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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Prince Grimes

Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina at 18-1 odds was the biggest upset in World Cup history. Here’s proof

World Cup Saudi Arabia Argentina BetMGM Caesars Sportsbook Group C

Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina early Tuesday morning isn’t just one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, it might actually be the biggest.

That’s according to several sportsbooks, many of whom had Saudi Arabia’s odds to win the match at 18-1 or longer.

To demonstrate just how big of an upset it was, Argentina entered the World Cup on a 36-match unbeaten streak, one short of tying the longest streak in men’s international soccer history. At BetMGM, they had the second-shortest odds to win the World Cup at +550. Even after the loss, their odds are tied for fourth-shortest at +850.

Saudi Arabia’s odds were at the very bottom of the 32-team field and remain in the bottom five even after the massive upset. Their odds to beat Argentina were 18-1 at BetMGM.

Those odds grew to 125-1 at PointsBet once Lionel Messi’s penalty kick put Argentina ahead 1-0.

A bet for $100 on Saudi Arabia at that point would have won $12,500.

But I’m no soccer historian. If those numbers aren’t enough to convince you this was the biggest upset in World Cup history, others made the argument too.

Biggest upset since at least 2006 at Caesars Sportsbook

Twitter weighs in

Group C odds

Even after the loss, Argentina remains the favorite to win Group C at +175 odds. They’re followed by Mexico at +250, Poland at +310 and Saudi Arabia at +350.

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