2022 World Cup Semi-Finals Odds

And then there were four.

While the temperature in the Middle East isn’t as scorching as it usually is during the summer, things are definitely heating up in the latter stages of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

After stunning upsets, mesmerizing displays, tactical masterclasses, and well-executed set pieces, only four contenders remain in Qatar. Argentina, Croatia, France, and Morocco will all be bidding to make history, with each eyeing a spot in the final.

The first semi-final pits Argentina, one of the bookies’ favorites, against 2018 runners-up Croatia. Despite being pegged back by the Netherlands, Lionel Scaloni’s men held their nerves in the penalty shootout, just as Croatia did by beating Brazil, the other South American giants.

In the other semi-final, France will be hoping to book their spot in the final, but Morocco, the tournament’s surprise package, will be eager to add another European scalp as they bid to make history.

Now, let’s show you what the bookies have in store for you.

2022 World Cup Semi-Finals Odds

Semi-Final Odds – Argentina Vs. Croatia

Argentina Soccer Team Odds

After overcoming an early blip after their loss to Saudi Arabia, Argentina look like the team that everyone expected.

After topping their group and beating Australia and the Netherlands in their KO games, coupled with Brazil’s stunning exit, many bookies now back Lionel Messi and co to go all the way.

Their average odds of winning the World Cup trophy are now at + 170 (17/10). Considering that Lionel Scaloni has vastly improved this Argentina side, this is a solid price.

Of course, to win the tournament, they’ll have to go through a rigid Croatian team. To no surprise, they step into their semi-final tie as the clear favorites averaging odds of -120 (5/6) to win the match in 90 minutes and -250 (2/5) to qualify anyhow.

Croatia Soccer Team Odds

After dumping out Brazil on penalties, Croatia will be hoping to do the same to their South American rivals.

They’ve had to come from behind in both their knockout games, showing the same grit and termination that led them to the cusp of glory four years ago.

Still, Zlatko Dalic’s side are third favorites in the bookies’ eyes. They came in Qatar priced at +7500 (75/1) to be World Champs, and those odds have steadily improved as they now boast odds of +800 (8/1).

If they can do the unthinkable and be the ones to stop Lionel Messi’s surge to international and eternal glory, maybe they can have the chance to right the wrongs of their loss in the final 4 years ago.

If you want to back the Vatreni, they are priced at +200 (2/1) on most sportsbooks to qualify and +400 (4/1) to do so in 90 minutes.

Argentina Vs. Croatia Prediction

Despite Croatia’s stunning victory over Brazil, it’s hard to write this Argentina team off.

We think Lionel Messi will lead his team to another final, which you can get at -250 (2/5) if you want to play it safe, but Croatia may once again force extra time.

Semi-Final Odds – France Vs. Morocco

France Soccer Team Odds

The second World Cup semi-final sees France face Morocco on December 14.

Impressively, France have changed the murmurs on everyone’s tongue. Instead of talking about a winner’s curse, this stunning Les Bleus side has people chanting something else: repeat winners!

With only two matches left, the French are bidding to become only the second-ever nation to win back-to-back World Cups.

This youthful team is priced at +115 to do the repeat and are the tournament favorites on many sportsbooks.

Before they can make the final and lift the crown, they’ll have to tame the Atlas Lions.

On paper, this should be easier, given that they already tamed another set of lions, the Three Lions, despite England controlling most of that encounter.

The bookies have France to win the tie in 90 at -180 (5/9) and -450 (2/9) to qualify via any method for those who prefer to play it safe.

Morocco Soccer Team Odds

Just like France, Morocco are chasing history in this tournament.

After dumping out Portugal and being the first African country to reach the semis, they’ll hope to add to that record by defeating another European football giant, this time France.

Impressively, they are one of two unbeaten nations in this tournament (Croatia being the other).

If you like the sound of that, you can back them at +333 (10/3) to qualify and +650 (13/2) to dump France out in 90 minutes, just like they did to Portugal.

Of the four sides left in the World Cup, they are the +1100 (11/1) outsiders.

However, they are trending in the right direction, possess the mental grit essential in knockout ties, and have already shown that they know how to navigate as underdogs.

France Vs. Morocco Prediction

This is another tough one to call. For us, we are backing France to go through in 90 minutes but also expecting a close affair, given how Morocco have shown to be defensively resolute.

With this in mind, you can back France and check the U3.5/2.5 goals market.

How To Bet On World Cup Semifinals

Given the large amounts of money wagered on the World Cup semi-finals, bookmakers will offer up hundreds of different markets for punters to get stuck into, from the common outright market between the two sides playing to predicting the number of throw-ins during the match.

It’s therefore important for punters to have an understanding of how each works in order to be successful and make money.

We’ve put together a list of the key bets to look out for to enhance your chances.

Player Prop Bets

Player props are those bets which are based around a player’s performance during a particular match.

In the case of the first semi-final between Argentina and Croatia, you back Lionel Messi to open the scoring or perhaps to score a hat-trick.

Team Prop Bets

Team props are bets associated with a team’s performance during a match.

It’s important to note here that these bets are not always dependent on the match’s final outcome.

For example, during the second semi-final between France and Morocco, you might want to bet on France scoring over 2.5 goals.

Asian Handicap

The Asian handicap is a popular market used by many punters because it brings the odds closer together.

This market gives one side a virtual head start or handicap, for example, 1.5 goals, thus making them a better or worse price.

For example, when Morocco plays France, they are the underdogs; therefore, the handicap is set at 1.5 goals, with Morocco on +1.5 goals and France on -1.5 goals.

If you were looking to back Morocco, you would need them to either win the match outright, draw, or lose by just 1 goal in order for the bet to be successful.

Goal Lines

Goal lines are bets which allow punters to wager on the total number of goals scored during a specific match at the World Cup.

In the case of the semi-final between Argentina and Croatia, you might think there will be plenty of goalmouth action, and thus you might bet on there being over 3.5 goals.

Totals Bets

Totals bets are those which enable punters to bet over or under the total number of predicted goals in a match.

In Morocco’s semi-final with France, a bookmaker might feel that this match will be quite cagey with few chances and therefore might think they’ll only be two goals.

It’s then the job of the punter to decide whether this figure is too low or too high.

How To Sign Up At Sportsbook & Place A Bet

Placing a bet on the World Cup semi-finals is a straightforward process.

These days, the majority of bets are placed online with the ease of online betting platforms surpassing the traditional method of walking into a high-street bookmaker and writing down your bet on slips of paper.

Firstly, you’ll need to open an account with an online bookmaker.

As there are so many of these, all of which will be offering different and tempting sign-up offers, it’s important to shop around to determine which is the best for your needs.

If you are looking to place a bet using the Asian handicap on France vs. Morocco, here are five simple steps to keep you on track:

Find the market on the main football page, identify which team you want to bet on, then select those odds and ‘add’ them to your betting slip.
Select the amount of money you want to wager by filling in the figure in the ‘stake’ area.
You might be prompted to add money into your account. You can deposit the relevant amount or more if required before completing the bet.
If you already have the money in your account, then you can go ahead and click the ‘place bet’ button. A confirmation message will pop up confirming the bet has been placed successfully.
Make sure you keep an eye on your betting slip as most bookmakers will provide live updates on how your bet is going as well as providing ‘cash out’ options before the end of the match for you to consider. This is an increasingly popular feature with nearly all bookmakers offering this functionality.

Argentina and Croatia Performance In Qatar

Argentina arrive at the semi-finals having proven their World Cup credentials.

They won two of their three group games to top Group D before seeing off Australia and Netherlands in style in the last 16 and the quarter-finals.

Croatia has progressed well in Qatar but has struggled to impress at times.

They were second in their group before edging past Japan and Brazil in the knockouts, with both victories coming after a tense penalty shootout.

Football Players

Argentina is filled with plenty of talented forwards, with Messi instrumental at the heart of the front line.

Apart from Messi, La Selección can still depend on other forwards like Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Angel Di Maria, and Papu Gomez. Paulo Dybala is another talented forward, though he’s yet to make a breakthrough in Qatar for the Argentines.

Lionel Scaloni likes to play with a 4-3-3, even though he switched things up in the QF with the Netherlands, opting for a 5-3-2.

Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez control the midfield, while Nicolas Otamendi and Cristian Romero are the preferred choices at center-back. In goal is Aston Villa’s no.1 shot-stopper, Emi Martinez.

As for Croatia, their golden generation has massively impressed, with Zlatko Dalić having many players that he can choose from.

Their preferred formation is a 4-3-3, with midfield stalwarts Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, and Mateo Kovacic controlling the game from the center.

Their forward lineup may not contain the same power as the Argentines, but they still have a steady selection of attackers, most notably Mario Pasalic, Andrej Kramaric, and Ivan Perisic.

Bruno Petkovic, who equalized against Brazil, could also trouble the Argentines.

Injury List

Argentina may not have suffered any injury concerns against the Netherlands, but two players earned suspension in that match.

Lionel Scaloni will have to do without full-backs Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna, who were both carded and suspended from the semis.

Croatia also don’t have any injury concerns, and they should be able to call upon Borna Sosa and Mislav Orsic after they both recovered from their respective illnesses.

Coaching Staff / Technical Staff

Both coaches began coaching their national sides in the late 2010s.

Lionel Scaloni was handed the reins as a caretaker manager after Jorge Sampaoli left in 2018 and was later picked as the chosen one by the end of that calendar year.

He led his team to the 2021 Copa America title, thus putting an end to Messi’s international drought.

On the opposing dugout is Zlatko Dalić, who’s been crucial to Croatia’s success since being appointed in 2017. His most notable achievement was leading Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018, something that he’ll be hoping to replicate again by bettering Lionel Scaloni’s tactics.

Besides being the national team manager, he’s also had several stints at club level before his appointment in 2017.

Argentina & Croatia Road To The Semis

Despite losing their first game in the tournament, Argentina have been extremely impressive since then.

They won their remaining group games 2-0 to top the group, and after that beat Australia in the round of 16.

La Albiceleste were then handed a tricky tie against the Dutch. Thanks to a stunning Messi assist and a penalty from the main man, they headed into the dying embers leading 2-0 before the Dutch pegged them back to 2-2.

Unlike Brazil, the Argentines held their nerves and converted 4 of their 5 spot kicks, with Emi Martinez saving two to guarantee safe passage to the semis.

Just like the Argentines, Croatia also relied on penalties to beat their QF opponents.

Despite going down to a superb Neymar goal, Petkovic stunned the Samba boys by scoring in the 117th minute, helping them come back and win the game just like they did against Japan.

That goal was instrumental in helping Croatia maintain their unbeaten status, though they’ve only achieved this by grinding out results.

Their only victory in 90 minutes was against Canada in the group stage when they came back after going 1-0 down early on to win 4-1.

France and Morocco Performance In Qatar

France have evaded the winner’s curse and have been playing like worthy champions in Qatar.

They won two of their three group games, and their only loss came against Tunisia when they had already wrapped up the group, though this defeat may help inspire the Atlas lions.

Morocco, like Tunisia — their North African counterparts — will be hoping to stun the French again. Having already beaten the likes of Belgium, Spain, and Portugal, Morocco shouldn’t be discounted in this tie.

Football Players

It’s perhaps unsurprising that France are the favorites, given their squad depth and the quality of players that coach Didier Deschamps can call upon.

Despite injuries to players like Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, and Lucas Hernandez, France’s squad depth is still eye-catching.

Of course, the likes of Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele take the headlines, given they have been the match-winners, but this is a team with quality all over the pitch.

In goal, Hugo Lloris, with nearly 150 caps, has proved about as experienced as they come, while defensively, they have a wealth of options.

Countering Lloris’ longevity is Aurelien Tchouameni, who scored against England on Saturday. The young Real Madrid midfielder has formed a strong partnership with Adrien Rabiot, with both players ensuring that Deschamps doesn’t miss Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.

The Moroccans, too, have a wealth of talent that Walid Regragui can call upon.

Players like Bono, Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech, Sofyan Amrabat, and Sofiane Boufal have starred in the tournament and boosted their overall market value, but, truthfully, Morocco have played as a solid unit, ensuring that all players get deserving plaudits.

Their preferred formation is the typical 4-3-3, which has helped them concede only one goal in the entire tournament.

Injury List

There are no new injury worries for Didier Deschamps, apart from Lucas Hernandez, who was already ruled out of the tournament.

Manager Walid Regragui, on the other hand, has plenty of injury and suspension woes. Romain Saiss was stretchered off against Portugal, while Walid Cheddira earned two yellows and is suspended.

Other players like Noussair Mazraoui and Nayef Aguerd could also feature after missing the quarters.

Coaching Staff / Technical Staff

France coach Didier Deschamps has been in charge since 2012, and he’s enjoyed a stellar reign so far, having won the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League.

He has been assisted by Guy Stephan (assistant manager) and Franck Raviot (goalkeeping coach) since he took over ten years ago.

As for Morocco, they have recently appointed manager Walid Regragui to thank for their recent fortunes.

Despite being appointed for a short while, he’s brought morale back to the team and helped bring Hakim Ziyech back into the fold.

France & Morocco Road To The Semis

Despite losing one game in the group stages, France have been utterly impressive.

They won their first two games in the tournament, which guaranteed them the top spot.

In the round of 16, the French dominated Poland, earning a 3-1 win over Robert Lewandowski and co. They had a cagey QF affair with England, but Giroud ensured they got away with a nervy 2-1 win.

Impressively, Les Bleus are the only team who are yet to go into extra time at this WC.

Even more impressive? Morocco’s stunning run at this WC. They defied the odds and topped a group that contained Croatia, Belgium, and Canada.

After that, the Atlas Lions beat Spain in a penalty shootout and stunned a high-flying Portugal team, becoming the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final.

At the heart of it all has been their solid backline, which has seen them ship only 1 goal in all 5 matches — the best defensive record in this World Cup.

If they can keep that record intact after facing France, who’s to say they can’t win the World Cup finals?