A tournament that began with 16 teams is down to 8. Each of the remaining teams is in action on July 20 and 21 in the quarterfinals of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s National League. We have expert betting picks on all four Nations League matchups this week!
USA vs. Brazil Betting Pick
Top-used betting sites have the USA as the favorite in its matchup versus Brazil. Here’s a look at the current moneyline odds for each team:
The Americans rolled in the preliminary round accumulating a 10-2 record — which tied for the best in the whole bracket. However, due to tiebreakers, they earned the three seed, setting up this matchup with six-seeded Brazil, who are certainly no slouches. They earned an 8-4 mark on their own accord to punch their ticket in this final round.
Both counties faced off in the preliminary round back on June 11. In the meeting, the USA pulled off a 3-1 victory over Brazil despite an early setback. The USA men dropped the first set before winning three in a row. The final score was 21-25, 27-25, 25-20, 25-20.
Of course, you don’t want to count out Brazil. They’ve long dominated this sport — on the men’s and women’s sides. Moreover, Brazil are the defending 2021 Nations League champions.
We expect the rivals to play each tooth and nail. While we expect a closer game in the rematch, the same result will hold a USA victory. Bet on the Americans to win straight up here.
Italy vs. Netherlands Betting Pick
We’ve neglected to mention one thing: the remainder of the Nations League tournament is being played in Italy, which gives the Italians a huge advantage. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Italy is the overwhelming betting favorite versus the Netherlands. Here are the current Las Vegas odds:
Beyond being at home, Italy is also favored, welp, because they’ve taken care of business. With a 10-2 record and 31 points, they earned this first seed. The Netherlands, meanwhile, snuck into the eighth seed with a so-so 6-6 record. In the two’s previous meeting, Italy pulled off a 3-0 sweep to win.
We don’t see a likely a narrow where the Italians don’t advance in front of their home fans. Maybe Dutch star player Nimir Abdel-Aziz — who leads the VNL in scoring (231 points), hitting (191), and serving (30) — can will the Netherlands to an upset, but that’s slim too. Italy is the much better team and deserves your betting dollar here.
France vs. Japan Betting Pick
A juicy matchup between France and Japan kicks off the second day of VNL action. Here’s a look at the up-to-date betting lines:
Both countries finished the preliminary round with 9-3 records. Moreover, in its head-to-head matchup, it went down to the wire. In the end, the French pulled off the win 21-25, 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, and 15-11.
France is the 2020 Olympic champions and is expected to make a deep run in this bracket. Most of that roster is in the mix at VNL, including star outside hitter Earvin Ngapeth and team captain Benjamin Toniutti. To their credit, Japan has a dynamic duo of its own in Yuji Nishida, and outside hitter Yuki Ishikawa, who have totaled 357 points, 278 kills, and 56 aces so far. Still, we can’t overlook France’s championship experience, thus are taking them to win.
Poland vs. Iran Betting Pick
Poland only lost twice in the preliminary round — and one of them was to Iran. That’s why we’re a bit surprised the Iranians are getting little to no love from online oddsmakers:
Please insert a GoogleSheets URL:
This game, alongside the USA vs. Brazil tilt, feels like the most wide-open quarterfinals matchup. Obviously, the Polish are title favorites and are the second seed for a reason. But Iran’s previous win looms large.
It’s not an easy pick, but we’re siding with Iran. The team is being keyed by 25-year-old Amin Esmaeilnezhad, who has ascended into one of the sport’s brightest players. Esmaeilnezhad gave the Polish problems in the first meeting, and we don’t see that changing in the rematch.
Volleyball hasn’t quite reached the mainstream yet. Therefore, it won’t be found on television. However, you can watch the men’s Nations League on Volleyball TV, an online website and app. You can pay for a subscription and stream all the action from your computer or mobile phone.
Here’s the quarterfinals schedule:
You’ll want to place your bets on the 2022 Men’s Nations League right away since the final round is right about to begin. To find updated lines on all four matchups — plus the semis and finals afterward — then visit one of the bookmakers underneath. These bookies offer a number of deposit methods for quick and easy betting. Hit one of the “play now” buttons below to get started!
