Monday’s World Cup action doesn’t have any obvious marquee matches. Spain, Belgium and Uruguay are set to play and are all solidly favored. That does mean there are three chances for surprise upsets. Will we see any?Let’s look at Monday’s four matches and the odds associated with them before making betting picks.Spain vs. Cape Verde (Group H)Time: Noon ETTV: Fox (English), Telemundo (Spanish)Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaGermany-Curaçao was the first edition of “World Cup-winning power vs. debutante” at this tournament, but it’s not the last. The Caribbean nation provided a memorable moment with a goal against the Germans that tied the match before losing 7-1. Can Cape Verde provide its own special moment?Spain is the favorite to win the tournament after winning Euro 2024. Cape Verde is a country of around half a million people that consists of 10 islands off the western coast of continental Africa. Most of the roster was born outside the country.Cape Verde qualified by winning a group that included African powers Cameroon, so this team is no slouch. It’s also no Spain. The odds favor Spain to win by more than two goals. This isn’t quite as lopsided as Germany-Curaçao, at least on paper, but Spain is expected to easily win.Spain star Lamine Yamal has been coming back from a hamstring injury and could be available based on recent reports, although the 18-year-old may not be necessary for this match.Belgium vs. Egypt (Group G)Time: 3 p.m. ETTV: Fox (English), Telemundo (Spanish)Venue: Lumen Field, SeattleOn paper, this is probably the best match of the day. Belgium doesn’t have the expectations of its golden generation era of the past few major tournaments, but still has talented players. Egypt has one of the most famous players on the planet in Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.Kevin De Bruyne might be past his prime at 34 years old, but players that good can still contribute at a high level even after their prime years are past them. Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel and Thibaut Courtois are also holdovers from Belgium’s run to top-ranked team in the world as recently as 2022. Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku, one of the best dribblers in the world, represents the new era.Salah and Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush lead an Egypt team that is mostly built from its domestic league. Only six players on the squad play in Europe.These are the top two teams in Group G according to the odds, so this match is expected to decide the group winner.Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H)Time: 6 p.m. ETTV: FS1 (English), Telemundo (Spanish)Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.Saudi Arabia is opening up its tournament against a South American country that has won multiple World Cups in its history. Where have we seen this one before?Saudi Arabia’s famous win against Argentina in 2022 was the shock of that tournament. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, and Saudi Arabia lost its next two matches to go out in the group stage.Uruguay isn’t as favored in this match as Argentina was in that one, but it would still be a surprise to see the Saudis get a result in this match.Iran vs. New Zealand (Group G)Time: 9 p.m. ETTV: FS1 (English), Telemundo (Spanish)Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.This match doesn’t have the big-name teams or players as the other three, but it is the most balanced in the odds. Even then, Iran is -120 (nearly 55 percent) to win.New Zealand hasn’t won a World Cup match in six tries, with three losses in 1982 and bizarrely draws in all three matches in 2010.Iran’s preparation for the World Cup has been anything but ordinary, with issues getting visas into the United States and a late change in base camp location to Tijuana, Mexico. The team reportedly will be flying in and out of the U.S. on gamedays.Best betsMike Hume: Spain to lead at 20 minutes +120 (FanDuel)This is basically just a way to try to find plus money opportunities in a lopsided game because Spain figures to prevail easily. The risk I’m taking is if Spain come out patiently and don’t feel any need to press for an early goal. But I think we’ll see Spain strike fast and put the first goal on the board before the first hydration break.Dan Santaromita: New Zealand win or draw, -106 (Caesars)This isn’t a commentary on the lack of quality on Iran. It’s about the logistics the team has been stuck with. Flying in on game day because they aren’t allowed to stay in the United States is disastrous for performing at their best. Even a short flight from Tijuana to Southern California is a hindrance.Dean Jones: Spain win by three goals v Cape Verde +350 (bet365)The favorites to win the World Cup are up against one of the most unfancied teams at the tournament, and while there will be some expectation that we could see a rout similar to the Germany versus Curaçao game, that may not quite play out. Cape Verde are actually a pretty good unit, and there is a chance that they manage to not get completely overwhelmed. We all know Spain will win the game, so it’s worth just considering how many they win it by.Vik Chokshi: Belgium to win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0, +180 (FanDuel)I love Mo Salah, but there’s a big talent gap in this match if we consider both squads from top to bottom. This won’t be an easy win for Belgium, but I like them to control the tempo and win this game in the 1-0, 2-0 range. Taking Belgium to just win was heavily juiced, so this is another way to bet on them and get plus money.Betting recordsUnitsRecordMike3.633-1Vik0.853-1Dean0.652-2Dan-0.192-2