The purpose of this article is to preview the World Cup 2022 which takes place in Qatar in November and December. It is one of the biggest sports events in the world and creates a great interest in soccer predictions and here we provide information about the World Cup 2022 dates and times.
World Cup 2022 Favourites
The World Cup betting indicates that the following nations are the favourites:
Brazil
Brazil has won the tournament five times and is always high in betting. Neymar is one of the best players in the world and is a key member of the team. So, if the player is on form and scores plenty of goals, Brazil are the worthy favourites in the odds.
France
France is the defending champions, after beating Croatia in the final in 2018. The squad still features some of the best players from that tournament. For example, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe are in their prime so France could win the World Cup again.
England
The losing semi-finalists to Croatia four years ago have a good chance in World Cup 2022. The squad combines outstanding young players and more experienced team members. England lost in the final of Euro 2020 to Italy on penalties but could win their first tournament since the 1966 World Cup.
Spain
Spain’s Golden Generation of players that won Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 and the World Cup in 2010 is now in the past but the current crop is prominent in the latest betting. The squad consists of players from Real Madrid and Barcelona and others that play overseas.
Germany
Germany often comes good in tournaments but the World Cup in 2018 and Euro 2020 were disappointing. The squad that won the tournament in 2014 is now mainly retired. However, Germany still produces outstanding teams so must be looked at in the betting.
Argentina
Lionel Messi will probably be playing in his last World Cup but has not won the tournament with his country. However, Argentina is the current holder of Copa America so are potentially the best team in South America. So, they should not be ruled out to add to their 1978 and 1986 wins.
World Cup Betting Tips
There is a huge amount of interest in World Cup betting which should be massive leading up to the tournament and during the fixtures. Therefore, there is a need for tips that appear on World Cup betting sites. So, here is a selection of tips that will be useful for tournament betting:
Current Form
The World Cup is a tournament played every four years which means nations have players who did not appear in previous tournaments. Hence, you should look at the current form in terms of results and opponents to provide some pointers to the potential winners.
Qualification
The hosts Qatar do not have to take part in the World Cup 2022 qualification process. However, the other 31 competing nations must compete in qualifying groups to earn a place at World Cup 2022. Records at this stage are important indications of the quality of each nation.
Squad Members
The squads are usually announced about one month before the tournament and they are key factors in World Cup betting odds. However, some nations might lose players due to injuries and retirements could also affect the overall ability of each squad.
World Cup Fixtures
The 32 nations play in eight groups at the start of the tournament. The top two teams in each group qualify for the last 16, which is the first round of the knockout stages. Teams in tough groups could struggle to progress so you should consider easier groups in World Cup betting.
Past Records
Only eight countries have won the World Cup, and each winner is from Europe or South America. So, an African or Asian country has not won the tournament and that situation is unlikely to change at World Cup 2022 according to the betting odds.
Playing Conditions
Even though the tournament will be played in November and December, the climate could be a factor. Qatar does not have cold spells, so the heat during the World Cup fixtures could be a handicap for some nations but beneficial to others, so this is another tip for World Cup betting.
The World Cup is huge for betting around the globe so that means there is demand for tips, on matches and the outright winner. The event will be played in the winter for the first time in its history due to the excessive heat in Qatar during the summer. Hence, the playing conditions and climate will have a significant bearing on this year’s tips and the betting.
World Cup Betting Sites
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All the major online bookmakers will offer betting for World Cup 2022. However, some of the best World Cup betting sites are Hollywoodbets, bet.co.za, and Interbet. These sites will offer the following World Cup 2022 tournament markets:
- Outright Winner
- Group Winners
- Top Scorer
- Finalists
- Round Reached by Selected Teams
The three featured bookmakers that offer odds in South Africa will also provide an extensive range of match markets, under the following headings:
- Main markets: match winner, handicaps, totals.
- Double chance
- Both teams to score
- Under/over goals
- Corners
- Bookings
- Correct score
- Scorer markets
- Specials
We can expect these bookmakers to provide a comprehensive World Cup 22 service. The odds will appear in pre-match, in-play, and ante post markets. You can already bet on the winner of World Cup 2022, and after the draw, you will also be able to look at the World Cup betting odds for each group.
World Cup Free Bets
Bookmakers offer free bets that come in the form of a welcome bonus or ongoing promotions that reward the loyalty of existing customers. However, the range increases leading up to and during the World Cup.
As the tournament is only played every four years, it’s an opportunity to promote free bets. There will be new bettors in South Africa who join sites just to place bets on World Cup fixtures. So, operators will be competing for new accounts and they use free bets.
The World Cup offers will probably mirror existing free bets on football (soccer) that are available on a regular basis. Existing football bettors will understand how these bets work. However, new customers will require simple Terms & Conditions that are transparent and achievable.
There will probably be wagering requirements for any welcome bonus free bets. Also, odds restrictions will apply, and the free bets will be time-specific because they will be offered on a limited basis.
Bookmakers for customers residing in South Africa, including Holloywoodbets, bet.co.za and Interbet, could offer free bets bonuses for new and existing customers. Here is a sample of potential free bets benefits that will be available during World Cup 2022:
- No deposit welcome bonus
- Matched deposit welcome bonus
- Matched bet welcome bonus
- Enhanced odds paid as free bets
- Multiple insurance for one losing selection
- Boost on returns for all correct multiples
- Free bets on match winner, correct scorer and first, last or anytime scorer.
There will be qualifying rules and free bets limits during World Cup 2022. These free bets will enhance any betting on the World Cup. They will provide a good incentive to register, make deposits and place qualifying bets. So, you should look out for any World Cup 2022 free bets.
World Cup 2022 Live Streaming
The World Cup is shown live on major TV channels around the world. Contracts may restrict live streaming, but there could be live coverage this time. However, even if matches are not streamed on betting sites in South Africa, they will be available for live betting.
In fact, World Cup 2022 matches could break records for in-play betting, and bookmakers will offer many markets. They usually display the match result market with a link to additional options.
To compensate for the possible absence of live streaming, there will almost certainly be a visual display of the action and progress of play. The graphical representation will show attacks and dangerous attacks.
You will also have access to live match dates. This should include possession, shots, shots on target, corners, bookings, and red cards. There will be live scores updates and any reference to Video Assistant Referee (VAR) issues during the match.
Bookmakers will most likely take down the betting after key events. These could be goals, penalties or red cards which influence the odds. World Cup betting sites will then display the latest odds after a short delay.
We should also expect cash-out betting during World Cup fixtures. The objective is to take control of a bet before the final outcome. The cash out value depends on the stake and odds of the original bet and the betting at the time of the request.
World Cup 2022 Schedule
Here is a brief schedule of the World Cup 2022 in Qatar in a table:
| Stage | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Groups | November 21 | December 2 |
| Last 16 | December 3 | December 6 |
| Last 8 | December 9 | December 10 |
| Last 4 | December 13 | December 14 |
| Third/Fourth Place Match | December 17 | NA |
| Final | December 18 | NA |
The draw for the eight groups and the World Cup dates and times will take place on April 1 in Doha. There will be a number of matches each day at various kick-off times.
Only the third round of matches in the groups take place at the same time. This means teams do not have the advantage of knowing the required result to qualify from their group.
World Cup History
The World Cup was first played in 1930 and takes place every four years. However, there was no tournament in 1942 and 1946, due to World War I. There have been 11 tournaments in Europe, five in South America, and seven in nations in the other Federations. That means there have been 21 Worlds Cups from 1930 to 2018.
The 2026 World Cup takes place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. No decision has been made about the location for the 2020 tournament.
Here is the list of winners by the number of titles:
| Nation | Titles |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 5 |
| Germany | 4 |
| Italy | 4 |
| France | 2 |
| Uruguay | 2 |
| Argentina | 2 |
| England | 1 |
| Spain | 1 |
World Cup Past Winners
Here are the winners of the last 10 World Cups:
| Year | Winners |
|---|---|
| 1982 | Italy |
| 1986 | Argentina |
| 1990 | West Germany |
| 1994 | Brazil |
| 1998 | France |
| 2002 | Brazil |
| 2006 | Italy |
| 2010 | Spain |
| 2014 | Germany |
| 2018 | France |
World Cup 2022 FAQ
Here are the answers to some common questions about the World Cup 2022:
The 2022 World Cup takes place from November 21 to December 18.
You visit a sports betting site and navigate to the World Cup from the football menu. You can also use a search box, banners and links to locate the match and outright betting. There will be in-play betting for all the World Cup matches this year.
There are World Cup 2022 qualification competitions for each football Federation: AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA. The hosts (Qatar) qualify automatically. However, the holders have not received an automatic place in the finals since 1998.
There are no guarantees in football, but the World Cup betting odds suggest Brazil are the most likely winners of this year’s World Cup. France, England and Spain are also prominent in the betting.
The best betting site for promotions could be Hollywoodbets, bet.co.za or Interbet.
