Online sports betting has become increasingly popular among Indian sports fans. With access to cricket, football, tennis, live betting markets, and casino games, beginners often enter the betting world excited to test their knowledge and make predictions. However, many new bettors make avoidable mistakes that can negatively impact their overall experience. Successful betting is not simply...

SEATTLE STADIUM No Christian Pulisic? No problem. With the U.S. mens national teams best attacking player on the bench because of a lingering calf injury, Mauricio Pochettinos squadqualified for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a game to spare by beating Australia 2-0 in their second group stage match in front of a raucous home crowd in what many consider the best soccer city in America. For the second time in as many games, the U.S. struck first on an own goal to take a lead they would never relinquish. Defender Alex Freeman added the backbreaking second just before halftime; his third career U.S. goal was confirmed following a lengthy video review that reversed the call on the field; the assistant referee had initially ruled that Freeman was offside. Down by two, the Aussies poured on the pressure in the second half. But while the U.S. bent, it didn't break, with the home team securing their first shutout in 11 games an encouraging sign for the tougher tests that await them in the weeks to come. Here are four quick takeaways following Fridays victory. 1. USA Makes History By Advancing For any World Cup participant, no matter how successful historically, the first goal is obvious: survive and advance to the second, win-or-go-home round, and then take things game by do-or-die game from there. Plenty of soccers elite teams have failed this test. Take Germany, which was eliminated in group play in each of the last two editions of soccers quadrennial showpiece after claiming their fourth title in 2014. (Only Brazil has more.) With Friday's win, the USA is off to the business end of the World Cup for the fourth straight time. Sure, that doesnt include 2018, when the U.S. failed to get to the tournament at all, snapping a streak that dated to 1990. But they made history on Friday by clinching a place in the last 32 early; never before had their fate been decided before the final contest of the opening round. 2. Americans Create Their Own Luck Again Getting the first goal in this game was always going to be hugely important for either team. And just like in their tournament opening 4-1 win over Paraguay last week, the visitors were dangerous early, pressuring U.S. center backs Tim Ream and Chris Richards with abandon. But it was the home team that struck first again thanks to another own goal, this time by Socceroos center back Cameron Burgess. They became the only team in the almost 100-year history of the competition to profit from own goals in consecutive World Cup games. 3. Alex Freeman Makes His Mark Just over a year ago, the soccer-playing son of Super Bowl winner and Green Bay Packers great Antonio Freeman had never made an appearance for the senior USA squad. But in his first season as a regular starter for Orlando City in MLS, the 6-foot-2 fullback caught the eye of U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff, became a starter for the national team, and never looked back, ending 2025 with his first two international goals in a World Cup tune-up win over two time champions Uruguay and moving to Spanish power and UEFA Champions League mainstay Villarreal over the winter. On Friday, he took a bow on the biggest stage in sports, scoring the second American goal just before halftime. 4. Take A Bow, Seattle In sports as in life, reality surpasses fantasy. But for a city that had been waiting more than 50 years to host the U.S. at a World Cup mens or womens Fridays game and the lead up to blew whatever lofty exceptions there were beforehand straight out of Puget Sound. This scene in Seattle was hard to describe. From Pike Place to Pioneer Square, the Emerald City was awash with USA jerseys from every era. There were also plenty of yellow Australia shirts to be seen around town and in the grandiose, almost 70,000-seat downtown arena, with visiting supporters taking up a huge area behind one of the goals and in a sprawling corner in the far reaches of the upper deck. The atmosphere they created was off the charts. And, as predicted by the U.S. players on the eve of the contest, the overwhelming pro-American crowd played a major role in willing the World Cup co-hosts to another unforgettable victory on home soil. Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has coveredUnited States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.

A variety of gifting options for those to love to tee it up entering the summer months -- and all year round

TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: India may have already sealed the ODI series against Afghanistan, but the final game in Chennai is far from a dead rubber. For the team management, it is another opportunity to tick boxes on the road to the 2027 ODI World Cup, test combinations and, most importantly, ensure that every player in the squad gets a meaningful opportunity.One of those players is opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal.The left-hander endured a disappointing outing in the previous ODI, but India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate made it clear that one failure would not cost him his place. Jaiswal is set for another opportunity, a reflection of the management's commitment to giving fringe players a proper run rather than judging them on a single innings."We also want another look at Yashasvi Jaiswal. He didn't get runs in the last game, so he'll get another opportunity," ten Doeschate said on the eve of the third ODI.The message from the Indian camp has been consistent. Winning remains the first priority, but so does building depth. That balancing act is evident in the likely changes for Friday's game.Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who has impressed in the first two matches, is likely to be rested as part of workload management. The batting order, too, will undergo a reshuffle, with the top three set to remain the same. Between Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer one will miss out as both all-rounders Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy are set to feature in the playing XI. "We will be making a few changes from the first two games. Part of the brief coming into the series was that we wanted to try a few different combinations and give everyone a fair share of games. Someone like Arshdeep has bowled very well in the first two games; he can probably take a rest tomorrow, and the same goes for one of the batters. We'll swap them out and go back to playing a slightly different side," he added. That flexibility has become one of India's biggest strengths in white-ball cricket. Several batters are capable of occupying multiple positions, allowing the management to experiment without significantly weakening the side. The same philosophy extends to the all-rounders, where Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube are all being assessed for different roles.According to ten Doeschate, Nitish remains an important long-term investment."Nitish has shown over the last 18 months how important he can become for this team. His body is getting stronger, and we see him as the natural backup to Hardik."Yet the spotlight remains firmly on Jaiswal.Few players in Indian cricket have had to deal with such fierce competition for a place at the top of the order. With Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, opportunities have been limited for the southpaw. Ten Doeschate acknowledged the challenge of managing a squad overflowing with batting talent."In a series like this against Afghanistan, you might say we can take the foot off the pedal a little bit, but yes, we do want to look at guys like Jaiswal. "He is someone who is waiting in the wings because of the quality and depth we have in that position. But I certainly get the feeling that the first priority is always to win the series and put your best team out. "One of the briefs going into this series was to make sure the squad was rotated and everyone played. So Jaiswal does get a few chances, and it's incredibly tough because there is so much quality. But he's one of those guys who, when he does get the odd chance, has to score runs."That perhaps sums up India's selection philosophy better than anything else. There is patience, but there is also intense competition. Players will get opportunities, but they will also be expected to seize them quickly. For Jaiswal, Chennai presents another audition. For India, it is another step towards identifying the combinations that could shape their campaign over the next 18 months.

Strong performances from Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman also earned high USMNT ratings, but it was Alex Freeman who stood out in win over Australia.

The Americans were already cruising to a 2-0 win over the Socceroos in the second half of Friday's Group D matchup when the game had to be halted when the referee went down.

Ever since Scotland fans learned theyd begin the countrys ninth World Cup appearance in Boston, plans were being made for a party.I knew there was going to be a tsunami of Tartan Army (Scotland fans), said Jason Waddleton, a Scotland native and owner of The Haven, a Scottish restaurant and bar in Bostons Jamaica Plain neighborhood since 2010.He was right.First, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey agreed to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the World Cup. Next came thousands of Scots one estimate is as high as 50,000 descending on the Boston area, including nearby Providence, Rhode Island, which has become a home base for many of them over the past few weeks.Then it was the Tartan Army marching through Bostons streets following the countrys opening win over Haiti last week taking over the citys famed Fenway Park alongside Red Sox Nation after the team dubbed it Scottish Heritage Celebration Night.And the taps have been running nonstop. World Cup fans in Boston, especially the Scots, have put a serious strain on the beer supply in a city that is accustomed to big drinking holidays in St. Patrick's Day and the Fourth of July. The Haven, which has long served Scotland's top-selling beer, Tennent's Lager, has gone from four kegs a week to ordering 50 just for this week. Other bars have sold out of Tennent's and have tripled their orders to make sure it doesn't happen again. Sam Adams said its Boston taproom ran out of their famed Samuel Adams Boston Lager last weekend after Scottish fans descended on the city.Weve basically blown through our own allocation. We still have it and well get more in on Monday, Waddleton said.The celebratory atmosphere intensified Friday as Scotland prepared to play its second World Cup match of the tournament outside Boston.They know how to party, how to make friends and influence people, Waddleton said of the Scots.Scots fill pubs in the Boston area, challenging beer reservesOne of the most sought-after beverages in Boston pubs over the last week is Tennent's Lager.Once only available at The Haven, before the tournament started Tennents made deals and distributed kegs of its product to 80 bars in Boston and surrounding areas.Samantha Crawford, the international marketing manager for Tennents, said they started preparing to distribute their product to the U.S. as soon as Scotland qualified for the the World Cup in November. They've also sent supplies to Miami bars ahead of Scotland's match against Brazil next week.Its been a long time in the making. The next day we got to work, she said of the preparations to make sure the beer is stocked in the U.S. She said the beer is ingrained in the sports culture in Scotland.Many area bars and restaurants have been caught by surpriseMivan Spencer, owner of Caffe Dello Sport in Bostons North End, said he is used to handling large crowds for major soccer tournaments, but has been surprised by the amount of business hes seen during the World Cup.After the first weekend of matches I definitely ran out of almost everything, Spencer said. Luckily I have a couple other restaurants I borrowed product from to get me through.The first thing he sold out of was Tennents, before quickly selling out of Peroni.Spencer said hes since tripled his usual alcohol order for this week, saying its so I dont run out of a single thing.Over at High Street Place, a food hall in downtown Boston, beverage supplies that were expected to last a week were consumed in four days, said Lauren Johnson, a senior marketplace manager at the venue.Fortunately, we have great partners, and our distributors were able to pivot quickly and increase subsequent orders to keep pace with demand seamlessly, she said.Tapping in and out of iconic Boston beer Sam AdamsSam Adams said its Boston taproom ran out of their famed Samuel Adams Boston Lager last weekend. From Thursday to Sunday, the Boston-based brewer said the Tartan Army drank four times as much Boston Lager as the establishment typically sells during a four-day holiday stretch like the Fourth of July.To date, Sam Adams has sold more than 4,000 pints of Boston Lager, resulting in about 90 empty kegs, said Devon Sage, a Sam Adams spokesperson.Weve had to schedule four emergency deliveries to the Taproom, Sage wrote in an email.Soccer diplomacy comes to Massachusetts because of the World Cup Politicians in Massachusetts have also joined in on the soccer craze.Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has been a fixture at Bostons fan festival and made appearances at several watch parties. Gov. Healey declared June 18 World Cup Fans Appreciation Day and was spotted at The Haven behind the bar pouring drinks for patrons.It brought a smile to Waddletons face, though he said the governor may need to work on her bartending skills a little.Maura Healey needs to learn how to pour a pint before getting that Sunday shift she asked for," Waddleton said. But we can work on that.___Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi, and freelancers Ken Powtak and Caterina McGuigan contributed to this report.___AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Ever since Scotland fans learned theyd begin the countrys ninth World Cup appearance in Boston, plans were being made for a party.I knew there was going to be a tsunami of Tartan Army (Scotland fans), said Jason Waddleton, a Scotland native and owner of The Haven, a Scottish restaurant and bar in Bostons Jamaica Plain neighborhood since 2010.He was right.First, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey agreed to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the World Cup. Next came thousands of Scots one estimate is as high as 50,000 descending on the Boston area, including nearby Providence, Rhode Island, which has become a home base for many of them over the past few weeks.Then it was the Tartan Army marching through Bostons streets following the countrys opening win over Haiti last week taking over the citys famed Fenway Park alongside Red Sox Nation after the team dubbed it Scottish Heritage Celebration Night.And the taps have been running nonstop. World Cup fans in Boston, especially the Scots, have put a serious strain on the beer supply in a city that is accustomed to big drinking holidays in St. Patrick's Day and the Fourth of July. The Haven, which has long served Scotland's top-selling beer, Tennent's Lager, has gone from four kegs a week to ordering 50 just for this week. Other bars have sold out of Tennent's and have tripled their orders to make sure it doesn't happen again. Sam Adams said its Boston taproom ran out of their famed Samuel Adams Boston Lager last weekend after Scottish fans descended on the city.Weve basically blown through our own allocation. We still have it and well get more in on Monday, Waddleton said.The celebratory atmosphere intensified Friday as Scotland prepared to play its second World Cup match of the tournament outside Boston.They know how to party, how to make friends and influence people, Waddleton said of the Scots.Scots fill pubs in the Boston area, challenging beer reservesOne of the most sought-after beverages in Boston pubs over the last week is Tennent's Lager.Once only available at The Haven, before the tournament started Tennents made deals and distributed kegs of its product to 80 bars in Boston and surrounding areas.Samantha Crawford, the international marketing manager for Tennents, said they started preparing to distribute their product to the U.S. as soon as Scotland qualified for the the World Cup in November. They've also sent supplies to Miami bars ahead of Scotland's match against Brazil next week.Its been a long time in the making. The next day we got to work, she said of the preparations to make sure the beer is stocked in the U.S. She said the beer is ingrained in the sports culture in Scotland.Many area bars and restaurants have been caught by surpriseMivan Spencer, owner of Caffe Dello Sport in Bostons North End, said he is used to handling large crowds for major soccer tournaments, but has been surprised by the amount of business hes seen during the World Cup.After the first weekend of matches I definitely ran out of almost everything, Spencer said. Luckily I have a couple other restaurants I borrowed product from to get me through.The first thing he sold out of was Tennents, before quickly selling out of Peroni.Spencer said hes since tripled his usual alcohol order for this week, saying its so I dont run out of a single thing.Over at High Street Place, a food hall in downtown Boston, beverage supplies that were expected to last a week were consumed in four days, said Lauren Johnson, a senior marketplace manager at the venue.Fortunately, we have great partners, and our distributors were able to pivot quickly and increase subsequent orders to keep pace with demand seamlessly, she said.Tapping in and out of iconic Boston beer Sam AdamsSam Adams said its Boston taproom ran out of their famed Samuel Adams Boston Lager last weekend. From Thursday to Sunday, the Boston-based brewer said the Tartan Army drank four times as much Boston Lager as the establishment typically sells during a four-day holiday stretch like the Fourth of July.To date, Sam Adams has sold more than 4,000 pints of Boston Lager, resulting in about 90 empty kegs, said Devon Sage, a Sam Adams spokesperson.Weve had to schedule four emergency deliveries to the Taproom, Sage wrote in an email.Soccer diplomacy comes to Massachusetts because of the World Cup Politicians in Massachusetts have also joined in on the soccer craze.Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has been a fixture at Bostons fan festival and made appearances at several watch parties. Gov. Healey declared June 18 World Cup Fans Appreciation Day and was spotted at The Haven behind the bar pouring drinks for patrons.It brought a smile to Waddletons face, though he said the governor may need to work on her bartending skills a little.Maura Healey needs to learn how to pour a pint before getting that Sunday shift she asked for," Waddleton said. But we can work on that.___Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi, and freelancers Ken Powtak and Caterina McGuigan contributed to this report.___AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup