The 2026 World Cup is in full swing and the United States, fresh off a dominant 4-1 win against Paraguay, now faces Australia in its second game. The Socceroos are riding a ton of momentum after shocking Türkiye 2-0 in their Group D opener.
With so many potential bets that can be made, it might be a bit overwhelming to know where to begin. Fear not! Victoria Matiash and Liz Loza have looked over the options and selected their favorite bets from among those you can make for this game.
*Odds as of time of publication.For the most updated odds, visit DraftKings Sportsbook
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Lumen Field, Seattle, 3 p.m. ET on Fox
USA -170 | Draw +340 | Australia +425
USA (-0.5) -175 | Australia (+0.5) +140
2.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
Best bets for this game
Both the Americans and the Aussies figure to be riding high after executing dominant wins in their respective opening matches. The United States last faced Australia during a friendly this past October, besting the Socceroos by a score of 2-1 on home soil at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado.
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In that effort, both teams scored ahead of the 45-minute mark (with Haji Wright registering the game’s third — and ultimately game-winning — goal in the match’s 51st minute). Given the high vibes and noting that the victor of Friday’s clash will secure a spot in the knockout round, both squads figure to come out on the attack. — Loza
While supporters of the host side are hardly complaining, the underlying stats suggest that the United States shouldn’t have blown out Paraguay by such a comfortable margin in their opener. Despite enjoying a strong possession record (65%), the Americans registered a rate of only 1.42 expected goals (xG), despite winning 4-1.
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Meanwhile, Tony Popovic’s Socceroos were rather fortunate to top Türkiye 2-0, in light of their poor possession numbers (28%) and 1.18 xG. Toss that all into the mix ahead of Friday’s tilt between the two sides, while taking Australia’s strong defense into consideration, and this match bears the premature scent of a 2-1 finish in favor of the USMNT.
If you’re reluctant to go all-in on that specific score (+700), my recommended wager also accommodates for a 1-0 win or, if things really open up, a 3-2 result to satisfy the home crowd. — Matiash
