Legal World Cup Betting in the USA

The World Cup betting outlook points to a big month for sportsbooks and fans alike. With licensed sportsbooks operational in 31 states, more soccer fans than ever before can bet on the World Cup online or in person safely and legally.

As a result, bettors can look forward to bigger and better promotions, expanded World Cup betting options, and competitive odds.

Read on for everything US bettors need to know about betting on the World Cup. Below, BettingUSA explains how to bet on the World Cup online, which sportsbooks offer the best odds, and where to get high-value soccer betting promotions.

World Cup Betting Sites

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World Cup Betting Apps

BettingUSA ranks the best World Cup betting apps according to a standardized list of factors that impacts users’ experiences. These rankings only include World Cup betting apps and sportsbooks that are legal and licensed in the USA.

• The opening odds for the US Men’s National Team to win outright
• The odds for the USA to win each World Cup game
• Variety of wagering markets offered for each game
• Length of time in operation; reputation
• Availability of World Cup betting promotions

BetMGM World Cup Betting

• BetMGM World Cup Bonus Code: BUSABONUS
• 200+ markets per World Cup game
• Opened the USA to win outright at +10,000
• Same-game parlay builder
• Same-game parlay insurance
• Large welcome bonus
• Available in: AZ, CO, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, MS, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WA, WV, WY

BetMGM is the best all-around sportsbook for World Cup betting with one exception: it opened its outright odds on the USA to win it all at +10,000. Other World Cup betting sites opened the tournament with better USA futures odds (see below), but BetMGM ranks the best in every other factor.

And just days before the start of the 2022 World Cup, BetMGM signed US soccer star Tom Howard as a brand ambassador. As a brand ambassador, Tom Howard will interact with BetMGM customers, appear at public events, and introduce new promotions through social media.

DraftKings World Cup Betting

• DraftKings World Cup Promo Code: Not required
• Hundreds of betting markets for each World Cup game
• Opened the USA to win outright at +13,000
• Extensive player props and game props
• Same-game parlays
• Integrated stats and betting trends for each game
• $1,000 new customer bonus
• Available in: AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY

DraftKings is a strong all-around sportsbook, and its World Cup betting markets are no exception. With solid futures pricing and competitive single-game markets, DraftKings scores well in the odds category.

The DraftKings World Cup menu offers the most granular wagering opportunities thanks to many player props, game props, alternative lines, and constant in-play wagering markets. In addition, a detailed stats and research tool offers previews of each game, stats for every team, betting trends, and line movements.

DraftKings’ promotional lineup is strong in a general sense, but it could use more World Cup-specific promos to make a run at the number one spot on BettingUSA’s rankings.

Caesars World Cup Betting

• Caesars Sportsbook World Cup Promo Code: BUSA1000
• Many betting markets for each game but short on player props
• Opened the USA to win outright at +10,000
• Special World Cup betting promotions
• New customers get up to $1,250 on Caesars
• Available in: AZ, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WA, WV, WY

Bearing the namesake of one of the world’s largest casino operators, Caesars Sportsbook suffers no shortage of legitimacy and security. Caesars Sportsbook’s World Cup betting odds are average, but it comes up short in wagering options due to limited player props and no same-game parlays.

However, Caesars offers a generous welcome bonus and began offering World Cup betting promotions a full week in advance of the tournament.

World Cup Betting Promotions

With the US Men’s National Team back in contention and online sports betting available to more than half the US population, competition is high for 2022 World Cup betting dollars. As a result, fans can look forward to bonuses, promotions, and other incentives from the nation’s most prominent names in online sports betting.

BettingUSA will maintain a running list of 2022 World Cup betting promotions here. Check back often for updates and special offers.

BetMGM World Cup Promotions

BetMGM Sportsbook welcomes all new customers with a $1,000 first bet offer, whether they plan to bet on the World Cup or any other sport. New customers can claim the offer by signing up with the BetMGM bonus code BUSABONUS and placing their first wager on any sport. If it loses, they’ll get back up to $1,000 in bonus bets as a refund.

Fans can also try same-game World Cup parlays this year with the latest BetMGM bet refund offer. Anyone who places a one-game parlay on the 2022 World Cup and loses will get back up to $25 in bonus bets if it loses. BetMGM customers can claim the offer by logging in, visiting the promotions page, and opting in.

• Use the BetMGM World Cup Bonus Code BUSABONUS

DraftKings World Cup Promotions

First-time DraftKings Sportsbook customers can get up to $1,000 extra to bet on the World Cup online when they register new accounts and make their first deposit. After depositing, new users get an extra 20% in bonus funds worth up to $1,000.

DraftKings also offers various profit boosts and enhanced same-game parlay promotions. Players can visit DraftKings each day of the 2022 World Cup for new promotions, including frequent parlay and same-game parlay refunds.

DraftKings is a reliably promo-heavy sportsbook, so check back throughout the World Cup for new, short-term offers.

• DraftKings World Cup Promo Code: Not needed

Caesars Sportsbook World Cup Promotions

Anyone who doesn’t already have an account with Caesars Sportsbook can register today with the bonus code BUSA1000 to get a first bet refund worth up to $1,250 plus $1,000 Caesars Rewards Tier Credits and 1,000 Reward Credits.

In addition, Caesars Sportsbook is offering World Cup parlay insurance worth up to $25. Anyone who opts in and places a 4+ 2022 World Cup parlay and loses by exactly one leg will get a 100% refund paid as a bonus bet worth up to $25.

• Caesars World Cup Promo Code BUSA1000

Free World Cup Bracket Contests

Two sports betting and media companies are running free World Cup bracket contests that pay real prizes to the fans who nail the most predictions. Both contests pay the biggest prizes for perfect 2022 World Cup brackets but offer secondary payouts for the players who come the closest.

Both bracket contests are now closed – players had until the start of the first 2022 World Cup game to submit their picks.

$250,000 BetMGM World Cup Bracket Challenge

The BetMGM 2022 World Cup Bracket Challenge invites fans from all 50 states to submit their picks for a chance to win up to $250,000 or many other secondary prizes.

Anyone in the United States can participate by visiting BetMGM.com, signing up for an account, and heading to the promotions tab to opt in. There, players can pick the winning team for each of the World Cup’s 64 matches and win $250,000 if they build a perfect bracket or one of many other prizes for getting some of their predictions right:

• Perfect bracket: $250,000
• Highest-scoring, non-perfect bracket: $50,000
• Each correct Group Stage prediction: $5 bonus parlay bet

All soccer fans are welcome to join, even if they live in states without legal online sports betting, because it’s free to participate. Each contestant can submit one bracket entry.

FOX Super 6 $1 Million World Cup Bracket

The FOX Sports World Cup Bracket Challenge is free to enter and open to fans 18 or older in all 50 states. The $1,000,000 top prize is a big step above BetMGM’s bracket challenge perfect bracket payout but winning it will not be easy. To qualify for the $1 million payout, users must perfectly predict the following:

• The winning team of each Group
• The runner-up of each Group
• The winning team of each knockout game
• The winner of the Third Place game
• The winner of the World Cup Final
• The time of the first goal in the Final (within 10-minute increments)
• The time of the first goal in the Third Place game (within 10-minute increments)
• The number of goals for each team in the World Cup Final
• The number of goals for each team in the Third Place game

In addition, FOX Super 6 offers the following prizes for the best non-perfect bracket entries:

• 1^st Place: $2,500
• 2^nd Place: $1,000
• 3^rd Place: $750
• 4^th Place: $500
• 5^th Place: $250

World Cup Betting Odds Comparison

Where to Bet on the World Cup Online

Fans in more than 20 states can bet on the World Cup online legally with licensed sports betting apps and websites. A handful of additional states have also legalized sports betting but are still finalizing the regulatory details before giving operators the go-ahead to launch.

The following map shows where it is legal to bet on the 2022 World Cup online and in person. States shaded blue have legal online sports betting up and running, while states in red have passed all the requisite legislation but haven’t yet launched. And finally, the green states have legal retail sportsbooks but not online sports betting.

Fantasy World Cup Predictions

Soccer fans in states that lack legal sports betting apps don’t necessarily have to miss out on the World Cup action. In many states, players can almost bet on the World Cup online through fantasy sports prediction sites like PrizePicks.

Fantasy predictions contests feel a lot like online sports betting, except they accept customers from more states. For example, a typical PrizePicks soccer contest involves making two or more over/under predictions against the house for a fixed payout – a lot like a standard parlay bet.

Other DFS prediction apps host similar over/under games, plus matchup contests in which players predict which of two athletes will accumulate the most of a specified stat.

Players can win up to 100 times their wagers with World Cup fantasy predictions, so the stakes are just as significant as with regular sports betting. Fans can read more about the most prominent sports predictions sites below:

• PrizePicks
• OwnersBox
• Underdog Fantasy
• ParlayPlay

How Much Will Americans Bet on the World Cup?

Predicting how much money Americans will bet on the 2022 World Cup is especially tough this year, even for seasoned industry analysts. Soccer betting usually pales in comparison to the other major US sports, but the 2022 World Cup marks a significant departure from the norm in several ways.

For one, more than two dozen states have legalized sports betting since the last World Cup and soccer betting is legal in more states than not. Only three states had legal sports betting in place during the previous World Cup, while 31 have in-person or online sports wagering up and running today.

Additionally, the return of the US Men’s National Team after failing to qualify four years previously makes the 2022 World Cup a more captivating affair here in the United States.

World Cup betting handle will undoubtedly exceed 2018’s numbers by a wide margin, but the final tally is anyone’s guess. Working against the World Cup is its location on the US sports betting calendar. The 2022 World Cup must compete with the NFL, NBA, NHL, and college sports for customers’ wagering dollars.

Even John Murray, executive director of the famed SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, admitted to ESPN he had a tough time giving an estimate to his accounting team.

“I just told them that I don’t know what kind of action we’re going to get on World Cup games that are being played at two in the morning,” Murray told ESPN. “And what I really don’t know is how much of the action will be new and how much of it is going to be money that pulled out of what we would’ve done on football or basketball.”

However, not everyone has shied away from predicting this year’s total World Cup betting handle. The American Gaming Association recently estimated more than 20 million Americans will wager $1.8 billion on the 2022 World Cup.

That’s the result of a Morning Consult survey it commissioned several weeks before the start of the tournament. The survey found that nearly 10 million Americans will bet on the World Cup online, 6 million will place casual bets with friends, nearly 5 million will place wagers at retail sportsbooks, and 4.1 million will do business with underground bookies.

World Cup Betting FAQ