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Soccer’s World Cup Betting Records
by John Coates
Sports betting will reach a new level worldwide in a frenzy of interest in the climax to the world’s most popular sport. Record betting turnovers (usually estimated to be broken at the Superbowl) will be recorded as billions of potential gamblers watch the action live on television from Japan and South Korea. From well before the moment on May 31, when France runs out on the pitch to meet Senegal in the traditional opening match featuring the holders, until the climax of the Final at Yokohama on June 30, punters worldwide will be selecting from an array of betting propositions.
Many of these propositions will be put forward by international sportsbooks operating from countries like the U.K. where betting is legal and regulated. The Internet has allowed these sportsbooks to gain a worldwide customer base. While the interest in soccer is worldwide, the betting that appeals to customers in different countries can be quite distinct.
In particular, traditional U.S. bets are on a match-up basis while in Europe there will be a much greater emphasis on betting propositions with more than two possible outcomes. This is even reflected in the sport itself. U.S. sport, even soccer in the MLS (Major League Soccer), will have overtime until there is a result. Outside the U.S., the match will finish after ninety minutes and a bit of injury time; if the result at that time is a draw (over 25 percent of soccer matches will end in a tie), then the points for the game will be shared. It is only in knockout competitions that a game will continue until there is a result, sometimes ending with a sudden-death penalty shoot-out.
The World Cup is a knockout competition. However the first forty-eight matches will be in a group format. In these games, the result will stand after regulation time, draw or not. It is only the last sixteen games that will go into overtime if the scores are level after ninety minutes. Even in these games, most of the bets laid to customers outside the U.S. will be on the basis of the result at ninety minutes. Customers of international sportsbooks need to be aware of the terms of the bet they are making.
The majority of soccer bets in the U.K. are on the three-way market on the ninety minutes result. However, other more exotic markets have become established offering the opportunity to win large sums for a small stake. Correct score, halftime/fulltime, first goal scorer and last goal scorer bets need no explanation. The scorecast is a combination bet—you pick the player to score the first goal and the correct score in the match. Payouts of 500/1 or bigger are often made on these bets and attract a host of small staking punters hoping for a big win.
However, 50 percent of the worldwide sportsbetting market comes from customers based in the U.S., and international sportsbooks are gearing themselves up to meet the demand from this source with bets that will appeal to the American market. For example: Bet365USA is offering a range of match-up type bets on MLS, and will be offering them on the World Cup too. Under/over goals, total goals, time of first goal, team to score first, match to (or not to) go into overtime, winner if it does—these markets will be offered at standard juice together with the straight match betting and futures books.
There are signs of customers crossing over between the two markets—under/over goals is increasingly popular outside the U.S.A., and American players have been known to dabble in bets designed for the U.K. The successful sportsbook will offer the widest range of bets possible, while allowing the traditional customer to have his standard bet quickly and easily. Most important of all, “it is a thousand pounds to a carrot,” as one of my customers used to say, that every winning World Cup bet placed with a U.K. based bookmaker will be honoured.
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