As the 2022 World Cup on FOX approaches, the anticipation grows. The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) is the tournament’s youngest team, and they will undoubtedly bring a youthful energy to the pitch in Qatar, beginning with their opener against Wales on November 21.
At OKBET, the USMNT has received a flood of bets to win the World Cup. People are betting more on the US to win than on favorites and powerhouses like Brazil and Germany. In a tournament like this, bettors know that nothing is impossible.
Even if you don’t think the US can win it all, there are other ways to show your support and make money while betting on Gregg Berhalter’s team in Qatar.
PICK: Haji Wright to be the last scorer in the United States vs. Wales game (+670 at OKBET)
Let’s get started with my five exciting ways to bet on the United States in the 2022 World Cup (odds courtesy of OKBET).
Let’s get the danger out of the way right away: First and foremost, we have no idea how much time Wright will spend at the World Cup. We also don’t know if he will play against Wales.
But, clearly, coach Berhalter saw enough in Wright at the last camp to keep him on the team, even though soccer pundits who predicted the USMNT roster did not include him. Wright, a 6-foot-3 striker, has done well in the Turkish league (nine goals in 12 games), but he did not appear for the USMNT in World Cup qualifying. His only goal for the US came in a June friendly against Morocco.
Having said that, I envision Wright entering the game as a substitute. He has the potential to score once he gets in, which is why this wager is worth a sprinkle.
The USMNT could have a massive reach here, but the market suggests they will be eliminated from group play. If the US finishes second in its group, it will almost certainly face the Netherlands in the Round of 16, where it will be a significant underdog. The other two potential games could be against Ecuador or Senegal. The latter would have been a major issue if Sadio Mané had not been injured and would not be able to play.
In the unlikely event that the USMNT wins its group — perhaps the pressure gets to England? — it will be favored against Ecuador or Senegal. In 2002, the US reached the quarterfinals before falling to Germany. They also advanced to the knockout rounds in 2010 (lost to Ghana) and 2014 (lost to Belgium), both times losing in extra time.
Because I believe in this young team, this is a fun bet to make and even more fun to root for.
PICK: Weston McKennie to be the top overall goal scorer in the United States (+1600 at FOX Bet).
McKennie hasn’t scored for the US since the game-winning goal against Honduras in February. However, he is third on this young USMNT in international goals (nine, trailing Christian Pulisic and Jordan Morris), indicating that the potential is there.
Nobody knows how Berhalter’s forward rotation works, but we do know McKennie is a regular in the starting lineup as a midfielder. We also know that opponents in the United States will do everything they can to sabotage Pulisic. McKennie, who has been in excellent form for his club Juventus, could emerge as a major star for the United States in this tournament.
PICK: The US will score more than 3.5 goals in the 2022 World Cup (-120 at FOX Bet)
If you believe the USMNT will advance to the knockout stages, this is a bet you should place. This century, the team scored seven goals (2002), five goals (2010), and five goals (2011) in World Cup knockout rounds (2014). The bet is priced as if they will not advance to the knockout rounds, but the US is favored to advance from the group. Wales and Iran do not have formidable defenses, and even if the US does not score against England, scoring four goals in the remaining three games is not a difficult task.
This bet is also a fade from the last time we saw the US offense sputter and fail to score against Japan and Saudi Arabia in their final World Cup warmups.
PICK: The United States will be the World Cup’s lowest-scoring team (+2500 at FOX Bet).
Betting on the USMNT as the lowest-scoring team at the World Cup is a good hedge against some of these props. After all, we’re talking about the field’s youngest team. If the US loses to Wales in the opener, the entire tournament hinges on a game against England, one of the best teams in the field. In the unfortunate event of a 0-2 start, Berhalter may call up some reserves for the match against Iran to give the young players some experience on the biggest stage in soccer.
In 2006, the US was thrashed 3-0 by the Czech Republic in the opener, scoring only two goals. That was nearly the worst performance at the World Cup, with only Trinidad and Tobago (0), Togo (1), and Angola (1) faring worse. The bottom of this year’s field is much stronger than it was in 2006.
Hey, we’re all rooting for this year’s team, but this is just a prudent precaution. Let’s go, USA!
