How to bet on World Cup: Goal lines, 3-way lines and more

Betting on soccer differs from other sports and can be confusing for someone who is wagering on it for the first time.

There are goal lines, three-way lines, totals, and then the options change once the World Cup reaches the knockout stage.

Luckily, Las Vegas sportsbooks don’t use the quarter Asian handicap line seen at offshore sportsbooks, or it would be even more complicated.

“If we offered a quarter line, we’d have people that look through you like they saw a ghost if you tried to explain it to them,” Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk management at Westgate SuperBook, said.

With the World Cup set to begin Sunday when host Qatar faces Ecuador, here is a quick primer on how to wager on soccer:

Goal line

Sometimes referred to as the two-way line, this option features a spread and is similar to betting on football, basketball or hockey.

The goal line usually favors one side, and is priced accordingly.

For instance, the United States-Wales match Monday is a pick ’em at the SuperBook with the U.S. at -140 and Wales at +120. England is -1½ (+125) in its match against Iran (-145).

Three-way line

This option gives bettors three options for a match. They can wager on either team or a draw.

As an example, the U.S. is a +150 favorite to beat Wales, which is +215. A draw pays 2-1. If a bettor wagers on the U.S. on the three-way line and the match ends in a draw, the bet is a loss, not a push.

Rather than handicap with a spread involved, sharp bettors often play the three-way line for significant sums when powerhouse countries face minnows.

“Especially in the group stages, you’ll see a lot more of that when you have like Argentina playing Saudi Arabia,” Sherman said. “They like to bet a lot to win a little on the top countries.”

Advance line

Once teams reach the elimination stage of the tournament and matches can no longer finish in draws, the “to advance” market is added.

This often leads to confusion for inexperienced bettors who may have played the three-way line and thought they won a wager when they actually lost.

“That happens a lot,” Sherman said. “We still see it in any soccer competition.”

To illustrate, imagine the U.S. plays Mexico in the elimination stage, and a bettor wagers on the U.S. on the three-way line. The match ends 1-1 after regulation, but the U.S. scores in extra time to advance.

That bet on the U.S. would not cash since the three-way line is graded after the 90 minutes plus stoppage time, and the score was tied at that point. However, a bet on the U.S. “to advance” would be a winner.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.