“Bear Bets” are real wagers that Chris “The Bear” Fallica is actually making.
We’ve got another barnburner of a day at the World Cup, with Portugal-Spain and USA-Belgium.
Here’s how I’m wagering on Match Day 26.
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World Cup Best Bets — Monday, July 6
Portugal vs. Spain
Portugal is here via a dramatic win over Croatia and looked much more dangerous with Gonçalo Ramos on — we’ll see how soon he sees the pitch on Monday. Spain was totally dominant in its Round of 32 win, but this is a massive step-up in competition from what it has been facing. Still, it appears Spain is growing into the tournament. Can the Portuguese midfield control the pace and style of game? The team that goes for it will likely be rewarded, but I’m not sure the stakes of the match and the two coaches on the sidelines are going to see it this way. If we don’t get an early goal, this should go longer than 90 minutes.
Fallica’s Picks: 
Draw (+270), Under 2.5 Goals (+110), Spain to Win on PENS (+1100)
USA vs. Belgium
The U.S. obviously received a boost with the surprising reversal of Folarin Balugun’s red card some 30 hours before the match. This still has tight written all over it. Belgium hasn’t been great in the tournament, but is still light years better than anything the U.S. has faced so far. This is the point in the tourney that the U.S. should have reached. Anything further is an overachievement. The pricing suggests we’re headed for more than 90 minutes and that’s how I will play it. And if it does go to kicks, Belgium keeper Thibault Courtois can single-handedly win it for his country.
