How to Bet 2026 World Cup: Common Markets Explained

As the 2026 World Cup draws close, bettors can begin to find soccer odds for the tournament and individual matches. 

Save for a few extra offerings, the markets for World Cup matches will be the same as international leagues. 

For those new to soccer betting, the wide-ranging markets may prove overwhelming. While generally self-explanatory, some markets feature unique rules bettors will want to understand. 

Here’s a breakdown of how to bet on soccer for the World Cup.

Soccer Betting Explained: Common World Cup Markets

Moneyline: Three-Way Moneyline & Two-Way Moneyline

The most common method for betting on soccer is the moneyline. Here, bettors simply pick a team to win the match, featuring varying prices. 

Unique to soccer compared to other American sports is the three-way moneyline. In this instance, bettors pick between Team A, Team B and the Draw moneylines. 

Here’s an example from Team USA’s opening group match against Paraguay:

If the United States wins, its moneyline will grade out as the winner. The same would happen if Paraguay wins the match. 

However, if the teams are level at the end, the draw moneyline would grade out as the winner. 

The two-way moneyline – more commonly referred to as Draw, No Bet – removes the draw moneyline from the equation. 

Bettors see less risk in this situation as it removes a possible outcome. If the game ends level, all players see their bet graded as a push and their stake returned. 

However, this option simultaneously sees prices change. Playing the favorite – in this case, the US – would require bettors to lay more juice. 

In conjunction, Paraguay’s moneyline would see a decline in the payout compared. 

An underdog priced around +300 on the three-way moneyline would be priced around +200 on the two-way moneyline. 

Comparatively, a team priced around +100 on the three-way moneyline would rise to -200 on the draw, no bet line. 

Over/Under: Total Number of Match Goals

The over/under in soccer betting works exactly the same as totals in the NFL, NBA or MLB. 

Oddsmakers post a line for the match, with bettors deciding if the match finishes over or under that total. The key difference? Totals in soccer betting are relatively small. 

In the World Cup, most matches will see a 2.5-goal total. Generally, different matches will feature different prices for the over depending on how large oddsmakers price the favorite. 

Take the match between the Netherlands and Japan as an example:

In this match, oddsmakers price the Netherlands as a -115 favorite on the three-way moneyline. The total is set at 2.5 goals with a -118 price attached to the over. 

Then evaluate the match between Belgium and Egypt:

Oddsmakers price Belgium as a -185 favorite for the match. Accordingly, the price on over 2.5 goals rises to -140. 

Matches featuring larger favorites will see a higher total. On Matchday 1, Spain is a -1200 favorite against Cape Verde with the over/under set at 3.5 goals.

Germany qualifies as the biggest favorite on the odds board (-10000 vs. Curacao) with the over/under set at 4.5 goals for the match. 

World Cup totals north of 3.5 are quite rare, save for these projected lopsided matches. In general, teams tend to play not to lose at tournaments, so goals usually take a step back. 

Once the knockout round arrives, bettors will usually see 2.5-goal totals across the board. In rare cases, bettors might see a 1.5-goal total if both teams deploy strong defenses. 

Match Props: Both Teams to Score, Double Chance & More

These match prop markets are, amongst other offerings, unique to soccer betting. Here’s a breakdown of the common match props bettors will usually find:

• Both Teams to Score – “Yes” or “No”: In this market, bettors decide whether both teams will score a goal in the match. If players believe either one or both teams fail to score in a fixture, one would take the “no” side of the market. 

• Double Chance: Players get three options to choose from in this market: Team A or Draw, Team B or Draw, Team A or Team B. This prop market can prove a safer option for bettors looking to take a sizable underdog, as it wins if the underdog wins OR draws the match. For example, Jordan is a +625 underdog on the three-way moneyline compared to +220 to win OR draw against Austria in the group stage. 

• First Team to Score: Exactly as straightforward as it sounds, with a catch. In this prop market, players decide between Team A, Team B or No Goal. The final option only cashes in the event the match finishes 0-0. The moneyline favorite will always be favored to score first in the match.  

• Half With Most Goals: Like “First Team to Score,” this match prop is fairly self-explanatory. Bettors decide whether the first half or second half will feature the most goals. A third option exists as well: “equal number of happenings.” Oddsmakers always price this market as the largest underdog of the three options, with the second half generally “favored” to see the most goals. 
• Half-Time/Full-Time: This match prop is the lone index market of the bunch with nine options for bettors. In this prop, bettors select the outcome at the end of the first half and the end of the second half. Here’s an example of the market breakdown for the aforementioned USA vs. Paraguay match:

Spread Betting in Soccer

Like American leagues, soccer betting will also feature a spread betting option. This market will commonly be referred to as the goal line or a match handicap. 

As the underdog’s moneyline rises, so does their correlated goal-line price. Teams priced under +199 on the three-way moneyline will be a PK on the goal line. 

Teams priced at +349 or shorter will generally be listed as a half-goal underdog, with varying prices depending on the actual moneyline. 

The goal-line will move exponentially from there as the team’s moneyline price rises. 

A +1200 underdog on the three-way moneyline will be a +2.5-goal underdog, while a +3000 underdog will be priced as a +3.5-goal underdog. 

For these markets, bettors decide whether the favorite covers the goal line or the underdog stays within the listed benchmark. 

Like the over/under, these markets will see fluctuating prices that work in conjunction with the moneyline. 

Soccer Futures Betting

At the World Cup, futures betting offers an alternative to betting on individual matches. 

The main futures market available to bettors is to pick the tournament winner. Bettors can select a team and win their bet if that team lifts the trophy at the tournament’s conclusion. 

Another futures offering for bettors is the winner(s) of each group. With the World Cup expanding to 48 teams this year, there are 12 groups featuring four teams each. 

Here, bets are graded at the conclusion of the group stage. Whichever team earns the most points over three group matches wins the group. Goal differential is used as the first tiebreaker. 

The last team futures market available to bettors is the “Stage of Elimination” for a team. Like the half-time/full-time prop market, this index market features seven options. 

Here’s an example for Team USA:

Soccer Betting FAQ’s

Does Extra Time Count for My Bets? 

In a word: no. However, exceptions to this rule can exist. 

All of the aforementioned markets are settled at the end of 90 minutes plus injury time. Any match events occurring during extra time have no impact on your bets. 

Let’s say a match is tied 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes plus injury time in a tournament knockout round. Then, one team scores two goals in AET to win 3-1. 

Under 2.5 goals, and the draw moneyline would still be graded as the winners for the main markets. 

Players taking over 2.5 goals and the corresponding moneyline would not see a change in result. The same is true for same game parlays or cross-match parlays. 

One instance where extra time impacts grading is the “to advance” market. Come the World Cup knockout rounds, oddsmakers will offer a market on which team reaches the next round. 

This market is graded at the match’s conclusion, be it regular time, AET or penalty kicks. If a match reaches PK’s, whichever team wins the shootout is graded as the winner in “to advance.”