Go for the goal!
Numerous ways to Score in remaining Cup matches
LAS VEGAS — Following a whirlwind three weeks of action, the 2018 FIFA World Cup is slowly grinding to a halt with the semifinals Tuesday and Wednesday, the third-place consolation game on Saturday and the big final on Sunday.
However, that doesn’t mean the options to make money are dwindling. In fact, major New Jersey bookmakers William Hill (Monmouth Park and Ocean Resort Casino), MGM (Borgata) and FanDuel (opening at Meadowlands Racetrack on Saturday) will have expansive betting menus over the coming days — in particular with Sunday’s final in mind — so make sure to ask your ticket writer at the counter for more information and get all the options available to make money.
Now get to studying, because smart players can score smart victories in the coming days that go beyond picking which team will win and how many goals will be scored.
VSiN contributor Nigel Seeley offers his best bets for Tuesday’s BelgiumFrance clash on Page 38. As he points out, both teams are stacked with offensive weapons and sometimes lack defense, so look to goal-oriented props when stepping up to the window.
One specific example to consider is “Total Team Goals” at the Borgata. Both Belgium and France had their goal lines set at 1¹/2 with positive prices (+164 and +130 respectively), which could help you add to your tally if it’s as offensive as expected. William Hill has released its odds on specific players to score. Set your sights on betting superstars Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku (+180) and France’s Antoine Griezmann (+195) to continue adding to their impressive goal tallies in the tournament.
Wednesday’s clash feels as if it will be more defensive in nature, with England and Croatia averaging less than a goal allowed per game at the tournament. With the Over/ Under set at 2¹/2, Under is a wager worth considering. Another bet that MGM offers is specific teams “winning to nil” (England +227, Croatia +357). Other options to investigate include “Will each half go over 1¹/2 goals?” and “Will there be a penalty shootout?” Both have been profitable with regard to these teams during the knockout rounds.
Looking ahead, the thirdplace game has featured at least three goals in each version of the match dating back to the 1978 World Cup, with both teams scoring at least one goal eight times in that 10-tournament stretch. With little more than pride at stake, this will be a game that is more free-flowing than what we have seen.
One wrinkle to consider: If Belgium or England (or both) are involved in this matchup, Belgium’s Lukaku and England’s Harry Kane are within reach of winning the Golden Boot — awarded to the player with the most goals scored in the tournament — so their teammates could try to help them add to their totals so they can leave Russia with an award if they can’t take home the World Cup trophy itself.
Sunday’s final has the makings to be a battle for the ages no matter which teams are involved. Each team features players who compete against one another during their club season, and each nation has history as they all hail from Europe and have played each other as well as common opponents through the years. That leaves even more opportunities to be informed ahead of making any wagers.
This World Cup has featured plenty of unexpected results, but this last week should reward those that put in the work.