Oddsmakers Not Concerned About Costa Rica Notching Six-Goal Blowout vs. USA in FIFA World Cup Qualifier (March 30)

Costa Rica vs. USA Odds

For those still worried the United States Men's National Team might somehow yet fail to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, know this:

Oddsmakers do not share your concern.

Only a defeat to Costa Rica by six or more goals Wednesday would see the Americans fail to seal an automatic berth in their final CONCACAF qualifier.

The most likely way that happens — and we're using the word "likely" liberally here — is a 6-0 Costa Rica victory. You can actually bet on that correct score via WynnBET at +40000 odds, along with FanDuel at +25000 odds.

To be pedantic, yes… Costa Rica could also advance by other margins: 7-1, 8-2, etc… so, a bet on 6-0 doesn't reflect the odds on any scenario that amounts to the Americans finishing in fourth place.

However, good luck finding a book that lets you play Costa Rica at-5.5. goals.

The highest winning margin any United States book is offering is a Costa Rica win by four or more goals at +5000 at BetMGM and +7000 at DraftKings.

And although some books will let you bet a custom line of your own creation — PointsBet might be the most well-known among U.S. bettors — we haven't found one willing to offer a price for Costa Rica at -5.5 goals.

The Action Network reached out to PointsBet via e-mail and to seven British bookmakers about possible odds on such a wager.

Three — Betfair, Ladbrokes and William Hill — all said they could not directly honor such a custom request. The rest did not respond as of this writing.

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CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Standings

Still not convinced the U.S. is a virtual guarantee? Maybe that's understandable after the stunning loss in Trinidad and Tobago back in 2017 that sent them crashing out of qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Yet, in 232 CONCACAF final-round qualifying matches played since the start of the 1998 cycle, only two have been decided by six or more goals.

In 1998 qualifying, Mexico beat Jamaica in a 6-0 blowout. In 2018 qualifying, the U.S. defeated Honduras by the same score. Both winners were heavy favorites, rather than a modest underdog like Costa Rica in this meeting.

Admittedly, Los Ticos have put up some impressive home qualifying performances during the last three decades. However, their two biggest home wins in the final round were both via a 4-0 scoreline, coming against Trinidad and Tobago in the 2010 cycle and the U.S. in late 2016, which was a result that got former U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann fired.

Yet, in 2022 qualifying, Costa Rica has been held scoreless more times (five) than they've scored multiple goals (three) in the process.

And if you think a 6-0 Costa Rica win would be just as improbable as the results on Oct. 10, 2017 that doomed the USMNT, oddsmakers would tell you you're wrong.

It took Trinidad and Tobago's 2-1 upset victory, plus home wins by Honduras over Mexico and Panama over Costa Rica, to send the U.S. to a fifth-place finish.

According to OddsPortal, Trinidad and Tobago was roughly a +1100 underdog. However, Honduras was a modest +145 favorite and Panama was a stronger one at -130 odds. A parlay on those results would've given odds in the neighborhood of +5000, well short of the whopping 400-1 odds oddsmakers at WynnBET is giving on a 6-0 Costa Rica victory.