Spanish superstar Lamine Yamal has been ruled out for the rest of Barcelona's season because of a torn hamstring, but the injury is not expected to sideline him for the World Cup, according to a recent report. All the same, the betting markets have seemingly reacted to the teenage sensation's injury, as Spain have lengthened from a +450 solo favorite position to win the World Cup, to being co-favorites with France at +500; the French had previously been +550 to win the globe's most prestigious soccer tournament. Spain also lengthened slightly to win Group H, moving from -500 to -450, while Uruguay's odds shortened from +400 to +370, though they did not see their title odds improve.
A week before Yamal's injury, BetMGM reported Spain held an astounding 92.5% of the handle to win their group. At theScore Bet as of Wednesday morning, La Roja garnered a leading 18.2% of wagers and 19.9% of handle to win the World Cup.
Since the field was set, but before Yamal's injury, several countries saw their odds shift in either direction. Notable improvers include Brazil (+850 to +800), Morocco (60-1 to 50-1), Croatia (90-1 to 80-1) and Switzerland (100-1 to 80-1). Teams that lengthened include Norway (28-1 to 30-1), Mexico (70-1 to 75-1), Ecuador (80-1 to 90-1) and late-qualifier Turkey (65-1 to 100-1).
The United States saw their odds shorten from 65-1 to 60-1, likely due to outsized action at American sportsbooks. Bookmakers across the marketplace are expecting the public to the back the host country early and often this summer, with DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello saying American bettors "will bet the U.S. every time they play."
