2022 Women’s Water Polo World Championship Odds: Can Someone Beat the USA?

The women’s water polo tournament will start next week, on the 20th of June at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships. While the final is held on the 2nd of July at the Alfred Hajos National Swimming Stadium in Budapest. The US won the last three events in a row. And they are the huge favorites again in the 2022 Women’s Water Polo World Championship odds. But surely the previous runner-ups, Spain and the Netherlands will try to beat them this time. Just like the host nation, Hungary. 

Women’s water polo made its debut in the World Aquatics Championships 36 years ago, in 1986. The US has been the most successful nation with six titles, while Italy and Hungary follow them in the medal table with two-two wins. The American team is the defending world and Olympic champion, and the top favorite again. There might be someone in the participating 16 teams that can finally defeat them.

Like the reigning European champions, Spain, or the host nation, Hungary who won the bronze medal in Tokyo. The same rules apply to the women’s tournament as to the men’s. Winners of the four groups advance to the quarter-finals straight away. While the second and third-place teams can get to the last eight through the play-offs. 

2022 Women’s Water Polo World Championship Odds Hugely Favor the US for Another Title 

It seems like an impossible job to beat the US in women’s water polo. After their team won three consecutive World Championships and Olympic Games in the last 12 years. But even they can be beaten as Hungary proved in Tokyo. When they won against Adam Krikorian’s team in a group game.

What’s more, the American team only finished third in this year’s Intercontinental Cup after losing against Australia and Canada. Their squad did include lots of new players there. So we are likely to see a much stronger line-up in Budapest. Including team captain Maggie Steffens, center-forward Melissa Seidemann, and goalkeeper Amanda Longan. 

Online sportsbooks in Hungary still highly favor the US for their seventh world title. And they offer the odds of 1.284 for their victory. The reigning European champions, Spain follow them in the 2022 Women’s Water Polo World Championship odds with 11.00. Miki Oca’s team was close to winning the world title on the last two occasions but they were beaten by the US both times.

Spain also finished as a runner-up in the last Olympics in Tokyo. They won the silver medal in this year’s World League European qualifier as well. After losing against the Netherlands 12-11 in the final. Now under the leadership of 35-year-old Pili Pena, they can try again to win their second world title. 

The Netherlands, Hungary, and Australia Can Also fight for the gold

The Netherlands won the world championship once so far, back in 1991. Since then they reached the final three more times, losing on all occasions. They only finished sixth in Tokyo and seventh in the previous world championship. But with the new manager, Evangelos Doudesis, the team seems to have found its form. To prove that the team won this year’s European World League qualifier.  Tokyo’s top goal scorers, Simone van de Kraats and Sabrina van der Sloot can be key in the team’s victory in Budapest which has the odds of 14.00 on 22Bet. 

The host, Hungary is also mentioned among the top favorites by online gambling sites in Hungary. Attila Biro’s team won the bronze medal in the 2020 Olympics and also at the 2020 European Championship. The two-time world champions finished fourth in the previous world event but surely will aim for a better result on home soil.

Rita Keszthelyi-Nagy is the team’s most experienced player. But younger players like Alda Magyari and Natasa Rybanska also contributed to the latest successes. Hungary’s odds to win their third title are 17.00. Similar odds are offered for the win of the Australian team who won the bronze medal in 2019.  To many surprises, they won the Intercontinental Cup in Peru this March, which can motivate them for another good result.  

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