The Netherlands won the lottery by being placed into Group A. As a Pot 2 team, the Dutch could have been placed with another global juggernaut, but instead they were placed into the same group as hosts Qatar. That has led to The Flying Dutchmen being one of the biggest favorites by the soccer betting odds to win its group this fall, and there has been a lot of action on the Netherlands to win the 2022 World Cup.
Odds to win 2022 FIFA World Cup Group A
Netherlands -220
Senegal +425
Ecuador +575
Qatar +1400
Netherlands
Before the World Cup draw, the Netherlands had odds to win the World Cup at close to 20-1. The Dutch were the 10th ranked team in the world according to FIFA, as they only narrowly topped Turkey to win their World Cup qualifying group. However, the draw coupled with their recent play has led to the Dutch being a popular pick in Qatar.
The Netherlands bested Denmark and drew Germany in friendlies in March, and they went on the road and defeated Belgium and Wales in the UEFA Nations League in June. It’s been over a year since they lost a match, and they have a solid mix of veterans and young players.
Virgil van Dijk leads the Netherlands from the back. The Liverpool pro is arguably the best defender in the world, and he has another elite defender alongside him in 23-year-old Matthijs de Ligt. Daley Blind has a lot of experience, and Nathan Ake is seen as a top defender too. Frenkie de Jong is a quality playmaker in the midfield, and he will get to work with Georginio Wijnaldum. The only thing the Dutch lack is a superb finisher as Memphis Depay is not in the realm of other elite forwards.
Initially, Ecuador was seen as the likely second team to get out of Group A, but they have since been surpassed by Senegal. The Lions of Teranga are seen as the best team in Africa, and Senegal claimed the Africa Cup of Nations over Egypt last year. Sadio Mane is the star of the squad as he is still in his prime and should tear up the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.
This is just Senegal’s third appearance at the World Cup, but they made it to the quarterfinals in 2002 and were the best team not to make it out of the Group Stage in Russia four years ago. There are a lot of unknowns about Senegal because they haven’t played a team outside of Africa in over two years due to COVID, yet there are several players that have proven themselves for their international club teams. In addition to Mane, the Lions of Teranga boast Idrissa Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, and Cheikhou Kouyate. Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy will be in net for Senegal, and the club has some talented defenders too.
Ecuador also lucked into a great group considering they were a Pot 4 team. La Tri have never made it past the Round of 16 in the World Cup, but they have a decent chance of getting out of the knockout rounds in this group despite being ranked 44th in the world by FIFA.
Their recent results are encouraging as Ecuador was able to play Brazil and Argentina to draws at home, and they also drew Mexico in the United States last month. There is not a lot of star power on this team though as Enner Valencia is the only player that has proven himself. Valencia has 35 goals in 72 games for Ecuador, and both numbers are team-highs.
Home teams have had good luck at the World Cup historically. South Africa is the only team that failed to make it out of the Group Stage, so that bodes well for Qatar. The Maroon did not get a fortuitous draw considering the other three teams in their group were among the three highest-rated teams in their pots though.
Qatar was superb on its way to claiming the Asian Cup three years ago, relinquishing just one goal in seven matches. The Maroon topped their group at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and beat El Salvador before losing to the United States in the semifinals. However, they were hammered by European teams in friendlies last fall, getting outscored 18-1 in two losses to Serbia, two losses to Portugal, and a loss to Ireland. Qatar has not looked good against lower-level club teams this summer either, losing to Linfield and drawing against Antwerp and Mallorca.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
Check out the latest odds at BookMaker
