The Basketball World Championships are held every four years, just like the Olympics. Despite the clear dominance of the United States in world basketball, even they have had embarrassing defeats. In addition to the World Cup itself, there are qualifying games for the right to play in the world championship.
Kazakhstan vs. Bahrain
Far from the strongest basketball teams played each other on July 4, 2022. The championship of Kazakhstan is a dismal spectacle. The level of play is low and it is simply impossible to watch such basketball. What to say about the national team of Bahrain if the odds on Kazakhstan in the match against Bahrain were 1.05. I do not think that in Bahrain people are professionally engaged in basketball. Most likely the core of the team is made up of people for whom basketball is a hobby. On our website with reviews of bookmakers in India, you can also find a gambling club, where bettors can bet on the team with such an unusual lineup.
In the first quarter, the team Kazakhstan destroyed their opponents with a score of 24:9. At that point bookmakers were no longer taking bets on the outcome of the match. In live betting, there was only a huge handicap on the team from Bahrain. How lucky for those lucky ones who took a chance on Bahrain’s head start of +18 or +20. In the second quarter, team of Bahrain inexplicably defeated Kazakhstan with a score of 28-5. Unbelievable, a team with a 7.85 odds to win the quarter with a score of 28-5. After that, the game calmed down and the teams showed their true level. Neither Kazakhstan nor Bahrain could gain more than 15 points in the remaining quarters. The final score of the meeting 62:51.
Only the first two-quarters of the game should be noted. It was fun there. In the second half, the teams had absolutely nothing going for them. It can hardly be called basketball. However, in terms of the odds, it was a huge win for Bahrain. It’s also not easy to make a reliable prediction and that has a positive impact on the odds.
USA vs. France
September 11, 2019. World Cup quarterfinals. The national teams of the United States and France were to fight for the exit to the semifinals. The big favorites in the upcoming game were considered basketball players from the United States. To place a wager on their victory, the odds were 1.23.
Bets on France were accepted for 4.12. The Americans did not bring the strongest national team to this tournament, but even so, the USA team was the favorite of the tournament. The Americans did not lose a single game on the group stage. Only once did they score a draw in regulation time. It was in a match against Turkey.
The French were not as good in the group stage. They had 4 wins and were defeated in a match against Australia. This match should have ended with a win for the USA, but that was only on paper.
The first quarter of the match ended in a draw with a score of 18:18. In the second quarter, the French team managed to take the lead. The score after the first half was 45:39. In the third quarter, the Americans were able to outscore their opponents by 27:18.
Before the decisive part of the game the American team was leading 66:62. It seemed that the favorites had turned the game around and had to win the game. The French had other plans. In the final part of the game the French national team was completely outplayed by the Americans – 26:13. A resounding victory in the fourth quarter ensured the French access to the semifinals.
The Americans were ranked 7th in the tournament. The French team was defeated by Argentina in the semi-finals and lost 66-80. In the match for third place, France’s opponent was the national team of Australia, which the French lost in the group stage. This time the French were stronger and managed to win the bronze medal. Quite a successful tournament for the French team.
Spain – Serbia
The Serbian team brought to the tournament a very strong squad. The Serbs were considered one of the main favorites in the World Cup along with the Americans. Before the meeting with the Spaniards, the Serbs rolled over their opponents. They defeated Angola 105-59, the Philippines 126-67, Italy 92-77, and Puerto Rico 90-47. The Spanish team was much more modest. They beat Tunisia 101-62, Puerto Rico 73-63, Iran 73-65, and Italy 67-60.
Based on these results, bookmakers had placed the Serbian basketball team as the odds-on favorite. Betting on Serbia was settled at odds of 1.18. Odds on Spain were settled at 4.98. No one gave a chance to the Spaniards. The Serbian basketball players looked very good in their recent matches. So what happened in the game?
In the first quarter, the Serbian national team was able to justify its status as a big favorite and gave itself a 7-point lead. The score in the first quarter was 20-13. Already in the second quarter, the Spaniards turned the game upside down winning their opponent 32:17. The third and fourth quarters were also scored by Spain, with the final score 81-69. A resounding and confident win for the underdogs with the odds on the win around 5.
Spain was undefeated after that and made it to the finals. Argentina’s basketball team faced them in the final, but it was no contest. The Spanish team rolled over their opponents and won by a score of 96-75.
It was the second gold medal for Spain at a World Championship. The Serbian team then took on Argentina in the quarterfinals. Once again, the Serbs were the big favorites. The odds were about the same as in the game against Spain. However, favorite status again didn’t help the Serbian basketball players. They lost to Argentina, 87-97. That’s how one of the main favorites for the 2019 World Cup went without a medal.
Turkey – Czech Republic
On September 5, 2019, Turkey and the Czech Republic met in the group stage of the World Cup. It was the most of the tournament. Since 2012, the last 6 matches invariably ended with victories for Turkish basketball players. In the upcoming game, bookmakers again gave minimal odds to win the Czech Republic. One could place a bet on the Czechs with an odds of 4.99. Bets on Turkey were accepted for 1.12.
Now let’s look at the marginal matches, which quite well explain the odds. The Turkish national team started the group stage with a match against the USA. The main time ended in a draw at 81:81. In overtime, the American players proved stronger. Czechs had played against the USA before Turkey and lost by a score of 67:88. In the second game the Czech Republic defeated Japan 89:76, but Japan is far from being a leader in world basketball.
The Czech national team started the game confidently and outplayed its opponents in the opening period with a score of 22:16. In the second quarter the Czech national team was stronger again by 21:19. It seemed that it was time for Turkey to get back into the game, but they were unsuccessful. The Czechs won the second half as well, en route to a landslide victory with a score of 91-76.
Winning for the underdogs isn’t that uncommon, but often the underdogs have to go for the win. Here the Czechs outplayed Turkey, leaving them no chance.
Mexico vs. the USA
This match took place on November 30 last year as part of the qualification for the World Cup. Naturally, the U.S. team composition was very far from the strongest. Bookmakers offered to bet on the victory of the Americans only for 1.11. To take a risk and take the victory of the Mexican team was possible for 5.87. Since 2011, the teams have played each other six times. The score in a head-to-head encounter was 4-2.
Before the game against Mexico, the American basketball players had a not very good game against Cuba. The meeting ended with a rather tough victory for the USA with a score of 95:90. However, the bookies were not influenced in any way by the poor play of the Americans in that game. The Mexican national team in the first game of qualification played against Puerto Rico and won with a score of 90:86.
The game had a strong start. The Americans won the first quarter 28-21. In the second quarter, the American team strengthened the lead. After the first half, the Americans were leading 57-48. The game was decided in the third quarter.
The Mexicans managed to win this period with a score of 31-12. In the decisive third quarter, the US played very badly and could not catch up with their opponents. In general, the Americans are the main suppliers of upsets. They are always expected to win, but they don’t always do so.
In basketball, as in other sports, underdogs win fairly often. Experts are unanimous in the opinion that beginners in betting should not abuse betting on favorites.
