The 2026 World Cup begins on Thursday, a prime opportunity to claim the recent BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS, which gives new users $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins or up to $1,500 in bonus bets if their qualifying wager loses. Your offer depends on your location. SportsLine’s team of experts will have top picks locked on the World Cup throughout the tournament, beginning with Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. Czechia on Thursday. One of SportsLine’s top soccer experts is backing Mexico to win by multiple goals as part of Thursday’s World Cup best bets at BetMGM. Another expert has locked in a pick from Czechia vs. South Korea. According to the recent World Cup odds at BetMGM, South Korea is priced at +170 on the moneyline, while Czechia is listed at +180. Also for Thursday, the SportsLine Projection Model has found value from the Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup in a 2-2 series, backing Over 6 total goals for Thursday NHL best bets. They’ve gone Over the total in each of the first four games of the 2026 Stanley Cup. Claim the recent BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS and bet on Thursday’s top games:
Check out our BetMGM bonus code review for full details.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. The model entered the 2026 Stanley Cup Final with a +568 return on top-rated money-line NHL picks this season. Anyone following its NHL betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
Thursday best bets at BetMGM
- Mexico (-1.25) vs. South Africa (+127)
- South Korea vs. Czechia: South Korea, Tie No Bet (-120)
- Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes: Over 6 total goals (-118)
Combining the three picks into a Thursday parlay at BetMGM would result in a payout of +668 (risk $100 to win $668, odds subject to change). Click here to take advantage of the recent BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS:
Mexico (-1.25) vs. South Africa (+127)
“Mexico are the best team in this group and are the favorites to finish top,” SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer mentioned. “They’ll be playing a South Africa team who is not bad by any means, but who are the worst team in the group. Not only does South Africa have to start their campaign against the best team, but they also have to travel to Mexico to play this match at Estadio Azteca. The opening match for the World Cup, and one of the host nations, gets to play the match in their backyard. I think Mexico win this one easily, by multiple goals, with the crowd being overwhelming.” Back Mexico by claiming the recent BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:
South Korea vs. Czechia: South Korea, Tie No Bet (-120)
“I don’t rate Czechia all that high,” SportsLine soccer expert Brad Thomas mentioned. “I hate to say it but, “Who have they beaten!?” South Korea aren’t perfect, especially defensively. But their attack is enough for me to believe they stay in this match. Son, Lee Kang-In, Hwang, three formidable members of the attack. I love how this South Korea team presses with aggression and never plays themselves out of matches. If their defense is on, they win in a big way.” Back South Korea by claiming the recent BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes: Over 6 total goals (-118)
This has been one of the highest-scoring Stanley Cups in NHL history, with each of the first four games going Over the total, reaching at least seven goals with an average of 8.3 goals per contest. And it hasn’t been because one team has routed the other and scored easy empty-net goals, as only one of the three games in this series has been decided by more than one goal. It’s simply that both teams are playing elite offensively, needing to score, and doing so to keep pace with the other. The model doesn’t project that to change in Game 5, with the Over hitting in 56.1% of simulations. Back the Over by claiming the recent BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:
Want more World Cup, Stanley Cup picks on Thursday?
You’ve seen some of the model’s Thursday best bets. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for all games, including the World Cup, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times.