The World Cup betting outlook points to a big month for sportsbooks and fans alike. With licensed sportsbooks operational in most US states, more soccer fans than ever 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 promos. See our online soccer betting guide if you need a refresher on the basic soccer betting mechanics (types of wagers, common soccer betting promos, etc.).
World Cup Betting Sites
*The options available in your state are fantasy pick'em apps, prediction markets, and social sportsbooks, not technically sports betting.
World Cup Betting Apps
BettingUSA ranks the best World Cup betting apps according to factors that impact users’ experiences. Some of our key ranking signals include:
- 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
- 200+ markets per World Cup game
- World Cup Same-game parlays
- World Cup Same-game parlay insurance
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.
Caesars World Cup Betting
- Many betting markets for each game but short on player props
- Special World Cup betting promotions
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 ahead of the tournament.
DraftKings World Cup Betting
- Hundreds of betting markets for each World Cup game
- Extensive player props and game props
- Same-game parlays
- Integrated stats and betting trends for each game
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.
However, DraftKings could use more World Cup-specific promotions.
2026 World Cup Prediction Markets
Online prediction markets give World Cup bettors a legal option in most states, including states without licensed online sportsbooks.
Prediction market apps allow fans to trade contracts tied to the same types of 2026 World Cup bets that standard online sportsbooks offer: match winners, group-stage qualifiers, Round of 16 qualifiers, outright tournament winners, and more.
Even in states with legal online sports betting, prediction markets are worth considering for their lower fees and, in some cases, deeper market menus. Two platforms stand out for World Cup coverage: OG.com and Kalshi.
OG.com World Cup Markets
OG.com operates nationwide and offers World Cup prediction markets in most states. It's the easier of the two platforms to recommend for most bettors because it offers:
- A Customer-Friendly Welcome Bonus: The OG.com bonus beats most online sportsbooks’ welcome offers because it has customer-friendly terms that allow fans to keep more value.
- Dozens of World Cup Markets: OG offers World Cup prediction markets spanning game outcomes, group qualifiers and winners, Round of 16 qualifiers, the outright tournament winner, and the Golden Boot winner.
- Competitive Pricing: OG.com charges a flat fee of $0.02 per contract bought or sold, which usually works out to less than you’ll pay in vigorish at online sportsbooks.
Kalshi World Cup Betting
Kalshi is another option worth considering because it is one of the world’s most established prediction market platforms and maintains a sterling reputation.
The Kalshi bonus is smaller than OG.com’s, but it has two advantages that might tip the scales for some World Cup bettors:
- Market Depth: Kalshi offers more World Cup betting markets than OG.com and many online sportsbooks. In addition to all the usual tournament outcome / game winner markets, Kalshi offers markets as granular as whether specific athletes will get playtime, who will be on specific countries’ squads, and prop-style options like whether any games will be relocated or if any country will boycott the World Cup.
- Low Fees: Kalshi offers even lower fees than OG.com on average (not always) due to its formula-based fee structure. Because the fee formula favors prices at the extremes (e.g., less than $0.10 and more than $0.90), Kalshi is a good fit if you have a thing for longshot underdogs or heavy favorites.
World Cup Betting Promotions
With the US Men’s National Team back in contention and online sports betting available to most of the US population, competition is high for 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 World Cup betting promotions here. Check back often for updates and special offers.
Free World Cup Bracket Contests
Sports betting and media companies run 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 World Cup brackets but offer secondary payouts for the players who come the closest.
$250,000 BetMGM World Cup Bracket Challenge
The BetMGM World Cup Bracket Challenge invited 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 could participate, even if they live in states without legal online sports betting. Each contestant can submit one bracket entry.
FOX Super 6 $1 Million World Cup Bracket
The FOX Sports World Cup Bracket Challenge was free to enter and open to fans 18 or older in all 50 states, with a $1,000,000 top prize.
Where to Bet on the World Cup Online
Fans in most states can bet on the World Cup online legally with licensed sports betting apps.
The following map shows where it is legal to bet on the World Cup online, and in person:
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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 prediction 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:
World Cup Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade's worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.