Six weeks ago, sportsbooks across the U.S. harbored high hopes of strong betting engagement on World Cup odds. And as the tournament ended Sunday, with Spain beating Argentina 1-0 in overtime in the final, those hopes were greatly exceeded. Neil Walsh, Hard Rock Bets Senior Vice President-Sportsbook, certainly spoke for many operators. "This World Cup will go down as the biggest betting event in American history. We're talking the equivalent of 10 Super Bowls," Walsh said. "A sport we were once told Americans would not embrace turned into one for the history books. "The whole country wanted in." Oddsmakers from across the nation chime in on how the books and the bettors did on Spain vs. Argentina odds and World Cup wagering as a whole. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Result Punishes the Public Several bookmakers weighed in pre-match on Sunday, noting that underdog Argentina was taking the bulk of action in both of the key markets. Lionel Messi & Co. were popular with the public betting masses on the three-way moneyline to win the match in 90 minutes plus injury time and Argentina was the popular play in the To Lift The Trophy market, which includes overtime and, if necessary, a penalty-kick shootout. So bettors first got beat up by the 0-0 regulation draw. That meant the books scooped up all the Spain and Argentina money in the three-way market. Then Spain went up 1-0 on Ferran Torres goal in the 106th minute, and made it hold up for the rest of overtime. That squelched all the Argentina To Lift The Trophy bets. "That was about our best-case scenario, when factoring in the game result, props, futures, etc.," said John Murray, vice president of The SuperBook. "It was a very good finish to the tournament for us." On Friday, Caesars Sports head of soccer trading Mark Bickerdike said overtime was absolutely the books rooting interest. "Lets see 120 minutes on that clock." Further, Caesars wanted Spain. So Bickerdike got his wish on both counts. "A 0-0 draw through regulation time meant it was a good day for the book," Bickerdike said postgame. "Bettorsfavored Argentina in both the [three-way] betting and To Lift The Trophy markets, pre-match and in-play. "There were also plenty of tickets written on Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal to score, resulting in positive outcomes across our straight-bet markets and same-game parlay product." Records Tumble Again With each big match all the USA contests, England vs. Mexico in the Round of 16, and the riveting quarterfinals and semifinals Caesars Sports saw records made and then broken for tickets and money wagered. Then the Spain-Argentina championship match outdid all the previous marks set since June 11 in this 48-team tournament. "The World Cup final delivered the biggest soccer betting event in Caesars Sportsbook history," Bickerdike said. "Interest was off the charts before kickoff, with pre-match wagering already surpassing our previous tournament record. "By the final whistle, the match had set new Caesars records for total handle, total wagers and unique bettors." In fact, the total handle the overall amount of money wagered was a record by a mile, eclipsing the dramatic England-Mexico match. "Handle finished nearly 65% higher than our previous record game, underscoring the extraordinary interest in soccer's biggest match and the incredible momentum we saw throughout the tournament," Bickerdike said. DraftKings Director of Sportsbook Operations Johnny Avello noted the match was a huge cap to a massively well-bet tournament overall. And though Avello didnt get specific, it sounds as if DraftKings did well. "The tournament is over, but we havent come down from our month-long high on World Cup soccer," Avello said. "The biggest event of the year had its peaks and valleys. But overall, wow!" Fantastic Futures If you had a championship futures bet on Spain, then step up and claim your prize. Thankfully, I did, at +450 pre-tournament. Spain certainly garnered a fair amount of bets, but for most books, Argentina was the bigger liability to win it all, as the bandwagon got larger and larger with all the stunning late-match heroics en route to the final. Alas, Messi & Co. couldnt nail down a second straight World Cup championship. So the bookmakers won in the futures market, as well. "The futures were good. A great end to a very profitable World Cup," Circa Sports director of operations Jeff Benson said. "It was a nice bonus for what otherwise would be a slow summer." Added Bickerdike: "Spain lifting the trophy was also a favorable result for us in the futures markets, as interest in them slowed during the tournament. Particularly after their early draw against Cape Verde. "That said, there will be plenty of happybettorswho backed Spain before the tournament, as Spain was our second-most-wagered team heading into the competition." I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie Major matches bring major wagers, and the World Cup finale didnt disappoint. Among the largest plays was one reportedly made by Drake: a whopping $1.5 million on Argentina. Its a good thing Drake is among those rare few who can lose that kind of money and not even notice. Hopefully the same holds true for a DraftKings Sportsbook customer who also went in heavy on Messi & Co. Back on June 17, just a week into the tournament, the bettor put $250,000 on Argentina +850 to win the World Cup. If Argentina went the distance, then the bettor wouldve won $2.125 million. Alas, the wager became a six-figure donation to the house. On prediction markets, there were a couple of risk-a-lot-to-make-a-little trades. Over the past few days, you might recall seeing that someone posted on X five years ago, saying Argentina beat Spain 3-2 in the 2026 World Cup final. That led to a slew of wagers on that actually happening Sunday. A Polymarket customer went the other way, with a $1.55 million trade that the final score would not be Argentina 3, Spain 2. At a price of 97% which equates to odds of -3233 that trade profited $44,772, for a total payout of $1,597,219. Also at Polymarket, a customer put $318,255 on Messi to not score two or more goals vs. Spain. Obviously, the Argentine superstar was shut out, and the trader netted $29,337 profit (total payout $347,592). Other notable wagers: Parlay Partay Small bets that win big are even more likable than big bets. Theyre certainly more relatable to us average Joes and Janes. A FanDuel Sportsbook customer notched a nice win and perhaps couldve won a lot more, but refused to look a gift horse in the mouth. Way back on Feb. 9, the bettor put together a six-leg parlay, combining NBA and NHL futures with a World Cup future. The goal: To turn a measly $2.01 into $8,880.55. Odds of all six teams hitting were a humongous +441718, or just beyond 4417/1. By the time the World Cup began, Spain was all that remained to cash that ticket. But on Saturday, the bettor opted to take a cashout offer from FanDuel, for $4,434,27. Thats some insane ROI on a two-dollar bet. Finally, file this under "Timing Is Everything." Prior to Saturdays England vs. France third-place match, a Caesars customer put five bucks on the correct final score being England 5, France 3. The odds on that were a hefty +42500, or 425/1, for a potential profit of $2,125. No one in their right mind expected eight goals, never mind the 10 goals ultimately scored in Englands 6-4 victory. However, in the 87th minute, Bukayo Saka completed his hat trick by converting a penalty kick to put England up 5-3. Presciently, the bettor then opted to take Caesars cashout offer of $1,206. Smart move, because in the sixth minute of second-half injury time, Ousmane Dembl scored for France to make it 5-4, which wouldve killed that bet. Two minutes later, Jude Bellingham knocked it in for England to account for the 6-4 final. Its all in the timing.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. The images were striking:Lionel Messi, tears streaking down his cheeksafter surely the last of his six World Cups, joining his Argentine teammates at one end of the field, comforted in their abject sadness by diehard supporters continuing to chant behind the goal.Meantime, in the middle of MetLife Stadiums worn pitch, beaming Spanish players took turns receiving championship medals before gathering on stage to await captain Rodri, the Golden Ball recipient, for the trophy celebration.Spain was clearly the better team Sunday, but it took Ferran Torres goal in the 106th minute to prevail against a wounded defending champion that played with courage but without much hope of winning.The 1-0 triumph was grueling for both players and spectators. It took 120 minutes for the finest team over these 39 wondrous days in 16 venues across North America to reap the rewards.This is a generation thats making history, Rodri said, but also in the way we did it.Lamine Yamal lifts the World Cup trophy after Spain capped a dominant tournament with the sports biggest prize.Carl Recine via Getty ImagesHowd they do it? By conceding one measly goal over 750 minutes in eight matches, controlling the ball as if no one else was on the field and reducing an Argentine bulldozer, driven by Messi, into a manual lawnmower.The only way Spain was going to lose, especially after Argentina was reduced to 10 men late in regular time, is if it were dragged into a shootout the way Argentinas victory over France four years ago in Qatar was decided.La Roja avoided that by scoring in the first minute of the second half of extra time, then surviving two late scares.Deservedly, a second world championship belonged to Spain. And it came in eerily similar fashion as the 2010 title in South Africa, when Andrs Iniesta scored in extra time to defeat 10-man Netherlands, 1-0. (Iniesta attended Sundays match with his family.)Torres, one of eight FC Barcelona players on Spains roster, became the second substitute to score a winning goal in a World Cup final. Germanys Mario Gtze, in 2014, was the first; he too did it against Argentina.I just saw the ball coming to me and I just shot with the power of all the Spanish people, the 26-year-old midfielder said.FERRAN TORRES PUTS SPAIN AHEAD IN EXTRAS LA ROJA IS 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM BECOMING WORLD CUP CHAMPS AGAIN (via @FOXSports ) pic.twitter.com/l758VPIQek Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 19, 2026It was the breakthrough the capacity crowd and billions watching around the planet was waiting for, pleading for, begging for, praying for. No one wanted penalty kicks to decide the championship.To that point, though, Spains superiority had not translated into a lead.If there was a team that could manage to go all the way with the match still undecided, Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni said, it was us.Indeed, Argentina had persevered in knockout match after knockout match, outlasting Cape Verde and Switzerland in extra time and coming from behind late to oust Egypt and England.But those matches werent against an opponent as disciplined as Spain, which showed its quality throughout the match. The issue, though, was its failure to shoot with greater imagination and precision. Argentinas Emi Martnez set a record for a World Cup final with 11 saves, though only a few were difficult.Entering extra time, coach Luis de la Fuente addressed his players.I just said, Look, we are doing a great job. The match is controlled, but this is a final, and we are up against Argentina. If we are not careful, we might concede a goal. We kept our focus until the last minute.Messi and Argentina did not produce a shot on goal a remarkable statistic given an attacking firepower that had recorded 19 goals in seven matches and featured the little wizard, who, at 39, continues to defy his age.The victory swelled Spains unbeaten streak to 38 and capped an extraordinary run that included the 2023 Nations League and 2024 European Championship titles, as well as the 2025 Nations League second-place trophy, decided in a shootout. Spains under-23 squad won the 2024 Olympic gold medal.Spain can now claim to be the best not only on the mens side, but the womens as well after they captured their first crown at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.We have grown together, de la Fuente said. Weve reached this stage thanks to [the players] talents, to their attitude, to their commitment, to their values and to their huge talent. This team has a long way to go, so we are already thinking about what is coming next.The future is bright, indeed. Spain started two teenagers, the acclaimed winger Lamine Yamal and center back Pau Cubars, who was voted the best young player in the tournament.Unai Simon, 29, won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper, though he did not have a whole lot to do throughout the competition. Rodri, the 30-year-old Manchester City midfielder who sets the tone, organizes the defense and eloquently runs the attack, was the deserving winner of the Golden Ball as the World Cups MVP.As for Argentina, there were tears but immense pride about returning to the final.We feel extremely grateful to all our fans, all those people who transmitted us that energy we were lacking, Scaloni said. In the end, [Spain] deserved the victory. That's reality. We need to accept it. But we were close.

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NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY (Nashville, Tenn.) Persistent and heavy rain showers forced INDYCAR to postpone its race in Nashville from Sunday to Monday afternoon. The 300-lap race, scheduled to begin shortly after Sunday's World Cup Final on FOX, was put into a lightning delay and then rains came around 7 p.m. ET. The track was nearly dry around 8:30 p.m. when heavy rains returned and series officials opted to postpone the race to Monday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. The race is expected to be brutal for the drivers and teams as FOX Weather predicts the temperature to be 90 degrees with it feeling like 102 degrees. With that forecast, INDYCAR officials announced late Sunday night that the race distance would be reduced to 225 laps. Kyle Kirkwood is on the pole for the race, which at 399.5 miles, is reguarily the second-longest on the INDYCAR calendar, behind only the Indianapolis 500. "It's going to be hot, it's going to be physical not only for me as a driver, but everyone on pit lane for two-plus hours," Kirkwood said Saturday after winning the pole about the race in general. Races postponed in INDYCAR are relatively rare because they have rain tires for the races on road and street courses that typically allow them to run unless there is a deluge. The last INDYCAR race to be postponed because of rain was the 2018 race at Barber (Ala.) Motorsports Park. Running the race Monday at Nashville wont be too much of a burden on the teams. They have the next two weekends off and then they finish the year with six races over five weekends. Maybe the only driver happy Sunday was Alex Palou, not because he wanted to race Monday but because the driver who grew up near Barcelona got to watch Spain win the World Cup. "Just incredible just to be able to win the World Cup," Palou said on the FOX telecast during the rain delay.

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm takes surprising MLB lead with heroic home run originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New York Yankees badly needed someone to come through.Jazz Chisholm Jr. answered the call.The Yanks had already lost once on Sunday, dropping game one of their doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers as Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a complete game for the back-to-back World Series champs.Then on Sunday Night Baseball, New York's 1-0 lead had been taken away by a Tommy Edman game-tying home run.That's when Chisholm came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning.And that's when Chisholm showed that, amid a rough season for him, his clutch gene hasn't been the problem.Jazz's solo homer stood up as the final run in a 2-1 victory, and it also pushed him into a tie for an MLB lead.He now is tied for the most homers in the eighth inning or later to win a game this season. This was his third, matching Gavin Sheets of the Padres.The Yankees haven't had a player with more than three in a season since 1987:Jazz Chisholm Jr. has 3 game-winning home runs in the 8th inning or later this season.That's tied with Gavin Sheets for the most in MLB.The last Yankee to have more in a season was Mike Pagliarulo (4) in 1987. New York Yankees Stats (@nyyankeesstats) July 20, 2026This hasn't been a perfect season for Chisholm by any means. He entered the year talking about wanting to go 50-50, and then it took a really long time for his power to show up.Now, though, he's coming through when the Yanks need someone else to deliver with Aaron Judge still out.A Sunday night win like that can boost the confidence in a major way, and it was Chisholm who provided the special moment when the Yankees very much needed it.