Betting: FIFA World Cup Preview
Description: Minty Bets is joined by Henry Bushnell to preview the best bets for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Video Transcript
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MINTY BETS: The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is right around the corner. I'm Minty Bets here with Yahoo Sports columnist Henry Bushnell to give us some of his favorite picks for the world's most widely viewed sporting event. Henry, let's get started with your pick for the World Cup. The top-five teams right now on the board are Brazil, Argentina, France, England, and Spain. Do you like any of those countries to win it? Or are you looking a little bit further down the board?
HENRY BUSHNELL: Yeah, so I think there are two obvious picks. And the odds, to some extent, reflect that. It's Brazil and Argentina. And then the temptation is, obviously, to look for some sort of trendy pick further down in what I think is going to be an unpredictable, kind of upset-laden World Cup.
But I think it's going to be upset-laden to start, and then one of those two South American teams is going to rise above the field and win it. And if you're giving me Argentina at slightly longer odds, I'll go with them. And I'll go with Lionel Messi to win his first World Cup.
MINTY BETS: I like it. I like it. Now do you see a potential sleeper pick in the mix here?
HENRY BUSHNELL: Yeah, I don't know if they can win it all, but I really like Denmark. And I think they're a great bet to top France in Group D. They've actually beaten France twice already this year. They have a really strong midfield, whereas France has a ton of injuries in midfield right now.
And, also, the other thing is they're willing to come out and play expansive, adventurous soccer, which could be important if those teams end up tied on 6 or 7 points in the group and goal difference comes into play. And then if Denmark wins the group, they could get Mexico or Poland in the round of 16. And from there, anything can happen. So I think if I had to pick a sleeper, it would probably be them.
MINTY BETS: All right, now what's your outlook on the United States? How are you betting on them headed into the event?
HENRY BUSHNELL: Yeah, they're a really interesting team. I think they're like the ultimate high ceiling, low floor team. And I actually considered mentioning them in response to your previous question because I think there are very real scenarios where one fluky result goes their way, whether it's for them or in the corresponding group that they would get in the round 16, Group A, and suddenly they might have a really, frankly, easy path to the quarterfinals.
But I also think there's a very real scenario where they finish bottom of their group because it's a really young, inexperienced team. There's only one player who's played at a World Cup before. So the one thing I'd say from a betting perspective in their group is I think Wales is overvalued, and Iran is undervalued. I think Iran is a really sturdy team that can be dangerous on the counterattack and is going to trouble the US.
So I think the US should be favored to get out of the group in second place behind England, and they are slightly, but I might not bet them. And I actually think the savviest bet in that group might be Iran to advance at plus 400.
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