Cup odds for every single game and prop bets prior to and during the tournament, so be sure to check in often and follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-second updates!
