Football is actually a global sport, it's just the level of exposure that differs, and regardless of the population of a country, almost every country has a national league of it's own and often multiple division, If Iceland as a country of less than 400,000 people could have a multiple division league and even the same goes for their females as well.

It's has became customary to always have dark horse(s) in these type of competition, we've seen a couple in Euro, and some previous World Cup tournament, especially what brought Iceland, and Hungary to limelight a couple of years ago, as well as an Algerian team that were playing a beautiful style of football some years back, possession and attacking game, like an European team, having the likes or Riyad Mahrez, Slimani, Feghouli and Ghezzal. This current Moroccan squad typical reminds me of Algerian team of that year.

Paul George is sitting this one out, and It's a few minutes left to play for in the first quarter, Kawhi Leonard doesn't seem to have found his rhythm yet, it's still a slight advantage for the Washington Wizards, but it's still a pretty open game. Hopefully Kawhi Leonard doesn't struggle too much here, because If he does then, the Wizards could easily win this.

Damn! I literally missed the specials bet for today, and stayed up all night, and I needed to take a quick nap which went for too long 

I literally think I might have missed first 3 question, I had Ivan Perisic to play for 85+ minutes and have short on goal or assist, and the reason for my choice was literally down to Perisic already been totally overused and I felt Dalic might given an early rest today, but If the question were assist or goal, without the 85 minutes clause, I definitely would have gone for Yes, I really don't remember all the questions that involves the third place match, so I'd would have known what my answers were.

1)  Argentina
2)  Under
3)  Over
4)  Over
5)  Over
6)  Under     
7)  No
8}  2nd
   

9)  Yes
10) No

11)  Yes
12)  Yes

13)  No
14)  No

15) No
16) No

17)  Tiebreaker: 25

Boston Celtics are the team to beat the season, they're somewhat very consistent so, I agree it should be an easy for them vs Orlando Magic. However, I'm going to pass on the pick because the spread seems to large imo, and Orlando Magic should could stay within sight even with Celtics winning the game.

I'll tail your other 2 picks, I like the idea of Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks under 223.5 and I'll have the Denver Nuggets solely on ML @ 1.80, I hope we don't a highly explosive Anthony Davis that we've witnessed in last couple of game where he drops 55-17 and 44-10 points and rebound likes it's a routine stuff, with such performance from AD, I fear for the Nuggets chances, but I'm still taking them regardless.

Warriors to begin with have been underperforming this regular, and now having to go several weeks without Stephen Curry will surely put their whole season in a bit of jeopardy, and also given the fact that they're barely clinging to that 10th position, the last in the play-in tournament.

Warriors would in my opinion have been in better shape or situation if they had kept a couple their role players from last season, I'm sure a healthy  Juan Toscano-Anderson, Nemanja Bjelica and Damion Lee will all come in very handy right and will help reduce the amount of work loads on their starters.

I submitted my picks for the finals about an hour+ ago, and what's left to do is to sit back and enjoy the grand infantino of a socially awkward tournament, but Sportsbet still found a way as they always do to make it worth more than just bore fest.

With CasperBGD being the bigger favorite and myself the underdog, could I get a 3.00 or thereabout for me to win the world cup ?

I'll definitely be banking on myself regardless, and whatever the outcome is I'm sure I'm up against a great opponent, and to have come this far against all the odds and other big members from the gambling community here sure is an honor.

As for my regards towards Sportsbet, I'm sure by now everyone in this community knows how I feel about them, and I'm sure we all share the same sentiment on this opinion.

I agree with you that given their run of form before the match vs Utah Jazz, they looked pretty much like the real deal, however, I don't like the idea that their team hangs around against a player or two, since getting back Zion Williamson have been their most consistent player, but I hope they're going to have him healthy enough should they make the playoffs, because they'll be needing all the help they can get.

I on the other hand would rather see Memphis Grizzlies vs Celtics or Brooklynn Nets for the playoff finals, I understand chances, but I guess one can only be hopeful right ?

The problem with Infantino is that most of his decisions are often based on misplaced priorities and/or just a grand revenue generating scheme, that's the only thing I could think of with the World Cup being hosted every two years, there are far too many problems with the sports that needs tackling first before any form of proposed transformation or reorganization, for instance the main reason for hosting a world cup in a not so socially accommodating environment needs to be investigate first and from my perception and the level of restrictions the travelers had in the venue is absurd that the justification I could think of with the country level of social exposure is that FIFA were only financially motivated and not the sake of supposed general inclusion or indiscrimination.

1. 1-0 Morocco, 62
2. 1-0 France, 56

I also had my bet on Milwaukee Bucks despite knowing fully well that Jrue Holiday was out, I had no idea that both Ja Morant and Steven Adams would be back for the game, but I wouldn't have had a different thought , because I still see Milwaukee Bucks as highly competitive, However, Ja Morant played as if he's been fit all this while, he was very explosive and ended up with triple double, and handed the Bucks their 2nd loss from 3 games, while Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak to 7 games in a row.

I think the Moroccan coach went too far by taking quite a number of unnecessary risks with some injured players, I guessed the players especially the captain might have coerced him into doing so, and for them only to come off a couple off minutes into the game after conceding the first goal, Saiss was a big risk and you could see the bandage in his when he was walking of the pitch, I suppose that's why they opted for 5 at the back rather than their usually four, because how do expect and unhealthy Saiss to fare against Mbappe on the break or Griezmann if they pick him up ?



Perhaps if Boufal had fell too, it would have been a different argument, but I think the first impression the referee had was that the defender had the advantage of possessing the ball, while Boufal was the aggressive challenger going for the tackle/take on, that was what I saw at first too, until I saw the replay and it was evident that Boufal even withdrew his before getting anywhere near contacting the defender, and he was the victim in the end instead, so he got victimized twice, one by the defender and secondly by there ref.

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@igehhh I don't suppose that's how VAR works in total, I know for sure that it doesn't matter what the referee believe he saw at first glance, If the VAR advices him to take a secondly look at the monitor, because the have split decision with themselves, or at least a consensus that is different from what the referee, the referee's say is final but still the I don't think the referee will decline the request or suggestion from the VAR team.

I suppose I'm the opponent  

Kanapka was such a tough opponent, our match up was hanging on so many factors, especially France not conceding any goal, because I'd have lost two points to him, since that's the only way Hugo Lloris could have stood a chance against Emiliano Martinez which he went with and Martinez already had 3 saves, so Lloris still eventually came 1 save short, having just 2... Those dying minutes were so nervy with France being all shaky and quite uncomfortable at the back.

I think the ref had a clear view of the incidence at first glance, and so did the VAR, and In this case I would blame the VAR team instead of the ref, The VAR had team could have called the referee's attention if they found the need for it to be rechecked, but they didn't so I don't think there was any reason for the referee to second guess his decision, neither do I think referee usually by themselves request to have a second look at such event after making their calls without a suggestion from the VAR.


I think otherwise, it was Alvarez's skill and the run he made that placed him in the position of being probably lucky, because he made a brilliant run and that was what put both Sosa and the other defender in very terrible spot to have been able to make the clearance, and fortune only favors the brave they said, but still he needed his skill to have been able to put the ball past the goalkeeper so very calmly, If you saw the game between Brazil and Croatia and remember the chance the likes of Vinicius Jr missed or had saved by this goalkeeper, I don't think you'll undermine the effort Alvarez made to score that 2nd goal.

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I think the competition between myself and Kanapka will eventually come down to whether or not France are able to score in both halves while keeping a clean sheet in the process, then the number of saves Hugo Lloris gets to make, while France have not kept a clean sheet so far in this tournament, I think the nature of this match suggest they will, but will they be clinical enough to do what no other team have done so far in this tournament by breaking down the Moroccan defensive, I suppose we'll find out, but if they do I hope it's going to be no later than the 39th minute.

I think a red card would have been a very harsh decision on the goalkeeper, even though I'd agree it's a penalty straight up, but the yellow card is also debatable, I'd argue because the keeper never plunged into Alvarez directly and he went for the ball on a straight forward line and didn't dive towards the left which Alvarez went towards after putting the ball past him, but the only reason why that was a penalty in the first place is because the goalkeeper actually never got in contact with the ball, so it was an easy call for the referee, and spot on too, however if the keeper had gotten in touch with the ball first, it would have been a different debate, wouldn't it ?

That's not the result anyone expected right ? Messi totally obliterated Croatia, and guess what ? it was an exact payback for the defeat that Messi and his compatriots suffered in the year 2018 from the Croatian side.


I think I'm on the right path with my with predictions too, I know I have gotten a couple right, I was literally furious when Kovacic picked up a yellow as well for the protest as Livakovic was penalized for the foul on Alvarez, I went for the Under option for both teams, as well as Messi to score or pick up an assist. I think I should have gotten the Croatia line up correctly too, but I'm still in the dark as to what Kanapka have up his sleeves, though!

The game change totally within the space of those 5 minutes between Argentina goals, it was likely heading for draw imo, but then it's all changed totally, but now as I'm typing another Messi magic have literally ended the Croatia final dreams, because there ain't now way they'll get back from this deficit.

All that's needed now is to know who their opponent is, all in favor of Morocco say Yay!!!

Isn't it already biting you in the ass ? I mean Messi indeed shoots first but it wasn't the way you imagined it, I really don't want to take anything away from this Croatian side, but they the better side of the first 45 minutes, Argentina just made the most of their chances, and I've gotta feel the Croatian keeper because he's been one of the favorite for the golden glove, and it think this might have a dent on that chances.

It's still far from over and anything could still happen and we've seen worse, hopefully Argentina have learnt their lessons.

$19,433

I just had to quote myself here again, thanks for faith man! The pressure is nothing compared trying to outthink loads of you in every other pool every weekend, at least yourself, Hoody Hoo, Trofo and Cryptofrka aren't here and I don't get to face CasperBGD until the finals (If he makes, like I sure will it too  ) who have always been a pain in the butt in La Liga and Serie A pools year in, year out.



Here guys...