# World Cup Tuesday: The 7 Oracles' Best Plays for the June 23 Slate *By Benny Ricciardi, FSWA Award Winner · Published Author · Ran 4Deep Sports · Led FTN Marketing · Traded Bonds on Wall Street — The 7 Oracles at PredictionMarketsPicks* Groups K and L play their second round and England vs. Ghana is already a control-of-the-group decider, with both sides on three points. But the cleanest edge on a chalk-heavy Tuesday is Portugal–Uzbekistan, where the board still pays up for the Ronaldo name even as the goals run through everyone but him. The full June 23 card from The 7 Oracles at PredictionMarketsPicks. - Source: https://predictionmarketspicks.com/articles/world-cup-2026-tuesday-june-23-best-plays - Published: 2026-06-23 - Updated: 2026-06-23 --- **Four market favorites, and the sharpest number on the board isn't whether one of them wins — it's the name the market is still overpaying to score.** [Groups K and L](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/groups) play their second round, and the openers set the table: [England](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/england) and [Ghana](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/ghana) both won and now meet for control of Group L, while [Colombia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/colombia) sit clear at the top of Group K and [Portugal](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/portugal) arrive needing a response. Three sizable favorites and a desperate fourth — a chalk Tuesday where the value isn't the moneyline, it's how each favorite gets there. The headline belongs to [England–Ghana](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/england-vs-ghana), both winners now meeting for the group. But the marquee name and the marquee *edge* aren't the same game Tuesday. The cleanest disagreement is [Portugal–Uzbekistan](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/portugal-vs-uzbekistan), where the board still prices [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/portugal)'s anytime ticket on reputation even though he's gone ten straight major-tournament games without scoring and Portugal's goals are running through Pedro Neto, João Neves and the supporting cast. The [Panama–Croatia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/croatia-vs-panama) elimination scrap and the late [Colombia–DR Congo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/colombia-vs-dr-congo) nightcap round out the card. Here's the full slate. Live [World Cup 2026 champion odds](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026) — top contenders by market-implied probability. Full board on the [odds page](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/odds). ### The Tuesday card | Game (ET) | The position | The value angle | |---|---|---| | **Portugal vs. Uzbekistan** · 1:00 PM | **Over 2.5 goals / supporting-cast scorer** | 79% chalk — buy the goals, fade the Ronaldo name | | **England vs. Ghana** · 4:00 PM | **England to win / Kane anytime** | Top-of-group decider; England leak, so both-teams lives | | **Panama vs. Croatia** · 7:00 PM | **Croatia to win / Kramarić anytime** | Both on zero; Croatia the desperate talent, Modrić's 200th | | **Colombia vs. DR Congo** · 10:00 PM | **Colombia / Luis Díaz anytime** | Group leaders vs. the side that held Portugal | **★ Marquee read:** [England vs. Ghana](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/england-vs-ghana). Both won their openers, so this decides Group L — and the model has **England 80% (-400)** with [Harry Kane](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/england) a goal into Lineker territory. But England shipped two to Croatia, so it's not a formality: take **England to win** with a **Kane anytime**, and **both-teams-to-score** lives. [See today's full card →](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/picks-today) ### Where the market is wrong The headline is England, but the *edge* is the early kickoff. [Portugal–Uzbekistan](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/portugal-vs-uzbekistan) is where the board and the read split hardest: the price still pays for the [Ronaldo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/portugal) anytime-scorer ticket on reputation — 41 years old, ten straight major-tournament appearances without a goal — while Portugal's actual threat in the [DR Congo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/dr-congo) draw came from Pedro Neto's delivery and João Neves' head. Portugal are rightly heavy favorites to win; the value isn't the -550 moneyline, it's the goals — Over 2.5, or a team total over, against a side that just shipped three to Colombia — and a supporting-cast scorer at a real price. The [England](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/england) and [Croatia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/croatia) favorites are priced about right, so the value there is the scorers and the margin, not the moneylines. The [Colombia–DR Congo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/colombia-vs-dr-congo) nightcap is the secondary read: the board has [Colombia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/colombia) near -205, but the model only makes them 58% against the one side at this tournament that has already kept a big name quiet. ### Portugal vs. Uzbekistan — buy the goals, not the name The chalk you don't lay at the price, and the name you don't pay up for. [Portugal](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/portugal) opened with a flat 1-1 against [DR Congo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/dr-congo) — João Neves headed them in front early, Yoane Wissa answered for DR Congo's first World Cup goal, and [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/portugal), at 41 the oldest outfield player ever to start a World Cup match, was kept quiet again, extending his run to ten straight major-tournament games without a goal. With Colombia already clear at the top of [Group K](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/groups), Portugal can't draw again, so this is a near-must-win they should win comfortably: the model reads them at **79% (-376)**, the draw at **14% (+614)** and [Uzbekistan](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/uzbekistan) a live-only **7% (+1400)**, already beaten 3-1 by Colombia. So the read isn't the moneyline tax — it's how Portugal win. They'll dominate the ball against a side that sits deep, the script that runs up a scoreline, so the value is the goals — lead with **Over 2.5**, with a **Portugal team total over** or a **-1.5** the bigger-number versions for the higher-variance crowd — and the cleaner scorer's price on the supporting cast (**Pedro Neto, Gonçalo Ramos, Bruno Fernandes**) rather than the **Ronaldo anytime** the public keeps bidding up. If he finally scores, you didn't need the inflated number to be right about the result. Live board for [Portugal vs. Uzbekistan](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/portugal-vs-uzbekistan) ([Group K](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/groups)). Team pages: [Portugal](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/portugal) · [Uzbekistan](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/uzbekistan). *Model: Portugal 79% / draw 14% / Uzbekistan 7% · lean Over 2.5 · fade the Ronaldo anytime price.* ### England vs. Ghana — the decider, with a defense that leaks The showcase, and the table makes it matter. [England](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/england) opened with a chaotic 4-2 over [Croatia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/croatia) — a Harry Kane brace, his second a header that equalled Gary Lineker's England record of ten World Cup goals, then Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford — while [Ghana](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/ghana) needed a 95th-minute goal to edge [Panama](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/panama) 1-0. Both arrive on three points, so the winner takes control of Group L. The model reads England at **80% (-400)**, the draw at **14% (+614)** and Ghana a live **6% (+1450)** — a clear favorite, but not the formality the price implies, because Thomas Tuchel's side conceded twice to Croatia and Ghana carry real pace on the break. So the read is **England to win** with the storyline attached: **Kane anytime**, a Golden Boot favorite and a goal into Lineker territory, on a side that will see plenty of the ball. **Both-teams-to-score** is the live secondary — England leaked two in the opener and Ghana will get their looks — and a **Bellingham anytime** is the second scorer off the headline name. Live board for [England vs. Ghana](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/england-vs-ghana) ([Group L](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/groups)). Team pages: [England](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/england) · [Ghana](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/ghana). *Model: England 80% / draw 14% / Ghana 6% · lean Over 2.5 · both-teams-to-score live.* ### Panama vs. Croatia — the elimination scrap, and Modrić's milestone The win-or-go-home game on the slate: both sides lost their openers, so the loser here is all but out. [Panama](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/panama) fell 1-0 to Ghana on a stoppage-time goal and have yet to score at the tournament; [Croatia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/croatia) were beaten 4-2 by England in a game their defense never controlled, and the ageless Luka Modrić arrives at his 200th cap needing a result. The model makes Croatia **62% (-163)** to Panama's **14% (+600)**, draw **24% (+317)** — favored on talent and pedigree, but in a game the price treats as more comfortable than a desperate side usually makes it. Croatia have the quality edge and a near-must-win's motivation, so the read is **Croatia to win**, with a **Kramarić or Baturina anytime** the cleanest scorer's price against a Panama side that has to chase. A **Croatia double chance** is the lower-variance route if you'd rather not lay the outright against a physical opponent with nothing to lose. Live board for [Panama vs. Croatia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/croatia-vs-panama) ([Group L](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/groups)). Team pages: [Panama](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/panama) · [Croatia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/croatia). *Model: Croatia 62% / draw 24% / Panama 14% · lean Under 2.5 · Croatia to win.* ### Colombia vs. DR Congo — the nightcap, and a number worth a second look The late one, and the only game where the model and the board nudge apart. [Colombia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/colombia) sit top of Group K after a 3-1 over Uzbekistan — Daniel Muñoz, Luis Díaz and a stoppage-time Campaz header — and Díaz, fresh off a monster club season, is the best attacker on the field. [DR Congo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/dr-congo), at their first World Cup in over 50 years, already held Portugal 1-1, so they defend in numbers and won't be overawed. The board has Colombia around -205; the model is more cautious at **58% (-138)**, the draw **25% (+300)** and DR Congo a live **17% (+490)** — a side that just kept Ronaldo's Portugal off the win. The position is **Colombia to win**, with **Luis Díaz anytime** the cleanest expression of the gap in quality — but the secondary read is the value in DR Congo's number, a **double chance or the draw**, the lower-variance way to side with the team the model thinks the board is shading too hard. Live board for [Colombia vs. DR Congo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026/colombia-vs-dr-congo) ([Group K](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/groups)). Team pages: [Colombia](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/colombia) · [DR Congo](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/dr-congo). *Model: Colombia 58% / draw 25% / DR Congo 17% · lean Under 2.5 · Díaz anytime.* ### Sizing the card Same discipline The 7 Oracles ran all week: this is a chalk Tuesday, so the edge isn't picking favorites — it's refusing to overpay. These are three standalone plays, not legs to stack — keep them single. Let [Kelly](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/tools/kelly) size each one on its own number: the Portugal goals, the Colombia win and the Kane scorer's price, one position at a time, no chasing a bigger payout by stringing them together. Three of these four are favored to win; the money is made on *how* they win and on the one name the market keeps overpaying. Size to the edge, lean to the value. --- *Track the live model and Kalshi reference prices on the [World Cup hub](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup), the [Sports · World Cup 2026 hub](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/sports/world-cup-2026), the [group standings](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/groups), and the [odds page](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/world-cup/odds). Today's headline position lives on [Picks Today](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/picks-today), and the full collective is at [The 7 Oracles](https://predictionmarketspicks.com/7-oracles). Model figures are 10,000-run simulation outputs; market prices move — confirm the live board before taking a position. PredictionMarketsPicks publishes market analysis, not trading advice. Trade responsibly.* --- ## Disclosure PredictionMarketsPicks publishes analysis of CFTC-regulated event contracts. Nothing here is financial advice and every position carries risk. 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