# World Cup 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 7, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615 "2018-06-07T18:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 48
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/941 "2018-06-29T17:19:33Z")
My semifinalists: Croatia v England Uruguay v Belgium Mexico could be the dark horse in the top half of the bracket if they can play with the intensity they showed against Germany. They won’t play scared. Sweden in the bottom half because of their size and defense. 4 of their last 5 competitive matches have been clean sheets: ITA ITA SK and MEX. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/942 "2018-06-29T17:52:50Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Yeah, I’d say Sweden v Switzerland is the closest game to a toss-up in the Octos. 2nd closest after Uruguay-Portugal, which is literally a toss-up, with win, lose, or draw (extra time) each returning equal money at +180. ETA: those returns are also a good indicator of how much the “house” keeps, since in theory they should each be +300 ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/943 "2018-06-29T18:36:21Z")
> John Cleese responds to Belgium’s victory over England. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/944 "2018-06-29T19:17:21Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > [x.com](https://mobile.twitter.com/JohnCleese/status/1012432677885173761) > > John Cleese responds to Belgium’s victory over England. I guess he thought of something more derogatory than “Belgians”. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/945 "2018-06-29T20:21:01Z")
Damn, that’s cold. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/946 "2018-06-29T20:45:59Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > 2nd closest after Uruguay-Portugal, which is literally a toss-up, with win, lose, or draw (extra time) each returning equal money at +180. > > ETA: those returns are also a good indicator of how much the “house” keeps, since in theory they should each be +300 That’s normal time not extra time. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/947 "2018-06-29T22:04:06Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > 2nd closest after Uruguay-Portugal, which is literally a toss-up, with win, lose, or draw (extra time) each returning equal money at +180. > > ETA: those returns are also a good indicator of how much the “house” keeps, since in theory they should each be +300 Also I believe the correct American odds for a 0% house edge 3-way split would be +200, not +300, although why the European style decimal system has not caught on in UK or US I don’t understand as it’s so much better. ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/948 "2018-06-29T23:19:55Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > [x.com](https://mobile.twitter.com/JohnCleese/status/1012432677885173761) > > John Cleese responds to Belgium’s victory over England. Pretty decent assessment actually. I watched the game with a Belgian guy I know, who actually said something very similar. Very happy with the two yellows in the first half, kind of annoyed with Januzai. He ended the night with “well, going out in the quarters against Brazil is no shame”. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/949 "2018-06-30T01:07:40Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I guess he thought of something more derogatory than “Belgians”. [Palin was certainly no help in that](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrvXoin9NcA) ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/950 "2018-06-30T03:41:20Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > Also I believe the correct American odds for a 0% house edge 3-way split would be +200, not +300… :smack: Thanks. Makes the vig more reasonable ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/951 "2018-06-30T03:44:51Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > That’s normal time not extra time. I meant that the game would go to extra time, since it’s a knockout game. Still considered a draw. They do also have odds for “will advance” ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/952 "2018-06-30T03:50:15Z")
For both France-Argentina and Uruguay-Portugal, I see low scoring draws, either 0-0 or 1-1 through normal time and something random (hopefully a moment of brilliance from Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez or Griezmann) to win in extra time or the dreaded penalties. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/953 "2018-06-30T13:54:59Z")
Changing my mind on this France-Portugal game. Even if they haven’t shown it, you have to think that France will put things together against this flimsy Argentina defense. Plus N’golo Kante is like 2 players. France 2 Argentina 1 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/954 "2018-06-30T14:15:03Z")
Wow, that was a great run by Mapé that lead to the PK. Half the goal belongs to him. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/955 "2018-06-30T14:15:15Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Changing my mind on this France-Portugal game. Even if they haven’t shown it, you have to think that France will put things together against this flimsy Argentina defense. Plus N’golo Kante is like 2 players. France 2 Argentina 1 I agree with this. Rojo just made it more likely. I feel bad for Andres Cantor to have to be neutral announcing his native Argentina. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/956 "2018-06-30T14:50:59Z")
Di Maria with Di shot of the Tournament! ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/957 "2018-06-30T14:56:16Z")
Well, DiMaria’s thunder strike allows the stage to be set for Messi to elevate himself on the greatness scale. Or it could be the final 45 minutes of his less-than-legendary Argentina career. This will be the most intriguing 2nd half of the tournament so far. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/958 "2018-06-30T15:02:08Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Well, DiMaria’s thunder strike allows the stage to be set for Messi to elevate himself on the greatness scale. Or it could be the final 45 minutes of his less-than-legendary Argentina career. This will be the most intriguing 2nd half of the tournament so far. Taking Argentina to three international-tournament finals is already a high feat. The fact that Argentina lost those 3 wasn’t his fault. Messi is the John Elway of international football (at least until Elway’s last 2 years) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/959 "2018-06-30T15:11:10Z")
Ohhh ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/960 "2018-06-30T15:16:05Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Di Maria with Di shot of the Tournament! But Pavard’s no slouch either! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=47) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=49)