Australia 2018 World Cup Odds

From 1966 through 2002, Australia’s national soccer team qualified for the World Cup only once, getting eliminated in the group stage in 1974 without recording a single goal. Since 2006, however, the “Socceroos” have participated in every FIFA World Cup tournament, and their inclusion in the 2018 World Cup in Russia will mark their fourth straight appearance in the event.

Australia earned its best World Cup result in 2006, the only time it ever advanced out of the group stage, before being eliminated in the Round of 16. The football team’s worst performance came in 2014 as Australia lost all three of its group stage matches in a disappointing 0-0-3 showing.

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Australia’s Odds to Win World Cup: +30000

Australia sits near the bottom of the World Cup betting board, heading into this year’s tournament as a +30000 underdog to win the World Cup. These are the same odds being given to Costa Rica as the two teams sit ahead of only six teams and behind 24 in their chances of winning the tournament.

One of the contributing factors to Australia sitting ahead of teams like Iran and Morocco on the board is its group draw. While Group C does feature a France team that currently sits as the fourth favorite to win the World Cup at +650, neither Denmark (+8000) nor Peru (+20000) is a major threat.

Australia’s Odds to Win Group C: +2200

Denmark and Peru may not be considered major threats to win the World Cup, but both are going off at far better odds to win Group C than Australia. Australia is the group’s clear long shot to win at +2200 behind Peru at +1000, Denmark at +450 and the group’s big favorite of France at -325.

Australia is a +325 underdog to advance out of the group stage for the second time in team history. A successful wager on Australia to be eliminated in the group stage in this year’s tournament would pay -550.

Australia’s Best World Cup Bets

Australia will, in all likelihood, lose its matches in group play against France and Denmark. The odds project as much with Australia going off as a massive +1500 underdog against France (-475 to win, +500 to draw) and a +425 underdog against Denmark (-140 to win, +265 to draw). Things get interesting, however, in Australia’s first-round matchup against Peru.

There may be some value in Australia as a +220 underdog against Peru (+115 to win, +215 to draw). In a crushing blow to a Peru team making its first World Cup appearance since 1982, team captain and top goalscorer Paolo Guerrero was suspended and ruled ineligible for World Cup play after testing positive for a banned substance last October.

With Guerrero out, this becomes a much more winnable game for Australia. After being shut out from earning a single point in 2014, Australia should be hungry for a favorable result in 2018 and this could be their best chance at one. The same could be said for Peru, of course, but at +220 and with far more recent experience on this stage, the value is in the Australian side.

Australia’s Players to Watch: Tim Cahill, Mile Jedinak

In what will likely be his final World Cup, the 38-year-old veteran Tim Cahill will try to go out with a bang in this year’s tournament. Cahill is the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 50 goals, many of those coming off of his signature header which stems from excellent timing and vertical leap. Through 22 qualifying matches leading up to this year’s World Cup, Cahill led the team with 11 goals.

Mile Jedinak wasn’t far behind over those 22 matches with 10 goals. The defending midfielder serves as the team captain and appears to be shaking his reputation as a defense-first midfielder with his recent scoring run for the national team.

Australia’s Road to Russia

The road to Russia was a tumultuous one for this year’s Australia squad. After breezing through the second round of the Asian Football Confederation World Cup qualifiers with a 7-0-1 record, Australia narrowly made its way into a playoff with a third-place finish with a 5-4-1 record in its group in the third round.

Australia won its playoff against Syria with an aggregate score of 3-2 to earn a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs against Honduras. There, Australia won with an aggregate score of 3-1, punching its ticket to Russia with a long path of 22 qualifying matches.

The national football team scheduled only two friendlies before June in 2018. Those didn’t spark much confidence as Australia lost 4-1 against Norway and played to a 0-0 draw against Colombia.

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