France Leads BetMGM World Cup Odds as Group Stage Nears Conclusion

As the group stage of the largest World Cup in history winds down, defending champion France has emerged as the bookmakers' favorite to lift the trophy. According to BetMGM odds released on June 23, France leads the field at +350, followed by Spain and England tied at +550, and Argentina at +650.

The tournament, which features a record 48 teams, has seen few major surprises among traditional powerhouses, though Spain's surprising draw with Cape Verde slightly dented their pre-tournament standing. Most of the 32 teams still in contention have a clear path forward, with only a handful eliminated so far.

The odds reflect a clear hierarchy: eight teams are considered traditional powers, led by France, Spain, England, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, and the Netherlands. A second tier includes the United States, Norway, and Morocco at +2800, followed by Japan, Mexico, Belgium, Colombia, and Switzerland.

Longer shots include Croatia, Uruguay, Canada, Ivory Coast, and Sweden at +10000, while teams like Paraguay, Scotland, and Egypt are listed at +20000. At the bottom of the odds board, Curacao sits at an extreme +2000000, with Panama, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Qatar, and Iraq each at +100000.

BetMGM advises that all gambling involves risk and urges responsible play. The operator noted that Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting referrals, but emphasized that such arrangements have no influence on editorial content.