Football betting tips: World Cup Qualifiers
17:00 – Norway vs Estonia
1pt Antonio Nusa to score first at 13/2 (bet365)
1pt Antonio Nusa to score anytime at 27/20 (Coral)
19:45 – France vs Ukraine
2pts France to win and under 3.5 goals at evens (Sky Bet)
19:45 – Republic of Ireland vs Portugal
2pts Dara O’Shea 1+ shots at 29/20 (Coral)
2pts Nathan Collins 1+ shots at 29/20 (Coral)
0.5pt O’Shea and Collins 2+ shots each at 55/1 (bet365)
0.25pt O’Shea and Collins 2+ shots each, Ireland 4+ corners at 160/1 (bet365)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair
Norway vs Estonia
Norway are 1/33 to beat Estonia on Thursday but with good reason.
They top their qualification group having taken maximum points from their opening six games, including a 3-0 win over Italy, and a win here would all-but-confirm their spot at the World Cup.
They have netted 29 times, 11 more than any other nation in World Cup Qualification Group I, and have only conceded three times.
Thursday’s opponents have played a game more than Norway but have 14 fewer points. Estonia’s goal-difference is -10 and Norway’s is +26.
Shockingly, the reverse ended 1-0 to Norway but Estonia have been competitive on home turf and have scored in each of their other home games.
Their last away trip ended 5-0 to Italy though and with Norway around 1/2 to score over 3.5 goals, the goalscorer market is worth a look in Oslo.
Erling Haaland has netted 12 of his side’s goals, eight of which coming in his last two outings for Norway.
Unsurprisingly, he is painfully short in the goalscorer markets. To score anytime he is 1/6, the brace is 10/11, the hat-trick 23/10 and first goalscorer is 13/8.
The last market interests me because despite scoring the majority of his nation’s goals, Haaland has only grabbed the first goal in one game.
ANTONIO NUSA’s price of 13/2 TO SCORE FIRST appeals.
Nusa has scored six goals in 18 appearances for his country (0.50 goals per 90) and has averaged 3.5 shots per game in qualification (2nd behind Haaland).
Bet365 have clipped the each way terms on the first goalscorer market so instead of backing this bet each way, you are better splitting stakes across the first goalscorer market and ANYTIME GOALSCORER market.
France vs Ukraine
FRANCE are on the cusp of qualifying for the World Cup. They are unbeaten in qualification but have not been faultless drawing at Iceland in the last international break.
Nonetheless, win on Thursday and they move six points clear of the chasing pack with one game to go and Didier Deschamps’ men have not been defeated on home soil in over a year.
Each of Les Bleus’ three wins in qualification has seen three or fewer goals scored. Combining France TO WIN here with UNDER 3.5 GOALS boosts the odds from 1/5 to even money.
This bet clicked in the reverse fixture.
Republic of Ireland vs Portugal
In Group F, the Republic of Ireland still have a chance of making the top two but it is slim. William Hill has them at 15/2, Hungary 1/9 and Armenia at 14/1.
Ireland start the international break in third spot, a point behind Hungary and a point ahead of Armenia with the pair playing each other on Thursday before Ireland host Portugal.
Ireland must hope for a result on Thursday and that Hungary drop points to set up a tasty clash as the pair square off in their final match on Sunday.
Instead of getting bogged down in the permutations of this matchday though, I’ll just head to the shot market where there’s some big priced centre backs.
NATHAN COLLINS and DARA O’SHEA have combined to average 2.8 shots per game – each averaging over one a game – and each can be backed at 29/20 to have 1+ SHOTS here.
Neither had a shot in Portugal but the dynamic of this clash will be different. Ireland were defending for their lives in the reverse, outshot 30-2 before eventually conceding in the 91st minute.
Heimir Hallgrimsson has already said his side ‘may need to take calculated risks as the game progresses’ on Thursday. That is code for going for it. It’s not kitchen sink time but they’ll be throwing caution to the wind at the very least should they find themselves behind.
With this in-mind, you could combine Collins and O’Shea to have a shot each at 9/2 or the pair to have 2+ SHOTS each at 55/1, both are with bet365 and have landed in 50% of Ireland’s qualification games.
The greediest among you might want to combine Collins and O’Shea to have 2+ SHOTS each with Ireland to have 4+ CORNERS at 160/1 as well, again it has already landed twice.
Although qualification isn’t confirmed for Portugal, a point from their final two games could be enough and Hungary’s Attila Szalai did score from a corner against them in their last game.
Odds correct at 1300 GMT (11/11/25)
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
