Weekend Draw Treble: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador to end all square

While many punters naturally gravitate towards backing a winner, betting on a draw can be a smart and rewarding alternative.

This is because bookmakers typically assign bigger odds to stalemates, which occur less often than victories for either team.

With that in mind, let’s examine this weekend’s fixtures and identify the games where draw outcomes present the best value.

Brazil vs Morocco (Saturday, 23:00)

Brazil's Group C opener with Morocco at the World Cup may not be the cakewalk for Carlo Ancelotti's side that the pre-match odds suggest. The Moroccans demonstrated how tough a nut they are to crack at the 2022 World Cup, and they are more than capable of enjoying another deep run this time around.

Brazil made heavy weather of their qualifying campaign, being held to draws by Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela on the road to the summer's showpiece. Morocco are at least on a par with Ecuador and Uruguay, if not a stronger proposition, so the stalemate looks worthy of serious consideration at MetLife Stadium.

Further encouragement comes from Morocco's recent record, with the Atlas Lions drawing two of their last five matches, including a 1-1 stalemate with Norway last Sunday.

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Monday, 00:00)

There could be very little between Ivory Coast and Ecuador when they lock horns at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in the early hours of Monday morning. The two sides appear closely matched on paper, which brings the draw firmly into the equation.

Ecuador have certainly developed a habit of sharing the spoils, with eight of their 18 World Cup qualifying matches ending level. The South American outfit have also drawn five of their last eight friendlies, further underlining their tendency to be involved in tight, hard-fought contests.

Ivory Coast have not been quite as draw-prone, but one of their three group stage matches at this year's Africa Cup of Nations finished all square.

With both sides still to face Cape Verde in a match they will fancy their chances of winning, a draw would not be a disaster for either team here, making the stalemate an appealing option.

Belgium vs Egypt (Monday, 20:00)

The draw looks overpriced when Belgium and Egypt meet at the World Cup on Monday night. The Red Devils are no longer the force of old and did little to inspire confidence during qualifying for this year's tournament. Belgium were held to draws by North Macedonia on two occasions, as well as by Kazakhstan, on their way to this summer's finals. Rudi Garcia's side also played out a 1-1 draw with Mexico in a friendly earlier this year.

Egypt have long been renowned for their organisation and defensive solidity, and they could prove stubborn opponents once again. The Pharaohs have drawn four of their last 10 competitive matches, and another stalemate would be no surprise here.

Weekend Draw Treble

• Brazil vs Morocco
• Ivory Coast vs Ecuador
• Belgium vs Egypt
• Treble pays 39/1 bet365

🔗 Share on Social Media