Brazil will be looking to halt a three-match winless streak in World Cup action when they take the pitch against Costa Rica on Friday as heavy -475 favourites on the World Cup odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Canarinho were frustrated in a chippy clash with Switzerland to open their tournament schedule, converting just once on 15 total shots in a 1-1 draw as -220 chalk, but remain -400 favourites on the World Cup championship odds going into Friday’s matchup at Saint Petersburg Stadium.
With their draw against the Swiss, Brazil failed to erase the memory of their notorious meltdown at the 2014 World Cup. However, the Canarinho have picked up the win in each of nine previous meetings with the Ticos, who enter Friday’s contest riding a three-match losing streak, and are pegged as distant +1500 underdogs.
Soccer fans in Germany will also be holding their breath when the defending World Cup champions return to action on Saturday against Sweden as -240 favourites. The Germans are coming off a stunning 1-0 loss to Mexico on Sunday, and will need to earn points in their two remaining matches to avoid becoming the second straight defending champions to be ousted in the group stage.
Die Mannschaft have now tallied just one win in their past seven outings across all competitions, and will battle a Swedish side pegged as +700 underdogs but riding high after denying South Korea a shot on target in Monday’s 1-0 win as +125 favourites. However, Germany remains a solid +800 bet to repeat as World Cup champions, and a +300 wager to bounce back and emerge as winners in Group F.
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Elsewhere this weekend, Senegal can position themselves to become the first African squad to finish atop a World Cup group stage table since 1998 by claiming a win when they take on Japan on Sunday as +125 favourites. The Lions of Teranga handed Poland a stunning 2-1 loss as +225 underdogs on Tuesday, and now sit as +100 favourites to win Group H.
However, Senegal must first get past a Samurai Blue squad that stunned Colombia with a 2-1 victory as a +395 bet to join them atop the Group H table, and have scored six total goals during a brief-but-impressive two-match win streak.
In other World Cup betting action in the days ahead, Iceland can take a huge step towards advancing to the knockout stage at their first World Cup when they battle Nigeria on Friday as razor-thin +170 chalk. England can also advance with a win when they face Panama on Sunday as -500 betting favorites.
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