New to World Cup Betting? Here's How to Get Started in 2026

How to Bet on the World Cup 2026
A Beginner's Guide to the Biggest Sporting Event on the Planet

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is going to be unlike anything that's been staged before. Forty-eight teams. Three host countries. Sixteen cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. A hundred and four matches crammed into 39 days of football that will consume the entire planet from June 11 to July 19. If you've never bet on a World Cup before, or never bet on anything at all, this is the tournament that's going to bring millions of first-time bettors off the sidelines. The sheer scale of it almost demands it.

Sports-King has covered sports betting for a long time, and the World Cup is the event that consistently brings in the most new bettors. People who don't normally look twice at a betting site suddenly want a small stake in the game when their country is playing on the world stage. It makes every match feel a bit different when there's something on it, even if it's a small amount. So this guide is for anyone who has never placed a bet, or has bet on other sports and just hasn't tackled the World Cup yet. By the end of it, you'll know how the tournament works, what the main bet types are, who the favourites are, and how to actually place a bet.

The Basics - What You Need to Know About the 2026 World Cup

This is the first World Cup in history to feature 48 teams, up from 32 at Qatar 2022. That expansion changes everything about how the tournament works.

The 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four. Each team plays three group stage matches. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout rounds, along with the eight best third-place finishers. That means 32 of the 48 teams make it out of the group stage, which is a much more forgiving setup than previous World Cups. Once the knockout rounds start, it's single elimination all the way to the final. Win or go home.

The draw was held on December 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Almost all groups are now known, with six spots being decided through playoffs in March 2026. The three host nations - USA, Canada and Mexico - each play their group stage matches entirely within their own borders, which is a useful logistical detail for fans planning to attend.

Key dates:

- June 11 - Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
- June 12 - Canada's opener at BMO Field in Toronto. USA's opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles
- July 4-5 - Round of 32 begins
- July 11-12 - Quarter-finals
- July 15 - Semi-finals
- July 19 - The Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey

That's 39 days with only five rest days across the entire tournament. For bettors, it means there's almost always a match on. Some days will have four or five games running simultaneously.

You Need a Betting Account

You can't bet on the World Cup without an account at a bookmaker or sportsbook. Bet365 is one of the largest and most established online betting platforms in the world. They operate in dozens of countries, their football coverage is as deep as you'll find anywhere, and they typically offer an extensive range of World Cup markets - from outright winner all the way down to individual player props for every match.

Bet365 also offers live streaming and in-play betting, which for a tournament like the World Cup is a genuinely useful feature. Matches can be watched live through the app or website (depending on region) and bets placed while the game is happening. If a team goes a man down in the 30th minute, the in-play markets react in real time. More on that later.

To get started, visit Bet365, create an account, deposit funds, and you're ready to go. New customers may be eligible for a welcome offer depending on location - check the Bet365 website for the latest promotions available in your country. The sign-up process takes a few minutes and includes identity verification, which is standard across all regulated bookmakers.

Who Are the Favourites?

The 2026 outright winner market is one of the more interesting in recent World Cup history. The expansion to 48 teams means more variance, more potential upsets, and more value scattered across the longer-priced contenders.

As of early 2026, here's how the top of the outright winner market looks:

Source: Bet365
Time Stamp: February 17th, 2026 12:41 pm EST
Odds Subject to Change

Spain +400 - The betting favourite. Currently top of the FIFA rankings with a young squad. Spain won the 2010 World Cup but were eliminated in the round of 16 at each of the last three tournaments, so the pressure is on to deliver. They're in Group H with Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, and one of Denmark/Czech Republic/Ireland/North Macedonia (pending playoff).

England +600 - Often described as one of the dangerous sides under Thomas Tuchel. They're in Group L with Ghana and two more opponents to be confirmed. England reached the semi-finals in 2018, the quarter-finals in 2022, and the final of the last two Euros. Whether they can win a knockout tournament is the question that has haunted English football for decades.

France +700 - Runners-up in 2022 and winners in 2018. France have been to the latter rounds of every recent World Cup. The depth of their squad is significant - the kind of side that can lose a key midfielder to injury and replace him with someone who'd start for almost any other nation.

Brazil +800 - Five-time winners. Their qualifying campaign hasn't been the most convincing and there are real questions about this squad compared to past Brazil sides. But it's Brazil. The attacking talent is always there.

Argentina +1000 - Defending champions. Older squad now, but the spine of the 2022 team is largely intact. Group C with Croatia, Cameroon, and Iran is winnable but contains pitfalls.

These prices come from Bet365 in February 2026 and will move significantly between now and kickoff in June. Always check the current odds at the time you place a bet, since the markets shift on news, injuries, friendlies, and money flow.

Bet Types for Beginners

There are dozens of ways to bet on a football match. For beginners, three or four bet types cover most needs. The exotic stuff can come later.

Match Result (1X2) - The simplest football bet. You back one of three outcomes: home team wins (1), draw (X), or away team wins (2). That's it. Match result betting is where most beginners start.

Over/Under Goals - Bet on the total number of goals in the match. The most common line is Over/Under 2.5, meaning the total will be three or more (Over) or two or fewer (Under). Easy to follow and you don't need to pick a winner.

Both Teams to Score (BTTS) - Yes or No. Will both teams score at least one goal? That's the bet. Popular because it stays alive even if the team you'd normally back is losing.

Goalscorer Markets - Bet on which player will score. "Anytime goalscorer" means your player just needs to score at any point during the match. "First goalscorer" pays more but is harder to hit.

Accumulator / Parlay - Combine multiple bets into one. All selections need to win for the bet to pay out. A four-match acca picking the result of four different group stage games can turn a small stake into a much bigger return because the odds multiply together. The risk is that one wrong pick kills the entire bet. They are high risk, high reward, and extremely popular during the World Cup when there are multiple games in a single day.

Asian Handicap - More advanced, but worth understanding. The bookmaker gives one team a hypothetical head start (or deficit) to level the playing field. So if Brazil are -1.5 against a weaker team, Brazil need to win by two or more goals for the bet to win. If you back the underdog at +1.5, they can lose by a single goal and the bet still pays out. Asian handicaps eliminate the draw, which means you're always betting on one of two outcomes.

How to Actually Place a Bet

This is the part nobody ever explains, and it stops a lot of first-time bettors before they even start.

Once your Bet365 account is open and funded, head to the Football (or Soccer, depending on region) section. During the World Cup, it'll be the most prominent thing on the site - no need to dig for it.

Click into the match you want to bet on. You'll see the available markets - match result, over/under goals, both teams to score, goalscorer markets, and dozens more. Click on the odds next to the selection you want and it'll be added to your bet slip (usually on the right side of the screen, or at the bottom on mobile). Enter your stake - that's how much you want to bet. The bet slip will show the potential return. Review it, make sure everything looks right, and hit "Place Bet." That's it.

To build an accumulator, just keep clicking on selections from different matches. They'll stack up in the bet slip and the odds will multiply automatically. The potential payout updates in real time as legs are added.

For in-play betting - which is where a lot of the World Cup action happens - just click into a live match. The odds update constantly based on what's happening on the pitch. Bets can be placed on the next goal, the final score, the number of corners, even things like the next throw-in. It's fast and it's high-engagement, so set limits before diving in.

The Groups at a Glance

Here's a quick look at the groups that matter most from a betting perspective.

Group D - USA, Colombia, New Zealand, UEFA Playoff - The USA play all three matches on home soil (SoFi Stadium and Seattle). Colombia are a serious team and will make this a genuine contest. This group is worth watching because of the home crowd factor and its potential to produce upsets.

Group F - Brazil, Germany, Serbia, Intercontinental Playoff - The group of death. Two former winners in the same group is brutal. One of Brazil or Germany could genuinely be eliminated before the knockout rounds, which would be a seismic result.

Group L - England, Ghana, two TBD - England should progress but they have a habit of making things harder than they need to be. Ghana will be physical and direct. The unknowns from the remaining playoff spots add an element of uncertainty.

Group H - Spain, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, UEFA Playoff - Spain should advance, but Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in the 2022 group stage. Anything is possible at a World Cup.

Tips for First-Time World Cup Bettors

Set a budget for the tournament and stick to it. Thirty-nine days of football is a long time. Spending a bankroll in the group stage means watching the knockout rounds with nothing on the line, and that's when the most meaningful matches happen. Pace yourself.

Group stage draws are statistically common. Around 30% of World Cup group matches end in a draw. The odds on draws are typically in the +200 to +350 range (roughly 3.00 to 4.50 in decimal). Two evenly matched sides grinding out a 1-1 in their first group game is one of the more frequent results in World Cup history.

You don't need to bet on every match. There are 104 games. Pick the matches you've actually thought about, where you have a genuine read. Some early group stage games between smaller nations have very limited public data to work with - it's fine to skip those.

In-play betting can be useful when you've actually been watching. A goalless first half doesn't always mean the game stays goalless. Teams often come out more aggressively after halftime, especially in group games where they need a result. The in-play odds at halftime can be informative if you've been watching the match closely.

Consider the time zones. With matches spread across three countries and four time zones, kickoff times will vary dramatically. West Coast USA games will kick off late for European viewers. Mexico City games will hit at different times than Toronto games.

Why Bet365 for the World Cup

Bet365 is a solid choice for major football tournaments for a few reasons. The depth of their World Cup markets is comprehensive - match results and goalscorers, plus corner counts, booking points, half-time results, exact score, team props, player props, and tournament specials.

Their in-play betting platform updates rapidly, which matters when getting a bet on while a game is unfolding. The live streaming feature lets you watch and bet in the same place. The Cash Out feature lets you settle a bet at the offered Cash Out value before a match finishes - useful in some situations, though the value always carries the sportsbook's margin and will be less than the full payout would be if the bet ran to settlement.

For a global event like the World Cup, it also helps that Bet365 operates internationally. Wherever you are, there's a reasonable chance they offer a product for your market. Check the Bet365 website for current promotions and welcome offers specific to your region.

The Short Version

The 2026 World Cup runs June 11 to July 19 across the USA, Canada and Mexico. Forty-eight teams, 104 matches, first expanded World Cup in history. Spain are the favourite, with England, France, Brazil and Argentina right behind them. The format is 12 groups of four with 32 teams advancing to the knockout rounds. Stick to match result, over/under, and BTTS bets until you're comfortable. Set a budget. Don't chase losses across a 39-day tournament. And open a Bet365 account ahead of time so it's ready when the first whistle blows in Mexico City on June 11.

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