After four long years of waiting on the return of the FIFA World Cup, lovers of soccer are forced to wait just a few months more. That’s because this year’s event won’t run as normal in June and July but, instead, be played out in November and December. The reason for that slight delay can be blamed on the searing heat and unbearable temperatures of the host nation in summer, which make playing and even watching professional sports outdoors not just dangerous but life-threatening. The decision was made to push the date back just a few months to ensure the competition could be played to a conclusion without any unnecessary interruptions.

Followers of the beautiful game the world over are looking forward to getting started, and a few extra months of waiting aren’t going to dampen their enthusiasm any. Fans are busy following the form of teams during qualifying, keeping up to speed with the playoffs and checking the results of friendly matches. They want to be up to date with the facts and figures when it comes to making their predictions and placing bets on the winner of the World Cup. 

The leading betting apps, from the casinos of Las Vegas to the online Texas sportsbooks, have published their betting odds and markets early. They have made a shortlist of the teams they expect to be battling it out for the trophy in December, offering generous odds and a range of exciting specials. There are many different wants to bet on this winter’s soccer spectacle, including outright champion, group winners, top goalscorer, player of the tournament, stage of elimination and name the finalists. There’s something to suit all styles of bettors and odds that will appeal to all budgets. Bet big on the favourite, or keep your stakes small and aim to catch an underdog with generous odds.

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How to claim your free bet

The most popular online betting apps are currently accepting wagers on the World Cup and want you to gamble with them. Sportsbook bettors are spoiled for choice with the volume of legal and licensed bookies they can choose from today, but with each app claiming to give customers the best possible service, it can be confusing and even frustrating to know which one you should bet with. The industry has become so competitive over the last few years that successful betting apps must stand out against the competition and encourage you to choose them.

How do they achieve that? By offering all new members a welcome bonus free bet. This is a promotion offered to customers who sign up, make their first deposit and place a bet on a qualifying sportsbook market, usually with odds of even money or better. When this bet has been settled, the bookies’ marketing team will drop the free bet tokens owed to you into your betting account. These can then be used to gamble on the World Cup markets and matches of your choice. You are in complete control of how you use them.

It’s important to read the terms and conditions associated with any promotion offered by a betting company. It may take a little time to read through the small print and understand it but doing so will ensure you have a strong handle on how the offer works, what’s expected of you as a registered customer of the bookie and the steps you must complete before withdrawing any winnings made using the free bet tokens.

Claiming your free bet is quick and easy. You can register for an account using your smartphone or desktop computer, and you must complete the process only once. Visit the homepage of the bookie you wish to join, then click the link to join. Fill in the registration form, providing your name, date of birth and address. Then it’s time to create a username and password that is memorable to you but not so obvious that it could be guessed by another person, such as a hacker. Make your first deposit using a debit card, then place a bet. Your free bet tokens will then be added to your account balance.