Betting on the 2009 Confederations Cup Final: USA vs. Brazil

Here are some fast facts when betting on the 2009 Confederations Cup Final:  USA vs. Brazil.

*This is the most bet on soccer (football) game in ages for US-facing online sportsbooks.  Tons of action was received this past week, mostly on Team USA.  A U.S. win in the 2009 Confederations Cup final will hurt those online sportsbooks catering to Americans whereas the European facing online bookmakers won't feel the pinch unless Brazil wins.  The books were already hurt by USA's shocking upset of Spain to the tune of US$900 for every US$100 bet.  Both Team USA and Spain were getting more action than any other side in any other sport, including all of Sunday's baseball games.

*When betting on the 2009 Confederations Cup final, it is crucial to find the best payout odds.  For the US-facing books, Bookmaker.com had the best odds on USA, with the promise of a US$600 pay day on every US$100 bet.

*According to the Wall Street Journal, Since the 2002 World Cup, the London-based statisticians of Decision Technology have been modeling domestic and international soccer competitions to predict outcomes and assess team strength. Their work has proven consistently better than the bookmakers' odds. And their conclusion? The U.S. is really pretty good. The U.S. national side ranks 14th in the world, ahead of, say, Portugal, a team that's able to field the world's most expensive soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo. The U.S. is 40 percent as good as the best national team. There is a 21.3 percent chance USA will beat Brazil, based on Decision Technology's model. 

* The United States has beaten Brazil only once in 14 tries, and that 1-0 victory came in Los Angeles in the semifinals of the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

* The USA became the first team in Confederations Cup history to qualify from the group stage with three points and a negative goal difference.

* The defending champions are contesting their fourth Confederations Cup final. But if Brazil, a superstitious nation, believe in omens, then victory could come at a price. No Confederations Cup winner has ever gone on to win the next World Cup according to the BBC.

* Brazil are unbeaten in 15 games (W11, D4) and have won the last seven - their best run since an eight-match winning streak was ended at the 2006 World Cup.

* Brazil have won all 11 internationals they have played in Africa.

Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com