Netherlands, meanwhile, takes a step down in class with a game against Australia, the lowest-ranked team in the World Cup field.

The third game of the day pits Cameroon and Croatia, two teams that lost their first games, to Mexico and Brazil, respectively.

Here’s a look at Wednesday’s betting card, with AccuScore’s forecasts – which  are based on 10,000 simulated games – presented next to the odds offered two Las Vegas sports books (LVH and CG Technologies) and the odds' implied probability.  The charts are intended to show you which side of the bets offers the best value.

Australia vs. Netherlands, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN, Porto Alegre

Netherlands has a 68.5 percent chance to win this game, AccuScore predicts, which means bettors should be asked to lay just -217 to back them.   The -575 is too rich from a value perspective.  Australia figures to be way overmatched here, but who can blame you for taking a shot at 16-to-1?   The draw, at 6-to-1, also offers good value, if you can envision anything other than a Dutch rout.

The total: The average simulation score is Netherlands 2 to Australia 0.6, and CG Technologies has the total posted at 3 goals (UNDER -110).   More from AccuScore: Sign up for picks and predictions

Spain vs. Chile, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN, Rio de Janeiro

While neither side offers great betting value, the prices aren’t unreasonable, either.  Laying 2-to-1 on Spain may interest handicappers who believe in applying a bounce-back theory to soccer.  Chile is a formidable team, of course, so the 5-to-1 price offered at the LVH may entice.

The total: The average score over the 10,000 simulations is Spain 1.8 to Chile 0.8. There’s some range on the total in Vegas, with CG posting 3 goals (UN -125) and William Hill hanging 2.5 goals (OVER -165).

Cameroon vs. Croatia, 6 p.m. ET ESPN, Manaus

Again, neither great nor unreasonable prices on either side.



The average simulation score is Croatia 1.4 to Cameroon 0.5, making UNDER 2.5 goals an attractive play at -120 at the LVH.

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