This may be taking ‘my country, right or wrong’ a little too far. Patriotism is wonderful, but when it comes to betting on a Soccer match, you might want to step back and take a closer look at team USA.
World Cup Soccer action only takes place every four years, just like the Olympics. So anticipation is high when the games do finally roll around. National teams all over the world have been practicing for the next World Cup since the last one closed.
The USA is not a traditional world power in Soccer .but they are coming along quite nicely. Soccer, better known as football in most of the world, is the most popular sport on the planet. In many parts of the world, it’s practically the only sport there is. Watch the news on any Latin American TV station, all Soccer.
So team USA has once again qualified for the World Cup competitions which will take place this time down in Brazil in June. The great thing about the Cup this time around is that it will be happening in this hemisphere and the matches will be broadcast in the USA during the afternoon and early evening hours instead of at two in the morning like the last World Cup.
The convenient hours and the participation of the USA and Mexican national teams have led Las Vegas handicappers to speculate that books in Nevada and elsewhere will be enjoying the highest handle ever recorded on the World Cup.
Brazil (+200) and Argentina (+300) are listed as favorites, like always, with Germany (+400) and Spain (+600) close behind. The USA team is listed at +10000 which translates to 100-to1 odds in Las Vegas sportbooks. Most experts will tell you that the USA team does not offer much value, even at 100-to-1. Basically they have no shot to bring the World Cup trophy back to the United States.
However, this has not stopped American bettors from coming down heavily on the side of team USA. Why, well, it won’t be the first time that bettors have wagered with their hearts instead of their calculators.
Jeff Sherman of the LVH SuperBook told the press, “They’re betting the U.S. We have them at 100-to-1. They’re definitely the most popular team as far as ticket count, not the amount of money bet, but ticket count. They’re about 1.5 times what Germany has. It pretty much goes, U.S., Germany and Brazil as the order of what the public’s betting.”
