Without U.S. play, World Cup betting expected to dip
By Case Keefer, Las Vegas Sun
The thrill of gambling can’t quite compensate for the lack of rooting interest in the World Cup.
With the United States failing to qualify for this year’s tournament, betting handle on the event may decrease locally for the first time in decades.
That doesn’t mean the World Cup won’t be the focus at sports books as the 32 competing teams play their opening matches over the next six days in Russia. It’s still expected to carry betting action over the next month during an otherwise slow period.