Liam Flin
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The Women’s World Cup begins on Thursday with an expanded field of 32 teams competing in Australia and New Zealand. The United States team is seeking a record-breaking third straight success in the tournament and is the favorite to complete a hat-trick, with England, Spain and Germany seen as the most likely challengers.
Like the men’s World Cup, the teams will play 3 group games each in 8 groups of 4, with the top 2 teams in each group progressing to the round of 16, from which point it will be straight head-to-head elimination games all the way to the final in Sydney, Australia, on August 20. Let’s take a look at the best winner picks, group bets and our Golden Boot predictions for the Women’s World Cup.
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Women’s World Cup winner best bet: Germany (+800, BetMGM/Caesars)
The USWNT is the team everyone has to beat at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but it won’t be an easy task for the favorite. The United States has won 4 World Cups, including the last 2 tournaments in 2015 and 2019, and has incredibly never finished worse than 3rd place in the finals. The team is also in good form, with a perfect record in 8 games this year and only 1 goal allowed. However, since the last World Cup the standard of women’s soccer across the world has improved, particularly in Europe, and the team has suffered some costly injuries to top striker Mallory Swanson and captain Becky Sauerbrunn.
England is the European champion after its success at Euro 2022, and had enjoyed a 30-game winning streak before losing to Australia in April. But the Lionesses have also been hit by injury issues and won’t have Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead or captain Leah Williamson. They also look candidates to fade at the current odds. Spain is another team to avoid due to a dispute between the players and coaching staff, although Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas is available after injury.
Brazil, Sweden and co-hosts Australia could all be in the mix, but the best outright winner bet at the start of the tournament could be Germany at +800 odds. It has a settled team with no injury worries and is the only country other than the United States to have won the World Cup multiple times. Germany reached the final at Euro 2022, taking England into extra-time and was missing its best striker Alexandra Popp in that game.
Striker Lea Schuller scored 15 goals in qualifying for the World Cup while Germany has a strong midfield featuring Lena Oberdorf, Sara Dabritz and Lina Magull. Both of Germany’s World Cups wins came outside Europe — in the United States in 2003 and in China in 2007 — and it can’t be ruled out this time.
Women’s World Cup best prop bet: France to reach the semifinals (+170, DraftKings)
France is another candidate to have a strong World Cup after reaching the semifinals at Euro 2022 despite poor team harmony. Manager Corinne Diacre has since left, and experienced manager Herve Renard now leads the team.
The French squad has a ton of potential stars including Grace Geyoro and Kadidatou Diani, and has decent odds to reach the semifinals at +170 with DraftKings.
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Women’s World Cup best group winner bet: Japan to win Group C (+450, DraftKings)
The United States team has been drawn in Group E alongside Vietnam, the Netherlands and Portugal and is -310 odds to win the group. The USWNT played the Netherlands in the final of the last World Cup, but the European team is no longer as strong as it was then and first-time World Cup teams Vietnam and Portugal should be easily brushed aside.
For a group bet at much bigger odds, it could be worth fading Spain in Group C. It is a hot favorite with odds as low -650 at DraftKings to come out ahead of Japan, Zambia and Costa Rica. However, team harmony remains a problem and 2011 champion Japan has value to spring a surprise. The Japanese team performed well in the SheBelieves Cup earlier this year and Yui Hasegawa and Under-20 World Cup Golden Ball winner Maika Hamano are just two players who could impress.
Women’s World Cup Golden Boot winner best bet: Sophia Smith (+650, FanDuel/DraftKings)
While the USWNT can be faded to win the tournament, the odds of America’s emerging star Sophia Smith scoring the most goals at the World Cup are too good to pass up. American players have been the joint-leading scorers in the last 2 World Cups and Smith should lead the US challenge this time.
With Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson not at the tournament, the 22-year-old Smith will be a key player and she is the top scorer in the National Women’s Soccer League with 10 goals in 13 games for the Portland Thorns. She has 12 goals in 30 USA appearances already. Teammate Alex Morgan is the favorite to be top scorer, but Smith could be the one to lead the way this time.
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