Football World Cup Chance to win $5 million
It may help to be a football buff but lack of sporting knowledge is hardly a barrier to entry — the TAB is offering $5 million to anyone who can correctly pick the winner of all 64 matches in the Fifa World Cup.
The TAB’s World Cup tipping competition is on again from today after a successful run in 2014, and follows the $1m prize on offer for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which 50,000 people entered.
“You don’t get many free tickets in a $5m raffle, last time I checked,” the TAB’s Mark Stafford said. “It’s free, just have a crack.”
In 2014, the Netherlands’ early 5-1 demolition over Spain saw the majority of hopefuls fall out of the competition before the fourth game. No one lasted longer than a week.
However, the 2018 competition will be different as it will reward the top 500 tipsters with a $100 account top up.
“In the past it was deemed the best was whoever survived the longest.
I challenge anyone to go into this competition and watch the first game and not be energised by watching who you’ve picked. Mark Stafford
But you might get that person who picked the first 12 but then the rest of the tournament they went really average.
“Now, we’ll look at the whole thing and saw these 500 were the top 500 across the whole tourney.”
Hopefuls don’t need a TAB account to enter the competition, but will need to open one if they are among the top 500 to get their winnings.
As well as the added prizes, entrants will be able to create groups and track how their mates are going, as well as track their own progress on the overall leaderboard. “It’s quite a good banter creator,” Stafford said.
In competitions such as this, it’s natural for entrants to try to pick the upset. However, with three options in a football game — at least in the round robin stages — it can be a bit tougher.
“If it’s a draw, it gets rid of a few people. If the underdog wins, it gets rid of a lot.
“People try to pick the upset, but you don’t have to think like that, because natural attrition will get rid of everyone anyway. So absolutely pick what you think will happen — not what might happen.
“I challenge anyone to go into this competition and watch the first game and not be energised by watching who you’ve picked.”
The Fifa World Cup kicks off on June 14.