With the first ball still to be kicked, World Cup futures odds are taking a trove of major wagers. But very few of those bets stand to rake in seven figures on a team with a legitimate chance to win it all.
One high-roller has three such tickets. Since March, the bettor has been sitting on two parlays that pay $1 million-plus apiece, and the bettor recently made another parlay play that could profit seven figures, as well.
The lone remaining need for all three is something that hasn’t been done before: Portugal winning a World Cup.
Read on for more on those wagers, plus an unusual parlay hinging on Colombia, along with some flier bets — including on Team USA — hoping for six- or seven-figure paydays.
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Relying on Ronaldo
Back in February and March, a Fanatics Sportsbook customer crafted a couple of parlays tied to World Cup futures.
Up first was a $20,000 two-leg ticket, starting with a relatively nondescript Ecuadorian soccer match: The bettor backed Libertad Loja on the moneyline in its 1-0 win over Manta.
Leg 2 is Portugal winning the World Cup. At odds of +4975, which is just shy of 50/1, that parlay would profit just shy of seven figures, at $995,000 (total payout $1.015 million).
Then came a more unusual bet on March 25, tying a couple of NBA games that day — Lakers vs. Pacers and Bulls vs. 76ers — with Portugal to win the World Cup. The bettor put $10,000 on a six-leg parlay, and the first five got there that very day.
Now it’s up to Cristiano Ronaldo & Co. to seal the deal.
At odds of +12184 (about 122/1), the high-roller would clear $1,218,400 in profit if Portugal lifts the trophy (total payout $1,228,400).
More recently, the big bettor returned with a $25,000 four-leg parlay, linking Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals Game 1 with Alexander Zverev winning the French Open and Portugal winning the World Cup.
At odds of +5121, another $1,280,427 in profit awaits if Ronaldo finally gets an elusive world title.
Three tickets to win just shy of $3.5 million. And it’s certainly plausible. Portugal is the +900 fifth choice in 2026 World Cup futures odds.
Pennies From Heaven
How about this strange two-leg parlay, from FanDuel Sportsbook: Back on Dec. 26, a customer put all of 83 cents on Anthony Edwards +550 to score the first basket in the Timberwolves’ game vs. the Heat, and Colombia to win the World Cup, seven months later.
I’m not sure if you’ll find an odder combination than that. Nor an odder amount wagered.
Where this gets a little more interesting, though, is that Colombia was a +45000 long shot (450/1) when the bettor placed this wager. Now, Colombia is +4000, the 11th choice among the 48 teams in World Cup futures.
It’s still a tough road to the title, but if Colombia makes an upstart run, then that pocket-change bet from six months ago becomes $2,433.15.
You can’t argue with that kind of ROI.
USA All The Way?
Much like Colombia, the U.S. Men’s National Team isn’t expected to make a championship run over the next six weeks. But that’s not stopping bettors from dropping some patriotic dough on Team USA, while the country celebrates its 250th year of existence.
The U.S. is currently +5000 in Caesars Sports’ World Cup futures, ahead of Friday’s opening match vs. Paraguay. One customer got in earlier, though, at significantly longer odds.
The bettor put $2,000 on USA +8000, for a potential win of $160,000.
At BetMGM, a customer put $1,500 on the Red, White & Blue at +6600. A championship run would net just a tick shy of a six-figure profit, at $99,000.
Will it happen? Almost assuredly not. But hey, the United States was also a huge underdog vs. England 250 years ago.
Wing and a Prayer
World Cup odds bring out the faithful bettors, even on the longest shots. As in, far longer than Team USA.
For example, at DraftKings Sportsbook, Haiti is tied for dead last in World Cup championship odds, joining Curaçao and Jordan at a massive +250000. In easier-to-digest terms, that’s 2500/1.
One customer figured: Why not? The bettor put $1,250 on Haiti, looking to score a $3.125 million win.
At Caesars Sports, a customer put $100 on those same odds, Haiti 2500/1. If the impossible happens, then that bettor pockets $250,000.
Back at DraftKings, there’s a $4,144 bet on South Korea +40000 (400/1). Such an upset would net a win of $1,657,600.
Also at DraftKings, a customer put $10,000 on Senegal +11000 (110/1). If the Senegalese side makes a stunning run, then that bettor profits $1.1 million.
I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie
There are countless more wagers on World Cup futures odds and a boatload more to come. But here are a few more notable bets ahead of Thursday’s kickoff between Mexico and South Africa:
- $20,000 Brazil +900 (Caesars). If Selecao lifts the trophy, then the bettor profits $180,000 (total payout $200,000).
- $10,000 Portugal +900 (Caesars). This ticket profits $90,000 with a Portugal title (total payout $10,000).
- $10,000 Spain +550 (Caesars). A championship run from the tournament favorite nets this bettor $55,000 (total payout $65,000).
Prediction markets are a hot-button issue at the moment. But Kalshi, Polymarket and others are also involved in World Cup offerings.
And Kalshi might have the most unique transaction out there at the moment.
Very few sportsbooks offer Yes/No options on futures bets. Circa Sports here in Las Vegas comes to mind. But such options are more common in prediction markets.
So in the category of risk-a-lot-to-win-a-little, a Kalshi customer put $300,000 on Morocco not to win the World Cup.
The odds of that are 98%, practically a mortal lock. Provided the world doesn’t fall off its axis, that bettor will profit … $6,000, for a $306,000 total payout.
Although it’s extremely unlikely that this trader loses $300K, it’s still a good time to remind that these high-roller/high-net-worth types can afford to take such risk. Me and you? Not so much.
Keep your World Cup wagering and expectations reasonable. Never bet more than you can afford to lose.
