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Your best bets (odds via Caesars Sportsbook) If you’re looking to bet on the World Cup, ESPN contributors Paul Carr, Daniel Thomas and Dalen Cuff are here to give you key tips on odds, options and futures . Here’s what we have for Tuesday’s matches.
Morocco (+525) vs. Spain (-170), Draw (+270)
Dalen Cuff: Spain has looked excellent for periods of this tournament and quixotically fragile in short bursts. That was evident in the game against Japan which saw them go from up 1-0 to down 2-1 in the span of minutes. I think they advance here, but they will be pushed and are susceptible to surrendering a goal to a good counter-attacking Moroccan side. I like both teams to score (+115).
Paul Carr: Dalen stole my play here. As we saw throughout the group stage, Spain will have a ton of the ball and be vulnerable on the counterattack. Both of those things are fine with Morocco. Spain have only allowed three goals in three games, which in line with their 2.7 expected goals against. That said, Spain are allowing the second-best shots in the tournament (0.16 xG/shot), so opponents are finding good chances on the break. Morocco will do that too.
Daniel Thomas: Spain have had such a strange world World Cup up to now and that makes this game very difficult to judge. I’ll take the draw after 90 minutes.
Portugal (-117) vs. Switzerland (+350), Draw (+235)
Cuff: Portugal has been better in this tournament than I anticipated. That said, the Swiss team got results both at last summer’s Euros and again in this tournament — particularly when they had to win or draw to advance against Serbia and came back from down 2-1 to win 3-2. This is essentially the same Swiss team that knocked out France in the Euros Round of 16 after being down 3-1 in the second half. I’m backing them to get a result in 90 minutes, double the chance (win/draw) at -107. Or, if you’re feeling aggressive, they are at +175 to advance.
Carr: Both of these teams have been more open than anticipated so far. Ten goals have been scored in Portugal’s three games and eight in Switzerland’s, with underlying numbers that aren’t far off. That’s why I like over 2.5 goals at +127.
Thomas: There are two good teams going head-to-head here. I agree it’s going to be tight. I like Portugal to go through on penalties (+850).
