Victoria MatiashCloseVictoria MatiashSpecial to ESPN.comVictoria Matiash is a contributing writer for fantasy hockey and betting at ESPN. Victoria has been a part of the fantasy team since 2010. and
Liz LozaCloseLiz LozaESPN WriterLiz Loza is a writer for fantasy football and betting at ESPN and host of the "Facts vs. Feelings" podcast. Liz also appears on "Fantasy Football Now" and contributes to the "Fantasy Focus Football" podcast.
The 2026 World Cup moves into the round of 16 on Saturday, July 4, with the field having been cut in half from the 32 sides that originally advanced from the group stage to the "one and done" elimination bracket.
There's plenty of soccer still left to play in this tournament, and that means plenty of opportunity to make some wagers on the action.
With so many potential bets that can be made over these next eight games, it might be a bit overwhelming to know where to begin. Fear not! Victoria Matiash and Liz Loza have looked over the options and landed on their favorites as the field battles it out to make the quarterfinals.
*Odds as of time of publication. For the most updated odds, visit DK Sports
Total saves (90 minutes), Yassine Bounou, 3+ (+105)
Canada have been on a historic run, while Morocco continue to display their trademark grit. The tourney co-hosts lead all teams in shots made with 70 attempts (28 on target) through four matches. Bounou is expected to hold down the net for the Atlas Lions. The 35-year-old keeper has thrilled fans with on-brand clutch saves and penalty-saving mastery, recording a total of six saves (plus one clean sheet versus Scotland) in 90 minutes of regulation time. "Bono" figures to stay busy in what is expected to be a dramatic rematch of the 2022 World Cup group stage (when Morocco defeated Canada 2-1). -- Loza
With 39 through four matches, Canada comfortably lead the way in earning more corners than any other side at this World Cup. In fact, Canadian midfielder Stephen Eustáquio himself is tied with the entire second-place German squad with 34 all on his own. Also holding a comfortable spot in the top 20%, Morocco rank eighth in the tournament with 24 corners.
Pulling out the abacus, that works out to an average of 9.8/match for Canada and 6.0 for Morocco. While we don't expect 15 total corners in this round-of-16 tilt, 10 feels well reachable. Particularly since Jesse Marsch's underdog squad -- under little pressure facing the sixth-best nation in the world -- is expected to attack with pace and press hard. -- Matiash
Total assists, Michael Olise, 1+ (+145)
Olise has emerged as France's ultimate hype man, sacrificing his own scoring numbers in an effort to set up his teammates. The Bayern Munich winger currently leads the tournament in assists with five over four matches (three of which have led to goals by teammate Kylian Mbappé). He's also just one assist away from matching Pelé's legendary single-tournament World Cup record of six assists set over 50 years ago (in 1970). With history in the balance, and facing a Paraguay squad that has conceded four assists to opponents ranked inside the top 20, Olise's facilitating skills should be on full display this Saturday. -- Loza
While undoubtedly creative, Thomas Tuchel's squad has struggled to finish, regularly forcing Harry Kane into "hero mode." The team's captain has risen to the occasion, scoring five goals and rescuing the Three Lions in the process. Meanwhile, Mexico have maintained an immaculate defensive record with zero goals conceded to advance to the tournament's round of 16. Buoyed by an electric home crowd, El Tri's explosive attack could very well exploit England's defensive inconsistencies, leading to one of the tourney's least anticipated upsets. -- Loza
Norway, DRAW (+280) and Erling Haaland, anytime goalscorer (+115)
Forget about Haaland's bit of performative defeatism when asked about his side's chances of advancing to the next round ("Uh ... very slim"), Norway isn't that big of an underdog, and the Manchester City striker knows it. Aside from the recent group stage loss to France, in which manager Ståle Solbakken strategically rested a good gaggle of his regulars, the Norwegians have suffered one solitary loss -- 2-1 to the Netherlands in a March friendly -- since October 2024. Plus, as made evident by the first half against Japan in the knockout round, this Brazilian side is beatable.
While Brazil are still logically favored to advance, who doesn't like the prospect of this match stretching into extra time? A goal from Haaland -- who, despite scoring, was unsatisfied with his performance against the Ivory Coast -- would certainly go a long way in getting Norway past 90 minutes (plus injury time). -- Matiash
Bonus: You can also parlay these two individual bets at +717 odds.
Top of the table in many distribution and movement statistics, Spain also lead the way in expected goals this tournament with 8.83. While not all group stage opponents are equal, Austria and Uruguay are still reputably competitive sides, ranking 23rd and 19th respectively. When you throw in Spain's four clean sheets thus far, you have to believe that Cristiano Ronaldo & Co., who were rather fortunate to squeak past Croatia in this week's grand spectacle in Toronto, are bound to have their hands full. For the number, Spain -1.5 strikes me as quite appealing. -- Matiash
Source: https://www.espn.com/espn/betting/story/_/id/49247972/fifa-world-cup-betting-round-16-best-bets-picks-odds-props-futures-2026