American sportsbooks are doing the inexplicable: Rooting against the U.S. men's national soccer team during the 2022 World Cup.
The United States represents the greatest liability in the World Cup Winner market, with most bettors pitching in small amounts that would return heaping profits should the USMNT pull off the impossible.
The U.S. has the 19th-best odds at DraftKings to win it all at +20000, implying the probability is roughly 0.5%. The Americans have never won a World Cup in their history. The team's best finish was third place in the inaugural 1930 tournament.
"We have huge liability on the US to win the World Cup," said Adam Pulling, assistant director of trading for Caesars. "Not Mattress Mack level, but still substantial."
Earlier this month, Caesars paid Mattress Mack $30 million when the Houston Astros won the World Series.
But that doesn't necessarily mean the books are hoping America loses to Iran. In fact, at BetMGM, they're actively rooting for the U.S. to win on Tuesday afternoon so the team advances and American bettors stay engaged in the World Cup.
The U.S. needs a win over Iran in order to advance to the knockout stages, where America would face off against the Netherlands, Ecuador or Senegal in the Round of 16. They're eliminated with a loss or draw.
"We don't want the USA to win it all, but we want them to advance to maintain interest from the bettors," said BetMGM spokesperson John Ewing.
The market-best price for the U.S. to advance is with PointsBet at +105. You'll get the best price fading the Americans at Barstool, which has an Iran win or draw at -113.
