How to Bet on the 2026 World Cup: The Ultimate US Bettor’s Strategy Guide

Updated: February 13, 2026 at 5:08 pm EST

How to bet on the 2026 World Cup. — The World Cup trophy sits on a podium during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Credit: Amber Searls / Imagn Images

The World Cup is coming to the United States this summer, and it will be bringing myriad of betting opportunities with it.

Whether you’re a veteran soccer bettor or getting into it thanks to the world’s largest sporting event now gracing your screen, this guide has you covered.

Get the best strategies and better understand soccer betting as you explore how to bet on the 2026 World Cup.

Main World Cup Betting Markets

The main display for a soccer game on your favorite sports betting app will look a little different than most sports.

Typically, it will list three choices all in the moneyline market, with Team A, Draw, and Team B. But like other sports, you can still make spread, moneyline and total (over/under) bets on a soccer match.

Understanding Soccer Moneylines

Soccer betting apps will provide three-way moneylines, as draws are a common outcome. No other major American sport has anything similar in sports betting, as overtime or extra innings are played to decide every game, whether its in the regular season or playoffs.

And not only are draws incredibly common in regular-season soccer matches and through the group stages of the World Cup, but a draw can also factor into a bet for knockout games.

A typical moneyline bet in soccer is decided after 90 minutes + stoppage time. So, if the game goes to extra time or penalties, the draw bet wins, and your bet on Germany loses, even if they advance.

You can make a Draw No Bet wager, which takes a draw out of the equation. Your potential payout decreases, but if the game finishes in a draw, your original stake is returned as if it were a push.

Soccer Spread Betting

You can make spread bets on soccer, but in such a low-scoring game, they’re not nearly as common.

The goal line – or spread – typically comes in at 1.5, but in games that are expecting to be blowout could come in higher. The odds will then vary quite a bit, unlike a football or basketball spread where they’re generally somewhere between -105 and -115 on either side.

Over/Under (Totals) for Soccer

Betting the over/under on a soccer game is pretty straightforward. You pick whether or not the total number of goals will be over or under the number listed, let’s say 2.5.

The big difference, of course, is that the number is a lot lower than we’re used to seeing for a total bet in other sports. And because of that goal scarcity, the odds on either side could vary quite a bit.

Reading Soccer Odds

These markets and odds should look familiar for US bettors, as US sports betting apps are going to list them at -110, +100, +200, etc.

Global betting operators use decimal and fractional odds, however, and as you’re researching soccer odds, you might come across that.

Here are some examples of equivalents for American, decimal and fractional odds:

+100 = 2 = 1/1
-200 = 1.5 = 1/2
+200 = 3 = 2/1

World Cup 2026 Betting Markets & Opportunities

Outside of the typical match bets you can make during the World Cup, there’s plenty of other markets to choose from.

Futures Bets (Pre-Tournament Value)

Outright Winner: You can bet on who will win the World Cup right now. Spain is the pre-tournament favorite, followed by England, France, Argentina and Brazil, in some order depending on the sportsbook. If you’re looking for value, consider a team like Germany that’s paying as high much as +1200 despite having an incredibly strong squad, much of which plays together in the Bundesliga.
Golden Boot: This is the award given to the top goalscorer in the tournament, and at some sportsbooks it’s listed that way. But topping the list are Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane, superstars on teams that are favored to make deep runs.
Stage of Elimination: Place a bet on how far a team will advance in the tournament, whether that be getting grouped, advancing to the Round of 16, quarterfinals, etc.

Individual Match Bets (In-Tournament Action)

Same Game Parlays (SGP): Some of the most popular wagers in US sports betting are same-game parlays, and that will continue with World Cup betting. All the major operators, FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, theScore Bet, etc., have SGP builders to help you put together a series of bets within a single match. Always remember to pick correlated bets within your SGP for the best shot at success.
Prop Bets: Betting on World Cup props will be huge this summer. You can bet on player props like goals scored, shots on targets and fouls committed, as well as team props like total corners taken, cards issued, etc.

Essential World Cup Betting Strategy

Some betting strategies are universal across sports, while some are more specific to betting on the World Cup.

Line Shopping and Bankroll Management

These are general sports betting strategies, but for a month-long affair like the World Cup, are important to follow.

Making sure that you have multiple sportsbook accounts is crucial to finding the best World Cup odds. With all the variance mentioned above, whether it’s moneyline odds, player props or futures, you’ll want to check the odds for the bet you like between sportsbooks, because it’s very likely there will be differences that can make your more money.

Speaking of money, make sure to set a specific World Cup bankroll that will serve you through the month. Within that bankroll, make sure to set responsible unit sizes for props, futures, game picks, etc. and stick to it when making your bets.

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The Schedule & Heat Factor

The United States – especially when you add Canada and Mexico to it – is massive compared to what most of these players are used to traveling across during the season, so travel is going to be an issue.

Group stage matches are put into sensible regions, for the most part. But when the knockout rounds begin, traveling across the country, and multiple time zones, is going to be common.

It’s also going to be in the heart of summer, which brings the potential for severe heat at most venues. Playing in Miami in July is going to drain anyone.

All of this while still playing a packed schedule in a short amount of time is going to be a real factor for teams and players.

Understanding Group Stage Dynamics

Each team will play three games in the group stage, and each has its own dynamic.

Opening matches are massive for teams in the World Cup, as it not only sets a tone, it also goes a long way toward determining how a team has to approach the next two.

The third match could feature a team resting starters if they’ve already qualified, or you could have a team playing completely free – or deflated – if it’s already been eliminated. Spotting these opportunities could be profitable for bettors.

We are also entering a new era of the World Cup, as it has expanded to 48 teams. That has added a new round to the knockouts (Round of 32) and some differences in who can qualify out of the groups, so know the knockout scenarios before placing your bets.

Where to Legally Bet on the World Cup in the US

Online sports betting is legal in 33 US states, as well as Washington, D.C., while six others have retail sports betting.

Availability of sports betting apps varies by state, but FanDuel and DraftKings are available in the most states, with BetMGM and Caesars not far behind.

States that will host World Cup games and also have legal online sports betting are Massachusetts, Missouri, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

While you cannot use online sportsbooks in Georgia, Texas and California, which are also hosting, you can use prediction markets like Kalshi and Novig, as well as DFS apps like Underdog, Chalkboard, Betr and Dabble.

Best US Sportsbooks for World Cup

If you’re looking for the best app to bet on the World Cup, it will depend on what you’re looking for.

Best App for World Cup Market Variety: DraftKings

DraftKings has consistently been the best sports betting app when it comes to market variety and availability. Its World Cup selection was vast in the winter, months before the first game was set to kickoff.

Best App for Live Betting: bet365

The combination of speed and in-game platform at bet365 sets its apart form its competitors when it comes to live betting.

It’s also a sportsbook that can rival DraftKings in terms of markets offered, and typically has the most competitive odds among US sportsbooks.

If bet365 is not available in your state, I’d recommend Caesars Sportsbook for live betting, as it’s equally as quick as bet365.

Best App for World Cup Promotions/Boosts: FanDuel

FanDuel was offering a World Cup futures boost immediately following the World Cup Draw, and you can bet it will be on top of daily boosts and promotions when the actual games start being played.

Paul Costanzo

Evergreen Writer/Editor; Sportsbook Expert

With nearly two decades of experience in sports media, Paul Costanzo turned his professional attention to sports betting and online gambling in January of 2022. He's covered every angle of the industry since then, managing and creating content for PlayMichigan and The Sporting News, and now SBD.

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