For the longest time, it looked like the United States was the favorite to host the 2022 World Cup. They still might be, of course, because nobody will really know until later this morning. But according to the latest odds, their chances are slipping.
As SB Nation's Richard Farley notes, the United States has just a 5-2 chance to host the World Cup, according to the latest oddsmakers. Qatar, the smallest country that has a shot, is at 4-6 right now, giving them a better-than-even chance at winning the bid. Here are the full odds:
4/6 - Qatar
5/2 - United States
5/2 - Australia
33/1 - Japan
40/1 - South Korea
Keep in mind, though, that these odds should be taken with a grain of salt. As Farley writes:
Australia, like the United States, is going off at 5/2, but just to highlight the lunacy of these wagers, consider the odds on Japan and South Korea. Japan is 33/1 and South Korea is 40/1, but there is no way their real chances of winning this vote is two-and-a-half or three percent. Those bets are drop boxes at a bank you don't use.
We will find out the answer for sure later this morning. Washington D.C. is one of 18 possible U.S. host cities should the U.S. win the bid. There is currently a viewing event at the Newseum going on as we speak.