The 2014 World Cup has generated more buzz in the United States than any other Cup in recent memory. The game of soccer (or internationally football) always takes the world stage, but the success of the United States team has given it a foothold (pardon the pun) in the hearts of Americans. Yanks have even found victory in defeat – even with a 1-0 loss to Germany in Group G the U.S. side still scored enough points in their block to advance to the round of 16. Some will even note the irony that three time German World Cup competitor Jürgen Klinsmann is the head coach for the U.S. A win over Ghana and a draw with Portugal were enough to propel the U.S. forward, but in the ever more competitive field of 16 the odds against American success only increase. Having gotten this far was a coup, but the latest odds place them a whopping +7600 against the field to win the Cup, who garner an even larger -14200 in their favor. Put simply the sports books are just DARING you to drop a dime on this team. If you’re an American and want to feel better about this “slim to none” predicament keep in mind four countries are even LONGER in the odds: Greece is +10700 against -20400, Switzerland is +12300 against -23600, Nigeria is +20300 against -40600 and the “you must be insane” bet goes to Algeria at a staggering +28900 with the field -57800. Even though it’s hard to imagine the scenario where betting the dog on Algeria pays, it would be tantamount to hitting the lottery on even a small wager. Let’s get back to the individual games and away from the field though so that we can see the trees as well as the forest. In Saturday’s action Brazil is a slight favorite (-185) against Chile (+558) on the money line, though the unpredictable nature of football outcomes makes the draw an interesting play at +359. You’re bound to see more of those bets paying off going forward as the field narrows and the competition gets even tougher. If you include extra time and shootouts, Brazil is -395 and Chile is +323, so that also bares consideration. That sets us up for the noon game, but at 4 o’clock there’s another battle brewing between rivals Uruguay and Colombia. Though they are far apart in South America, they are pretty close in the odds, as Colombia is a slim -101 favorite against Uruguay at +330, with the possibility of a draw at +252 on the money line. Factoring in extra time and shootouts, the odds stretch out a little bit in Colombia’s favor to -210, with Uruguay hanging in there at +175. Uruguay is just over halfway back in the pack of teams hunting for the Cup at +4600 to -8200 for the field, so my feeling is the favorite makes more sense unless you’re feeling really frisky. Be sure to check out the prop bets and options when you look at the field, and stay tuned for another preview once the field is whittled down to 8. Will the U.S. still be in it then? Time and a few good headers will tell. Please remember to wager responsibly.
