Tuesday was a good day for Vegas.
France’s 2–0 semifinal loss to Spain eliminated one of the most bet-on teams in the World Cup from the tournament.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM told Front Office Sports that France was their biggest liability on outright World Cup winner bets. The public’s investment in France was seen in the betting activity for the semifinal; 94% of money was on France to qualify for the World Cup final at BetMGM, making Spain’s win a huge win for the sportsbook.
Spain’s shutout also had major implications on player prop bets. Mbappe has been the most bet “anytime goalscorer” in the tournament on DraftKings and BetMGM. The star attacker was far and away the most bet-on player for Tuesday’s match at BetMGM, with Mbappe to score being bet on five times more than any other player.
France’s elimination has also shifted the odds for the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament. Messi is now the favorite at -175 on DraftKings, with Mbappe (+200) and Harry Kane (+900) having the next best odds. If Mbappe opts out of the third-place game, his World Cup would be over, meaning Messi would need only one goal to take sole possession of first place. That would be good news for the sportsbooks, with Mbappe having the most bets to win the award on DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM.
