This is the game we wanted, right?
England and Argentina are set to go head to head in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal in Atlanta at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, with a spot in the final on the line. This could be the last World Cup of Lionel Messi’s career, but somehow it’s the first time the soccer legend has ever faced England. On the other side, England are chasing a first final since 1966.
Our team separately made picks for the Argentina vs England main betting markets, so I plan to work the rest of the board, highlighting some fun and lesser-known prop bets. All odds are from Hard Rock Bet and are subject to change.
Keep your eyes on the stars
There’s a lot of star power in this match, so as a bettor, the player props are the first thing I’m checking out. Let’s start with the obvious: shots and shots on target.
- ⚽ Lionel Messi Over 2.5 Shots: -210
- ⚽ Lionel Messi Over 3.5 Shots: +120
- 🎯 Lionel Messi Over 1.5 Shots on Target: +115
- ⚽ Harry Kane Over 2.5 Shots: -165
- 🎯 Harry Kane Over 1.5 Shots on Target: +150
- ⚽ Jude Bellingham Over 2.5 Shots: +135
- 🎯 Julián Álvarez Over 0.5 Shots on Target: -115
Want to pit the stars against each other directly? You can. Messi is a big favorite to out-shoot Julián Álvarez (ARG) at -325, and is +250 to score more goals than Harry Kane (ENG, also at +250).
Then there are the keepers. Jordan Pickford (ENG) and Emiliano Martínez (ARG) are two of the best shot-stoppers on the planet, and a tight knockout game means there could be plenty of save opportunities.
- 🧤 Total Goalkeeper Saves Over 4.5: -180
- 🧤 Total Goalkeeper Saves Over 5.5: +105
- 🧤 Total Goalkeeper Saves Over 6.5: +195
If you like England to win possession, the corner market has your back. England are -115 to win the corner count, and the full-match total sits around nine.
- 🚩 England Most Corners: -115
- 🚩 Total Corners Over 8.5: +110
My pick: Harry Kane Over 1.5 Shots on Target (+150)
Harry Kane is, understandably, the one to watch for England. He can pull the trigger from anywhere near the box and has been money all tournament. He also averages just under 2 shots on target per game during this year’s World Cup. If you want to build this one out, you could pair it with Messi Over 1.5 shots on target at +115 and the saves Over 5.5 at +105.
The fun stuff: Novelty props
Now for my favorite part of any board. A few that jumped out at me:
- ⭐ Player of the Match, Lionel Messi: +140
- ⭐ Player of the Match, Jude Bellingham: +250
- ⭐ Player of the Match, Julián Álvarez: +700
- 💪 England Win & Keep Clean Sheet: +275
- 💪 Argentina Win & Keep Clean Sheet: +325
- 🦶 Lionel Messi to have 1+ Right Foot and Left Foot Shots on Target: +575
- ⏱️ Goal Scored in Both Halves, Yes: -110
- 🛡️ Match Result, 2 Up (England): +150
- 🛡️ Match Result, 2 Up (Argentina): +175
It’s worth noting that the 2 Up market cashes the moment your team goes two goals up at any point, even if the final result changes later.
My pick: Lionel Messi Player of the Match (+140)
This will probably be a popular pick, but the reasoning is there. Messi is tied for the tournament lead in goals (8), and if this really is the final act of his World Cup career, +140 for him to be the man in a match this big is a price I’ll almost always be willing to bank on.
What to play between the matches: Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing
The action doesn’t stop Wednesday. The Bronze Final (that’s the third-place game) is Saturday, July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens (loser of ARG v. ENG plays France), and the final follows on Sunday, July 19 (winner plays Spain).
If you’re in Florida, halftime and the days between games are the perfect window to jump into Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing on the Hard Rock Bet Florida app.
Stay on theme with our soccer titles
It’s a World Cup weekend, so the soccer-themed games are the obvious call. The Socceroon, Oink Oink Oink: Goooal!, Hard Rock Goal Goal Goal Collect ‘Em, and Soccer! Collect’Em all lean into the beautiful game. Those are just a few of some of the best soccer-themed titles at Hard Rock Bet (there are a bunch on the casino side in New Jersey and Michigan as well).
Play what everyone else is playing
Prefer to ride with the crowd? A few titles have been near the top of the leaderboard lately. Oink Oink Oink is still the flagship, and 4 Crazy Cluckers, Turbo Storm Tempest and Baa, Baa, Baa are all among the most popular real money games titles on the app right now. Every one of them is quick to pick up between whistles with plenty of ways to win.
Games that just paid out big
A handful of titles have handed out some jaw-droppers recently. The Golden Age produced a top payout north of $131,000. Wolves! Collect Em & Link returned more than $121,000. And, fittingly for this weekend, the soccer-themed Soccer! Collect’Em delivered a win of more than $112,000.
The newly-launched Lucky Box Roulette title has also paid out around $86,000 on a single round. Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing are available on the Hard Rock Bet Florida app.
All referenced odds are subject to change.
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