How to Bet On FIFA World Cup 2022

The Countdown to the World Cup has started and you are likely to have one question in your mind – how to bet on World Cup? In this piece we shall look at all you must know about World Cup betting and share important tips to bet on World Cup.  

At BettingTop10 we keep track of the best bookmakers for football in India based on reputation, business practices, and promotional offers. We have been keeping an eye on the best bookmakers for the FIFA World Cup. Here are the bookmakers you should bet with 👇

2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar would be the 22^nd edition of the quadrennial event. The tournament would feature 32 teams including hosts Qatar. This would be the last edition of the FIFA World Cup with 32 teams as the next edition would feature 48 teams. 31 teams would qualify from FIFA’s six confederations  

1. CAF (Confederation of African Football) 
2. AFC (Asian Football Confederation) 
3. UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)
4. CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) 
5. OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) 
6. CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) 

15 teams have already qualified including hosts Qatar and defending champions France. Other qualified teams include Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, Netherlands, South Korea, and Iran.  

The 32 teams would be divided into 8 groups of four teams each after the Draw in Doha, Qatar on 1^st April 2022. They would compete in a round-robin league format with the top two sides from each group advancing into Round of 16. The knockout games kick in from Round of 16 followed by Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Third Place Game, and the Final to crown the champions.  

• Group Stage – 20th November – 2nd December 2022
• Round of 16 – 3rd – 6th December 2022 Q
• Quarterfinals – 9th and 10th December 2022
• Semifinals – 13th and 14th December 2022
• Third-Place Game – 17th December 2022
• Final – 18th December 2022

Betting on outright markets would start as soon as we have names of the 32 teams in the World Cup, The sportsbooks would get activated allowing you to bet on World Cup. Certain sportsbooks are allowing bettors to wager on the sides that have already qualified for the tournament or are close to qualification. You will be able to bet on several markets months before the start of the event once the schedule is announced at the draw.  

If you are planning to bet on football for the first time or new to sports betting, here is a step-by-step guide to help you

• Choose a sportsbook based on availability in your region, promotional offers, deposit and withdrawal features, and coverage during FIFA World Cup. 
• Sign up with the bookmaker and claim the welcome bonus and other promotional offers
• Add funds to your account and chose the game and the markets you’d like to wager on
• Enjoy the rewards when you call it right. In case of loss, analyze the reasons behind the loss and don’t repeat the same mistakes in the future. 

We have already covered most of the things you need to know about how to bet on the World Cup and also discussed the strategies. If you love betting in football or looking to bet on this game for the first time, there is no bigger event than the World Cup. The best players across the world represent their countries with pride and battle it out in the middle for football’s most coveted trophy. Keep following our tips and predictions and we shall help you multiple your wagers.

Most Popular Markets

World Cup offers you the chance to bet on different markets during the game and the most popular ones include –  

• Markets of the Match: These are the markets one bets either before the game or during its course. In this kind of World Cup betting strategy, you will be betting on the outcome and different events during the game. There will be dozens of markets for each game depending on the bookmaker you choose. The most popular ones include:
   
• Double chance
• Fulltime/Halftime score 
• Draw no bet
• Over/Under
• Correct Score
• Asian Handicap 
• Teams to score 
• Goals Odd/Even
   
• Outright Market: This is the market where you are choosing the eventual winner of the tournament. You can wager in this market after the Draw where every team would be assigned an odd based on their strengths, the groups they are in, and recent form. The stakes here are low before the start of the event but they rise once the tournament progresses and it becomes easier to identify teams that are likely to qualify for the Round of 16. 
   
• Props Betting: Proposition betting or props bets is a different approach to betting. These are different from traditional betting where you are betting on the outcome or final scoreline of the game. These are also known as special bets as you wager on events that are likely to happen during a game (or may not happen). These don’t affect the outcome of the game. Some examples of props bet include:
   
• Player to score the first goal
• Player to score the last goal
• Player to score the most goals
• Matchups between players 
• Player to score a header
• Player to score a hattrick 

We have already covered the most popular betting markets in detail in one of our earlier guides on Football World Cup and you can refer to those.  

Most Popular Betting Types  

1X2 (Home, Draw, Away) – This is the simplest form of World Cup betting where you will bet on either of the two teams to win or a draw. Here the odds for the teams would be relative to their strengths and current form. The stronger team would have lesser odds and hence offers lower profits (but more chances of winning) while the underdogs would have higher odds.  

Draw No Bet – As the name suggests bookmakers remove Draw as an outcome in the games making it a two-way market where you are betting on either of the sides to win. Hence, if the side you bet on wins you earn your profits and in the case of a draw your stakes are returned. This is a safer option compared to 1×2 three-way betting.  

Double Chance – Here you have more chances of winning on your wager. You can bet on two of the three outcomes for every game. Thus you can bet on Home Team wins + Draw and Away Team Wins + draw.  

Handicap – This betting strategy is mostly used in the case of two unevenly matched teams. In most cases, you’d know the likely outcome of the game in terms of winners or losers. Hence, you bet on the actual scoreline of the game. You are likely to come across spreads like -1.5/+1.5. Bookmakers give underdogs a head start. If this is the handicap you are betting you can cash out if the underdog wins the game or loses by less than one goal. In case you bet on the favourite side they will have to win by more than one goal for you to cash out.  

Over/Under – This is another type of betting which is popular in football. Here sportsbook assign odds to certain number of goals during the game. If you foresee five goals being scored during the game, you must navigate to Over 4.5 goals in the Over/Under market. Five or more goals would result in a win for your bet while less than five goals would result in a loss.   

Outrights Betting – In these bets you are taking a long-term position and hence it is also known as Futures. For instance, if you bet on France as your outright winner you will have to wait till the final to know the outcome of the bet if France qualifies for the final. Similarly, you can bet on other outright markets such as Player of the Tournament, Top Goal Scorer, Golden Boot, Golden Glove, etc.  

If are looking to hit the jackpot during the World Cup, you should try your hand at Parlays or Accumulator Bets. They are also known as Combo bets these days. The idea here is to use the proceeds of one game and wager it in the next game or more. You can also place multiple wagers in the same game. If you call it right in all the games, you are in for a big cash out. However, this strategy has its risks as your cash out completely depends on a positive outcome in all the games.

Bettors employ this strategy when multiple games are being played in quick succession and wager once for all the games instead of wagering on them individually. As a betting strategy, you shouldn’t go beyond four games for Parlays as with every additional game your risk also increases exponentially. Let’s look at an example to understand Parlay betting where you are betting on the outcome of four game.

By wagering INR 10 on these games individually you’d theoretically earn you a profit of INR (20, 20, 30, 40) 110

However, calling it right in all the games in a parlay would see the odds rise exponentially and you make a INR 1200 for an INR 10 bet as profit.

Similarly, you can stake your money on both the teams in a parlay and the proceeds are higher when compared to betting on the two sides individually.

Odds sit at the heart of betting. These are set by the bookmakers, and they are meant to represent the ratio between the stake and winnings for any given outcome. There are three types of odds that are used by bookmakers  

1. American. These odds are represented in whole numbers with minus (-) or plus (+) signs in front of them. When the number represented is negative it means you must bet a corresponding amount to win INR 100 or in any other currency. Positive whole numbers represent the amount you will get betting INR For instance, if France is represented with an odd of -180 you will win INR 100 betting INR 180. In total, you get INR 280 (your stake +profit) 
2. Decimal. This is popular in India and most parts of Europe where the probability of an event is represented in decimal. For instance, if France is represented by odds of 3.50 you will win INR 350 betting INR This is the simplest of odds to understand where you multiple by the odds by the stake 
3. Fractional. These odds are represented in fractions. For example, a 3/1 odd would mean INR 30 profit on an INR 10 stake. On the other hand, a 1/3 would mean INR 33 win an INR 10 stake as profits. 

Odds Calculators

As we have already mentioned depending on the sportsbook you choose you will see American, Decimal, or Fractional odds. An odd calculator lets you convert any of these into your preferred odds format. Top bookmakers offer you an odds calculator, and you can also use ones freely available on the Internet 

Big tournaments are known for being unpredictable and this calls for a well-chalked out betting strategy. Seasoned bettors create tailored strategies for such events and you must work on your own. Here are some tips and strategies that you can follow –  

• Outright winner: Picking an outright winner before the Group stages is a blind wager. For instance, in the last three editions, we have seen the defending champions (Italy, 2010), (Spain, 2014), (Germany, 2018) crash out in the 1^st round! Past form and reputation count little and hence you must watch early group games to bet on outright winners. 
• Dark Horses: Every edition of the World Cup throws its surprises where teams punch above their weight. We have seen this in the last few editions Ukraine (2006), Colombia (2014), Mexico (2018). Though these teams may not win the World Cup their performance is enough to throw bigger teams out of the tournament. Watch out for the dark horses during the event. 
• Manage Your Finance: World Cup is a long event and hence you need to manage your finances carefully. Don’t wager all you have in one go and be prepared to lose your Plan out the number of games you’d bet on and set aside funds for each game. You need to spread your risk and be able to enjoy betting throughout the event. 
• Promotions and Bonuses: FIFA World Cup is the biggest event on the football calendar. Bookmakers attract bettors with bonuses and other promotional offers. Keep track of these across multiple bookmakers and take advantage of them. 
• Recent form: Do your research on how many games the side has won recently, the number of goals they have scored, and the number concede This would give you a fair idea about the side’s form and help you make informed bets. 
• Head-to-head: It is important to look at the head-to-head record between different teams. Football is as much a game of skills as it is a mental game. Sides that have dominated over opponents enjoy confidence while those with poor records can suffer a mental block. Though it is an important stat to keep in mind, it shouldn’t override other important factors such as team form, player availability, etc.  
• Possession: Ball possession is an important stat that you must take note of during the game. Good teams and those in form can accurately pass the ball or take the ball from their opponents. Teams that have higher ball possession have greater odds of winning games.

Live betting or in-play betting involves wagering on a live game. This requires skills as you have to bet on players and events based on the form they are displaying on the pitch. Depending on the bookmaker you choose you will have access to different live betting markets. Odds change fast and many of the markets can be suspended depending on the situation of the game hence it requires you to stay invested in the live action.  

Other Features 

• Fast Cashout: In live betting, you can cash out a portion of your winning proceeds before the end of the game. 
• Live Streaming: Top bookmakers stream these games on their websites and apps and this allows you to keep track of the action on your betting screen. 
• Parlays: We have already covered parlays and live betting is the ideal opportunity for you to try parlays or accumulator bets.  

Stats play a very important role when it comes to betting in football. Past performances would give you a fair share of idea on the teams that are likely to progress in the tournament. Here are some interesting stats that you must keep in mind when you are betting during the World Cup.  

• 0 number of teams from CAF, AFC, CONCACAF, or OFC has ever won the title All 21 titles have been won by teams from Europe and South America. 
• 1 European team has reached the final in 19 out of the 21 editions. 1930 (Uruguay vs Argentina) and 1950 (Uruguay vs Brazil) are the only exceptions 
• 5 title wins makes Brazil the most successful team in the history of the event. They won it in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002
• 21 appearances for Brazil is the maximum for any side in the World Cup. They are the only team to have played in all editions. 
• 13 appearances for Germany in semifinals makes them the most consistent side in the history of the tournament 
• 13 goals by Just Fontaine of France in 1958 is the record number of goals scored by a player in a single tournament 
• Brazil and Italy are the only sides to have won back-to-back titles. Italy won in 1934 and 1938 while Brazil won in 1958 and 1962
• 6 hosts have won the World Cup. These include Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), England (1966), West Germany (1974), Argentina (1978) and France (1998)
• Host nations barring South Africa (2010) have always made it to the second round of the tournament 
• 11 seconds is the record for the fast goal ever at the event. Turkey’s Hakan Sukur in the 3^rd place playoffs against South Korea in 2002 World Cup.

Betting on underdogs is exciting as underdogs generally have higher odds and offer you the chance of multiplying your stakes. Take example of Sweden who finished 3^rd in the 1994 World Cup or Croatia who were finalists in the last edition in Russia not losing a single game till the final. These teams punched above their weight at the event. However, you shouldn’t get swayed by the potential returns on investments as the chances of underdogs upsetting the favourite side is low and hence the higher odds assigned to them.

In this edition Switzerland and South Korea would be the dark horses you need to watch out for. Both teams have shown promise in the lead up to the event.   However, you shouldn’t completely turn your attention away from the underdogs as they promise you greater rewards. Placing bets on underdogs and the favourites at the same time is a good strategy as it can mitigate your risks and cut down on losses when there is a major upset in the tournament.

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

Group H