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.
Egypt vs Iran (Saturday, 04:00)
Group G is finely poised heading into the final round of fixtures, with Egypt's meeting with Iran looking well worth backing to finish all square.
Egypt currently top the group and know that a point will be enough to secure their place in the knockout stages. Iran, meanwhile, could also progress to the last 32 with a draw, depending on the outcome of the other group fixture between New Zealand and Belgium.
The Egyptians opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Belgium, and a repeat of that scoreline would come as little surprise here.
The case for the stalemate is strengthened by the fact that Iran have drawn both of their opening World Cup matches, and with so much at stake, this has all the makings of a tense, cautious contest at Seattle Stadium.
Colombia v Portugal (Sunday, 00:30)
Colombia's meeting with Portugal at the World Cup on Sunday could be much closer than the pre-match odds suggest, bringing the draw firmly into the equation.
The Colombians head into the final round of Group K fixtures with a two-point advantage over Portugal, meaning a draw would be enough to secure top spot. With that in mind, Nestor Lorenzo's side are unlikely to take unnecessary risks and could frustrate a Portugal team that has produced a couple of mixed displays so far.
While Roberto Martinez's men cruised to victory over Uzbekistan last time out, they were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening match. Another low-scoring stalemate could be on the cards at Hard Rock Stadium.
Algeria vs Austria (Sunday, 03:00)
It is difficult to look beyond the draw outcome when Algeria and Austria meet in Group J at the World Cup on Sunday morning.
The pair both lost to Argentina and defeated Jordan, leaving them level on three points and knowing a draw would likely do the job for both in terms of qualification.
With that in mind, neither side is likely to take many chances here, and the game could end up being played at a fairly measured pace. A cagey stalemate similar to the one we saw between Paraguay and Australia in the early hours of Friday morning looks the most natural result given the situation in the group.
Weekend Draw Treble
- Egypt vs Iran
- Colombia v Portugal
- Algeria vs Austria
- Treble pays 22/1 (bet365)
Grant Heaney, aka SlipsTips, is a Freelance Football and Darts Writer with over six years experience. Grant has written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. He is a Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. You can find all of his tips on X @SlipsTips
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