The World Cup knockout stage continues today with three matches: Ivory Coast vs. Norway, France vs. Sweden, and Mexico vs. Ecuador.
Our team of experts has come up with a pick for each of Tuesday's three Round of 32 games, so let's dive into today's World Cup best bets.
Today's World Cup Best Bets, Expert Picks
The team logos in the table below represent each of the World Cup matchups that our staff is targeting from today's slate. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 1:00 p.m. | |
  | 5:00 p.m. | |
  | 9:00 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our World Cup odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Ivory Coast +0.5 Asian Handicap (-114)
There is significant value in backing Ivory Coast to keep this game close.
The African side has demonstrated its ability to compete against top-tier opposition, notably taking the lead against Germany before a stoppage-time goal denied them a famous result.
They also secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Ecuador despite entering as underdogs. Having scored in all three of their group stage matches, their attack has proven it can create chances.
Pick: Ivory Coast +0.5 Asian Handicap (-114 at Bet365)
France to Win & Over 2 Total Goals (-152)
France's attack has been exceptional, scoring 10 goals across three group games.
Didier Deschamps' squad has scored three or more goals in every match of this tournament. They face a Swedish defense that has not recorded a clean sheet in 14 consecutive matches across all competitions.
This sets the stage for France to score multiple goals, making the combination of a French victory and over two total goals an attractive proposition.
Pick: France to Win & Over 2 Total Goals (-152 at Bet365)
Mexico vs Ecuador: 1st Half Result — Draw (+142)
Ecuador have prioritised defensive stability under Sebastian Beccacece. He will want to ensure that his team doesn’t afford Mexico the space to make a fast start, so we should see a cagey first half. As a result, we are backing the score to be level at half-time in this game.
The half-time result has been a draw in eight of Ecuador’s last 10 matches. During that run, they have scored an average of 0.5 first-half goals per game, 0.2 more than they have conceded.
Mexico have also been defensively sound at this World Cup, and are yet to concede a goal. Therefore, we should expect Javier Aguirre’s team to keep Ecuador at bay, particularly in the early stages, when there is more of a reluctance to take risks.
Pick: Mexico vs Ecuador: 1st Half Result — Draw (-110 at Bet365)
