2022 FIFA World Cup best bets, bracket picks, odds, draw, predictions: Soccer expert avoiding France in Qatar – CBS Sports

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France is back to defend their crown as the World Cup 2022 in Qatar gets underway on Sunday, Nov. 20. With superstar strikers Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann leading the charge up front and captain Hugo Lloris tending goal, Les Bleus are the obvious favorite in Group D going up against Australia, Denmark and Tunisia. But with some of the world’s best teams ready to dethrone the champs from 2018, how does France stand up to the rest of the competition?
The latest 2022 World Cup odds from Caesars Sportsbook list Brazil as the favorites to win it all at 4-1, with Argentina (11-2), France (13-2), England (15-2) and Spain (15-2) next in line. Before you lock in your 2022 FIFA World Cup picks, you need to see what SportsLine’s soccer insider Brandt Sutton has to say. 
Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor for more than five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Sutton also has been on a roll with his best bets, going 148-112-1 over his last 261 soccer picks this year, returning more than $2,300 for $100 bettors.
Now, Sutton has analyzed the 2022 World Cup bracket from every angle and revealed his top picks, predictions and knockout bracket. You can head to SportsLine now to see Sutton’s 2022 FIFA World Cup picks. 
Sutton is fading France, even though the defending champions are among the favorites at 13-2. France undoubtedly has one of the best rosters in the world, but they’ve been struggling to get results. In fact, Les Bleus have won just one of their last six games heading into the World Cup, which includes two defeats against Denmark. 
France and Denmark will square off in the group stage at the World Cup, and if France fails to win Group D, they could find themselves playing Argentina in the Round of 16. In addition to their recent form, the World Cup hasn’t seen a nation win back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1958-62, which doesn’t bode well for France’s chances in Qatar. 
“France will feature one of the deadliest attacks at the 2022 World Cup, with Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann spearheading the front line. However, I expect the defending champions to struggle without Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante in the middle of the pitch,” Sutton told SportsLine. “In addition, four of the last five defending World Cup champions have been eliminated in the group stage at the following tournament.”
Another surprise: Sutton expects Belgium to make a deep run in the 2022 World Cup bracket, even though they’re 16-1 longshots in the World Cup 2022 odds. The expert finds it surprising that the Red Devils are not more heavily favored in this competition given that they are No. 2 in the FIFA world ranking. They also have a star-studded roster of veteran talent from superstar striker Romelu Lukaku all the way back to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
No other team in Group F — Canada, Morocco and Croatia — cracks the top 10 in FIFA’s ranking, so the Belgians should perform well in the group stage before advancing to take on steeper competition.”This is likely the final opportunity for Belgium’s “golden generation” to win a title,” Sutton said. See Sutton’s other 2022 World Cup picks at SportsLine.
Sutton has locked in his best bets to win the 2022 World Cup, along with his top futures plays and his full knockout bracket prediction. He’s revealed how far the USMNT, Brazil and Spain will advance in Qatar. He’s also high on a dark horse team that “has a shot at being this year’s Croatia, who surprisingly made the World Cup final in 2018.” You can only see them here.
So who will win the World Cup 2022? And which longshot could stun the soccer world? Check out the odds below and then visit SportsLine to see Brandt Sutton’s best bets for the 2022 World Cup, all from the proven expert who is more than $2,300 on his soccer picks in 2022, and find out.
Brazil +400
Argentina +550
France +650
England +750
Spain +750
Germany +1000
Netherlands +1400
Portugal +1400
Belgium +1600
Denmark +3000
Croatia +5000
Uruguay +5000
Serbia +7000
Mexico +10000
USA +10000
Poland +10000
Senegal +10000
Switzerland +10000
Wales +12500
Ghana +15000
Canada +15000
Ecuador +15000
Morocco +20000
Cameroon +25000
Japan +25000
South Korea +25000
Tunisia +30000
Qatar +30000
Australia +40000
Costa Rica +50000
Iran +50000
Saudi Arabia +50000
Group A
Qatar
Ecuador 
Senegal 
Netherlands
Group B
England
Iran 
USA 
Wales
Group C
Argentina 
Saudi Arabia 
Mexico 
Poland 
Group D
France 
Australia
Denmark 
Tunisia 
Group E
Spain 
Costa Rica
Germany 
Japan
Group F
Belgium 
Canada
Morocco 
Croatia 
Group G
Brazil 
Serbia 
Switzerland 
Cameroon 
Group H
Portugal 
Ghana
Uruguay 
Korea Republic 
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