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1. World Cup 2020 Betting Offers & Free Bets For New & Existing Customers The Best Bookie Sign Up Offers and Free Bets For This Year’s Tournament. The 2018 World Cup is finally upon us. After many months of qualifying matches, we have arrived at the World’s biggest football event.
2. Back either team to win the Rugby World Cup final at odds bigger than 4.00, and 888 sport will give you a £5 free bet. The minimum qualifying stake is £10.

Some World Cup betting offers are for both new and existing members, whilst others are only available to those that register a new account with the bookmaker offering the deal. World Cup Odds For those planning to bet on Qatar 2022, make sure you check out WorldCup-Odds.com who've compiled bookmakers best odds on a wide range of betting markets. BetVictor’s Million Pound Bet World Cup competition gives you the chance to win a cool £1,000,000! Just place a £1.00 bet on the World Cup to qualify!

2018 World Cup Betting Preview & Tips

The new football season has started with a bang. Neymar’s dramatic transfer to Paris Saint Germain for a fee that doubled the world transfer record may have troubled purists, but high-scoring games in the Barclays Premier League and Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Barcelona in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup offered a timely reminder that the real thrills of football happen on the pitch.

A new season is also a reminder that another event seeped in money and sporting glory is on the way. The 21^st edition of the FIFA World Cup will take place in Russia between June the 14^th and July the 15^th 2018 and will, as usual, draw the eyes of the world.

The 2017/18 football season won’t really end – it will escalate. World Cups have long been considered the pinnacle of the sport and host of its most iconic moments: Pele’s goals; Maradona’s dribbles and Hand of God exploits against England; Ronaldo’s breakdown and Zidane’s double at France ’98; Iniesta’s extra time winner for tiki-taka Spain.

In recent years club football has threatened to usurp international football as the highest level of the game. Ever-increasing TV revenues have armed the biggest clubs with the resources to build star-studded teams, with the consequence that international breaks are viewed by many as an interruption to the club season.

World Cups, however, remain the exception to the rule. The quadrennial format ensures that, like the Olympics, World Cups generate a sense of occasion few tournaments can match.

Russia 2018 has been dogged by controversy. Revelations of corruption within FIFA have led to investigations into the bidding process for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, while Russia’s aggression towards the Ukraine and issues with racism and intolerance within Russian football have led to calls for boycotts.

It’s worth remembering, however, that both preceding World Cups, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, were plagued by concerns over funding and the potential for civilian unrest in the build up to the events. Both tournaments took place and were a success, with a TV audience of 715 million (almost one tenth of Earth’s population) said to have watched Germany’s 2014 final win in the Maracana.

When the first game kicks off in Russia 2018 football will do the talking. Ultimately, that’s what the World Cup has always been about.

History

The first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. The success of recent Olympic football tournaments convinced many within FIFA, notably its president Jules Rimet, that there was an appetite for a worldwide football championship.

Uruguay were granted the right to host the inaugural games to tie in with celebrations for the 100^th anniversary of their independence – and because they promised to pay the travel and accommodation fares of all the other teams!

Worldwide travel in 1930 was a significant consideration. European teams heading to South America would have to prepare themselves for a two-week ocean liner trip across the Atlantic and a two-month absence from home, which deterred many nations from committing to the event.

France, Belgium, Romania and Yugoslavia were finally convinced to make the crossing by Rimet and joined seven teams from South America plus the USA and Mexico in the draw. Uruguay won the tournament with an exciting 4-2 final victory over Argentina but did not take part in the next two World Cups as a protest at the poor turnout of European teams.

If European teams weren’t prepared to travel why not take the tournament to Europe? Italy won the next two World Cups, their home championships in 1934 and the 1938 World Cup in France, before the outbreak of the Second World War led to an inevitable hiatus.

The World Cup returned in Brazil in 1950, with Uruguay returning to the action (and winning again) and British clubs invited to participate for the first time after settling historic differences with FIFA.

Brazil may not have won their home World Cup but they stamped their authority on the tournament in the following two decades. One Brazilian in particular became synonymous with the World Cup. Sweden 1958 introduced a new world star, perhaps the greatest star of them all, when an inspired 17-year-old named Edson Arantes do Nascimento propelled Brazil to the title.

Pele, as do Nascimento was also known (much to the relief of commentators), came into the tournament carrying an injury but scored a hat-trick in the semi-final against France and a double in the final against Sweden to put his name up in lights. His second goal in the final, a deft flick over a defender followed by a volley into the net, was voted one of the greatest World Cup goals of all time.

Perhaps only Diego Maradona’s heroics at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico rival Pele’s impact. Maradona scored or assisted 10 of Argentina’s 14 goals as they claimed their second World Cup and scored his infamous Hand of God goal against England in the quarter-final.

By now the World Cup had expanded to a 24-team event. It was increased to its current 32-team format at France 1998 to allow more teams from Africa, Asia and North America to take part. The scale of the event was emphasised by the mysterious malaise that affected Brazilian superstar Ronaldo in the final, where he was withdrawn from the starting line-up then reinstated as Zinedine Zidane scored two headers to earn a home triumph for France.

Ronaldo found redemption four years later in South Korea and Japan when he scored eight goals, including a double in the final against Germany, to give Brazil their record fifth World Cup victory.

Russia 2018

The rich heritage of the World Cup gives it a prestige that arguably outshines any other sporting event. Who will write the next chapter in the great World Cup story?

At the time of writing only three teams have confirmed their place at next year’s finals. Home team Russia received direct entry, while Brazil and Iran have produced such fine results in qualifying their places are already assured.

A quick glimpse at the qualifying tables suggests that many of the “big” European teams will make it. France, Portugal, Germany, Spain, Italy, England and Belgium all have strong points tallies and will be scouting hotels in Russia, though the Netherlands have some ground to make up in their group.

The African qualifiers are still wide open, but perhaps the most competitive qualifying group is South America. Despite the presence of Messi in their ranks, Argentina have failed to convince in qualifying and currently sit fifth in a table where only the top three automatically progress to the World Cup.

Argentina remain in contention but are competing with three strong teams, Uruguay, Columbia and Chile, for a place in Russia 2018.

Messi failing to make it to the World Cup sounds unthinkable, but the brilliant Argentine has failed to light up the event like his countryman Maradona did in 1986. Messi’s only real contemporary rival, Cristiano Ronaldo has also enjoyed mixed fortunes at World Cups.

It is perhaps a sign of the recent shift in power from international to club football that Messi and Ronaldo are assured of their place in football folklore even if they fail to dominate a World Cup in the manner of Pele and Maradona.

That said, both superstars will be desperate to make an impression if they make it to Russia 2018. With Ronaldo 33 and Messi 30, Russia 2018 probably represents their last opportunity to drag their team to the title.

Many have argued that Neymar’s move to Paris St. Germain was an effort to escape the shadow cast by Messi. Neymar may have played second fiddle at Barcelona, but he has always been centre stage for Brazil and has formed a potent attacking trident with Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho and Man City’s Gabriel Jesus for the Seleção.

Brazil will rightly go into Russia 2018 as one of the favourites, alongside champions Germany and 2010 winners Spain, who are still the pass masters of world football.

Who else can launch a serious bid for the title?

France have fallen apart badly at recent World Cups, notably South Africa 2010 where the players infamously mutinied. The rise of young stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Anthony Martial, alongside the likes of Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Raphael Varane, offers hope for a brighter future and, on paper, the French squad is as strong as any.

Belgium are also in the midst of a Golden Age. Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne are among the star names that could take them to their first World Cup and, with French champion Thierry Henry in their coaching staff, they have someone in their ranks who’s been there and done it.

Looking beyond Europe, Chile have won the last two Copa Americas and play with pace and energy, while African teams have long been tipped to make a bigger impression in the final stages of World Cups. Could Russia 2018 produce the first ever African World Cup winners?

The eyes of the world will turn to Moscow and the other host cities in June 2018. Predictions are always risky, but let’s hope it’s the football that dominates the headlines.

Fast Facts

• When: 28th March 2020 (cancelled)
• Where: Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE
• Watch: Sky Sports Racing
• Official Website:Dubai Racing Club

The Dubai World Cup is one of the world’s most valuable races and is held each year in March at Meydan racecourse, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The race is the headline act of Dubai World Cup Day which is the single richest raceday anywhere on the planet.

World Cup Day signals the end of Dubai’s World Cup Carnival, which is a valuable series of ten meetings which begin in January. The meeting is also an indication of the end of the racing season at Meydan, with the last fixture coming in April before the temperatures soar through the summer months.

With a purse of around $12 million for the World Cup itself, the winner collecting around $7 million, the top trainers from all over the globe will be competing her for one of racing’s biggest prizes.

Below we’ll have our predictions for the big race, along with all the best betting offers when they become available to take advantage of.

Please note: The 2020 Dubai World was not be run on the 28th March after the meeting was cancelled.

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Please Note: This event has now ended.

About The Dubai World Cup

The world of horse racing is somewhat equatable to the world of fine wine, in so much as there are a number of classics that people return to time and again but over the years a number of ‘new world’ offerings have come along to compete for attention. You can discover for yourself how this applies in the world of wine, but when it comes to horse racing the classic races are the likes of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Grand National, the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby and Oaks.

Those races have been the inspiration for countless others over the years, with the most obvious examples coming in the form of the likes of the Kentucky Derby in America and the Melbourne Cup in Australia. One of the most recent additions to this list is the one that we’re talking about here, which is the Dubai World Cup. Created in 1996, it is considered to be one of the foremost thoroughbred races in the Arabic world, coming at the end of the Dubai World Cup Night of races.

The race is the responsibility of the Emirates Racing Authority, which boasts the owner of Manchester City Football Club and the Minister of Presidential Affairs in the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as its Chairman. The other eight races of Dubai World Cup Night are also the ERA’s responsibility.

The first thing you’re likely to want to know is the format of the main race. Run left-handed over two thousand metres, which is about ten furlongs, the Dubai World Cup takes place on a dirt track. Qualification for the event is open to three-year-olds and over from the Southern Hemisphere and horses aged four and up from the Northern Hemisphere.

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There is a weight of fifty-four and a half kilograms on the three-year-old horses from the Southern Hemisphere and fifty-seven kilograms on all other horses. The Group 1 flat race takes place in late March every year at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai and is only open to thoroughbreds.

Sheikh Mohamad Creates the Dubai World Cup

Given that it has only been taking place since 1996, it’s entirely fair to say that the Dubai World Cup doesn’t have as illustrious a history as some of those classic races referred to before. It was the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Dubai at the time. He had long enjoyed a fascination with horse racing, owning Darley Stud & Godolphin Racing. That is considered to be one of the best thoroughbred racing and breeding operations anywhere in the world.

Meydan & Nad Al Sheba Racecourse

From the race’s inauguration up until 2009 the race was hosted by Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in Dubai, but it was closed in 2009 in order to completely revamp the venue. When it reopened it was renamed as Meydan Racecourse, meaning that the race has taken place at the same location but on two different courses since its inception. When the Meydan Racecourse was first used it had an artificial surface known as Tapeta and this was the surface that the Dubai World Cup was raced on until 2015. The surface proved to be unpopular, especially with American racing enthusiasts, and so in 2015 the dirt track was reinstated at the course.

As with most things in Dubai, Meydan Racecourse is an impressive site and sight. The course’s grandstand is more than a mile long and has the ability to welcome more than sixty thousand spectators. It boasts the world’s first five-star hotel on the side of a racetrack. There’s also plenty of restaurants, as you’d expect, as well as seventy-two corporate suites and a racing museum.

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Those corporate suites come into their own when the racecourse is not in use and it serves as a centre for business and conferences. To give you some idea of how spectacular the venue is, it was used as the shooting location for a docking bay that housed the USS Enterprise for the film Star Trek Beyond. Numerous musicians have performed at the racecourse over the years, including Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and Elton John.

Cigar – The Inaugural Winner

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Outside the barn of Bill Mott at Belmont Park in the United States of America hangs a plaque dedicated to the honour of Cigar. The thoroughbred race horse won an impressive twelve major honours between 1994 and 1996, including the Breeders’ Cup and the Pimlico Special.

In 2002 he was welcomed into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame, giving you an indication of just how special he was. When a list of the top one hundred American race horses of the twentieth century was collated, Cigar came eighteenth. It’s perhaps little surprise, then, that he was the inaugural winner of the Dubai World Cup.

Records

Interestingly, at the time of writing only one horse has won the race more than once, Thunder Snow in 2018 and 2019 for the Godolphin team.

The most successful jockey, meanwhile, is Jerry Bailey, who won the first race on Cigar and then repeated his trick on Singspiel the following year. He won another two races back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. Only one of his wins, the 2002 victory on Street Cry, came on the back of a horse belonging to the most successful owner in the race’s history.

Godolphin Racing have owned eight winners to date, with seven of those having been trained by Saeed bin Suroor, who is the race’s most successful trainer thanks to his nine wins.

Other Dubai World Cup Night Races

As mentioned earlier, the Dubai World Cup is a race that comes at the end of a spectacular day of racing at Meydan Racecourse. Unsurprisingly for an event that takes place in the United Arab Emirates and in Dubai specifically, it is the richest single day of thoroughbred racing anywhere in the world. The event features eight thoroughbred races as well as a single race specifically for Purebred Arabian horses. We’ll look at the remaining races, other than the Dubai World Cup that we’ve already covered, in turn now:

Dubai Kahayla Classic

It is that solitary race for Purebred Arabian horses that kickstarts proceedings. Having started life as the Mashreq Bank Handicap, this race lasted just one year under that title before becoming the Dubai Arabian Classic in 1997. Three years later and it underwent another name change when it became the Dubai Kahayla Classic, keeping that title since. It became a Group 1 race in 1999 was originally run on dirt before shifting to Tapeta along with the rest of the races when Nad Al Sheba Racecourse became Meydan Racecourse in 2010.

Godolphin Mile

This Group 2 flat race is run on dirt over sixteen hundred metres and was inaugurated as the Nad Al Sheba Mile back in 1994. It got its current name in 2000 and is for three-year-olds from the Southern Hemisphere and four-year-olds from the Northern Hemisphere. As with a number of the other races, it boasts a purse of $1.5 million.

Dubai Gold Cup

The Dubai Gold Cup might share a name with its famous counterpart that takes place at the Cheltenham Festival every year, but that’s all that the two races share. It was inaugurated in 2012 and didn’t enjoy the best of starts, having to be re-run later in the evening after a fatal injury was sustained by Fox Hunt the first time around. It was a Group 3 race until 2014 when it moved up a level. Run left-handed on turf over a distance of three thousand two hundred metres, the race is open to horses aged three and up.

Al Quoz Sprint

This race was originally part of the Dubai International Racing Carnival, only moving to the Dubai World Cup Night when Meydan Racecourse opened in 2010. That was just its fourth year of racing, having been inaugurated in 2007. It’s a Group 1 race that is for three-year-olds and over. It was originally run over twelve hundred metres, shortening to one thousand metres in 2011 before returning to its initial length in 2017.

UAE Derby

The name suggests that this race has links to other Derby races and that is correct; it can earn winners points for the Kentucky Derby and is used as a warm-up race for that event by many. First run in 2000 over a distance of eighteen hundred metres, it was lengthened to two thousand metres in 2002, the same year that it earned its Group 2 status. The length dropped back down to eighteen hundred metres in 2004 and then increased to nineteen hundred metres five years later. It’s for thoroughbreds aged three and over from either hemisphere and has a purse of $2.5 million.

Dubai Golden Shaheen

Another Group 1 race for thoroughbreds, the Dubai Golden Shaheen is open to horses aged three and over regardless of which hemisphere they’re from. It takes place over twelve hundred metres, which is the equivalent of about six furlongs. First run as the Nad Al Sheba Sprint in December of 1993, it was moved to March in 1996 in order to be part of the Dubai World Cup Night and got its current name in 2000. It has been the third-leg of the ten race Global Sprint Challenge series since 2012.

Dubai Turf

Along with the Dubai Sheema Classic, this is one of the richest races in the world thanks to its purse of $6 million. First run in 1996 under the title of the Dubai Duty Free, it received its current title in 2015 after it received sponsorship from DP World Signs. It originally took place over two thousand metres but dropped to one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven metres in 2000. Two years after that it achieved Group 1 status and then in 2006 it became part of the four race Asian Mile Challenge. It has been run over eighteen hundred metres since moving to Meydan Racecourse in 2010.

Dubai Sheema Classic

This Group 1 flat race is run left-handed and is open to thoroughbreds aged three and up from the Southern Hemisphere and four and over from the Northern Hemisphere. It is run over around a mile and a half, or two thousand four hundred and ten metres in local money. It was first run under the title of the Dubai Turf Classic in 1998 but was renamed at the turn of the millennium. It received its Group 1 status in 2002 and boasts a purse of $6 million. That means that it is worth the same amount as the Dubai Turf and only The Everest in Australia is worth more to the winners.

Interesting Facts

Whilst the individual races all boast a number of interesting facts all of their own, those that belong to the Dubai World Cup itself are somewhat limited. We’ve already told you about the race’s most successful owner, jockey and trainer, so we’ll give you some other information now.

• The fastest runner of the race when it was hosted at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse was Dubai Millennium, coincidentally winning the event on its outing in the millennium. The winning time was 1 minute 59.5 seconds in 2000.
• On the synthetic track at Meydan Racecourse, the fastest time was 2 minutes 1.61 seconds. That was achieved by African Story in 2014
• The dirt track hasn’t been in place for long at the time of writing, but the fastest winning time so far on it was the 2 minutes 1.38 seconds managed by Thunder Snow in 2018
• When the Dubai World Cup was broadcast on the TVG Network and HRTV and then later shown on ABC, it was the first time that the race had been available on national TV in the US