Here are the basics of three-way betting in soccer.
The most common betting option for games in World Cup group play is referred to as “three-way” betting. You can bet on either team to win, or you can bet that the match will be a draw. If you’re used to betting point spreads in football and basketball, it takes a bit of a mental leap to adjust. If you’ve bet a lot of moneylines in baseball, it’s just a slight tweak (now there’s also a moneyline for a tie).
Let’s start with an easy example:
— Team A plus 125.
— Team B plus 265.
— Draw plus 195.
All those options express payoffs for a $100 bet. You can bet $100 to win $125 on Team A, $100 to win $265 on Team B or $100 to win $195 that the game will end in a tie.
Easy to deduce that Team A is the superior team. Not only does that side offer the shortest return, but a tie is even more likely than Team B winning. The teams are close enough in perceived talent that Team A isn’t laying chalk as a favorite over the combination of its opponent and a tie. Many world powers would do so in group play.
