The OFC Nations Cup, originally known as the Oceania Cup, traces its roots back to 1973, when it was founded by the OFC Oceania Football Confederation. The tournament's inaugural edition marked a significant moment in the history of football in the Oceania region. In its early days, the competition was staged without a qualifying round.
Notably, the absence of the Australian team in the initial edition and the participation of non-FIFA teams, such as New Hebrides (later Vanuatu), added a unique flavor to the tournament. The competition continued in 1980, as the second season was hosted by New Caledonia, where Australia made its first appearance.
After these initial editions, the tournament experienced a hiatus, with no competitions between 1981 and 1995. During this period, the Trans-Tasman Cup, exclusively played between Australia and New Zealand, took center stage as the most significant football event in the Oceania region.
In 1996, the tournament reappeared with a new identity as the "Oceania Nations Cup" as OFC attained official Confederation status for FIFA. This marked the beginning of a new era, with the competition now held every two years and serving as a qualifier for the FIFA Confederations Cup. The format underwent changes, introducing qualifying rounds and a more competitive structure.
Australia and New Zealand, traditionally dominant forces, continued their supremacy in the early editions. The tournament structure persisted, with teams competing for the title and the opportunity to represent Oceania internationally.
However, the narrative took a compelling turn in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup when Tahiti made history by becoming the first team outside Australia and New Zealand to lift the cup. This breakthrough victory marked a shift in the balance of power, showcasing the growing competitiveness within the Oceania football community.
Australia decided to leave the OFC Oceania Football Confederation, of which it was a founding member, to take part in the AFC Asian Football Confederation, leaving the OFC without one of its most prominent members.
Betting on the OFC Nations Cup odds is an exciting way to expand your soccer fandom internationally and take part in the excitement of this highly competitive league. Take the time to do your research on the teams and all the available OFC Nations Cup betting lines options. Many top-class professional domestic soccer leagues operate all around the globe. This may initially seem overwhelming regarding drilling down and finding the best betting options. That is why BetPhoenix has put together a definitive guide to the top world leagues for soccer betting odds for you.
Placing your OFC Nations Cup Bets with BetPhoenix.ag can be a lucrative and exciting venture, especially if you dedicate some time to doing your research. This OFC Nations Cup guide is one of the many helpful resources that BetPhoenix provides to help you take full advantage of the variety of OFC Nations Cup Bets available and increase your chances of winning.
What is the OFC Nations Cup?
OFC Nations Cup is the premier international association football tournament competed among the OFC member nations and has a rich history that spans several decades. Founded in 1973, only ten editions have been played, with breaks occurring regularly throughout the tournament's history. However, from its early editions as the Oceania Cup, to the recent competitions that have seen new champions emerge, the tournament has evolved in format, competitiveness, and significance.
The format of the OFC Nations Cup has undergone several changes over the years. The initial tournaments in 1973 and 1980 were played without qualifying rounds. From 1996 to 2000, Australia and New Zealand enjoyed automatic seeding into the tournament, while other nations engaged in qualifying rounds, with the Polynesian and Melanesian Cups acting as qualification tournaments.
In the 2002 edition, FIFA rankings played a crucial role in determining seedings. The lower six teams engaged in a group stage, vying for two qualifying positions. The 2004 tournament reverted to a format akin to 1996–2000, featuring five teams divided into two qualifying groups. This phase was followed by a group stage involving six teams and a home-and-away final contested by the top two teams.
In 2008, the South Pacific Games served as a qualification tournament, and New Zealand secured automatic qualification. The tournament introduced a structure involving two groups of four teams, leading to knockout stages. This format was also retained in the 2016 edition, contributing to the continuity and evolution of the OFC Nations Cup.
How to Bet on the OFC Nations Cup
BetPhoenix.ag not only offers you the best OFC Nations Cup Odds, but we also provide you with many helpful tools, like this OFC Nations Cup odds guide, to introduce you to the numerous moneymaking opportunities available when betting on the OFC Nations Cup betting lines, helping you improve your chances of winning.
OFC Nations Cup Point Spread
The OFC Nations Cup Point Spreads bets, similarly to other major sports like football, basketball, and baseball, are based on a handicapped margin of victory established on a projected game result. If an OFC Nations Cup betting lines show a point spread of 1.5 for an upcoming game, the favorite team (-1.5) must win by at least two goals for your bet to be a winner, while betting on the underdog (+1.5) can lose by one goal, tie the game or win outright for your bet to be a win. The .5 fraction is used to avoid a push in the wagers.
This is an example of an OFC Nations Cup Point Spread, as you would find it listed in BetPhoenix:
- Team - Points Spread Odds
- New Zealand -1.5
- Papua New Guinea +1.5
In this case, the -1.5 points spread indicates that New Zealand is the favorite to win by a margin of two goals against Arsenal. Conversely, Papua New Guinea is the underdog and can lose by a margin of less than two goals. These are the likely results of this bet:
- New Zealand wins by two or more goals: New Zealand bettors win.
- New Zealand wins by one goal: Papua New Guinea bettors win.
- The game is a draw/tie: Papua New Guinea bettors win.
- Papua New Guinea wins the game: Papua New Guinea bettors win.
OFC Nations Cup Moneyline
OFC Nations Cup Moneyline is always the most straightforward betting option. Your pick reflects who you expect to be the outright winner of the game. A negative odds value indicates the favorite, while a positive value indicates an underdog. OFC Nations Cup Moneyline uses a $100 base American odds system, in which larger numbers indicate a stronger favorite or weaker underdog.
The two-way OFC Nations Cup Moneyline, in which the OFC Nations Cup betting lines are focused on either one of the two sides winning, removing the impact of a tie or draw, in which case the bet would be a push. There is also a three-way OFC Nations Cup Moneyline, in which the OFC Nations Cup betting lines offer odds values for the home team winning, the visitor team winning, or the match ending in a draw or tie.
This is an example of a Two-Way OFC Nations Cup Moneyline, as you would find it listed in BetPhoenix:
- Team - Moneyline
- New Zealand -500
- Papua New Guinea +350
In this case, if you bet to win $100 on New Zealand -500, as favorites, you would need to risk $500, while betting $100 on Papua New Guinea +350 as an underdog, you would receive $350 if Papua New Guinea wins the game. If the match ends in a tie, the wager would be a push, which means the bet is voided and refunded.
This is an example of a Three-Way OFC Nations Cup Moneyline, as you would find it listed in BetPhoenix:
- Team - Moneyline
- New Zealand -170
- Draw +270
- Papua New Guinea +470
In this case, if you bet to win $100 on New Zealand -170 as favorites, you would need to risk $170. Betting $100 on the draw +270, you would receive $270 if the game ends in a tie. And betting $100 on Papua New Guinea +470 as an underdog, you would receive $470 if Papua New Guinea wins the game.
At BetPhoenix, our OFC Nations Cup odds will give you the best available Moneyline prices and the tightest point spread odds offered by any sportsbook.
OFC Nations Cup Over/Under Totals
The OFC Nations Cup Totals bet is based on a projected final score that includes both teams, independently on which side wins. OFC Nations Cup Totals are represented in an Over/Under set, where you can pick if you expect this result to be over or under this estimated line.
This is an example of an OFC Nations Cup Over/Under Totals as you would find it listed in BetPhoenix:
- OFC Nations Cup Totals – New Zealand vs. Arsenal
- Total: 2.5
- Over odds: -120
- Under odds: +110
In this case, the OFC Nations Cup Over/Under of 2.5 means that if the match ends with a combined score of three or more goals, the Over wins; if the total score is two or less, the Under wins. If you bet to win $100 on the Over -120, you would need to risk $120 and win if the game ends with 3 goals or more. Betting $100 on the Under +110, you would receive $110 if the game ends with 2 goals or less.
OFC Nations Cup Parlays
OFC Nations Cup Parlay is a wager type in which two or more OFC Nations Cup betting lines are combined to form a single wager with a considerably higher payout. However, all selected OFC Nations Cup betting lines must win for the parlay wager to win. You can combine point spreads, moneylines, over/under totals, and other wagers. You can also combine favorites and underdogs. The more bets you add to your OFC Nations Cup parlay, the odds multiply accordingly in your favor.
Using the example, a two-line OFC Nations Cup Parlay could be as follows:
- New Zealand -170
- New Zealand vs. Papua New Guinea Total: Over 2.5 -120
By combining the New Zealand Moneyline -170 and Total Over 2.5 -120 for the New Zealand vs. Papua New Guinea game on a 2-team parlay risking $100, the combined odds would be +191 with a payout for this parlay of $291.16, about 3 times your bet, instead of risking $100 to bet on each separately.
OFC Nations Cup Prop Bets
OFC Nations Cup prop bets are one of the most exciting ways to bet on the outcome of the games. The most popular OFC Nations Cup Prop Bets include many possibilities. Team prop bets include lines to bet on which team will score first, how many shots on goal will be made, how many corner kicks will occur, how many cards will be sanctioned, and a long etcetera. Player props bets include who will score a goal during the game, who will score the first goal of the match, who will score multiple goals, how many shots on goal a player will make, etc.
Take the time to check all available props on Betphoenix.ag, and you'll find many attractive options to increase your betting repertoire.
Which Teams Have Won the Most OFC Nations Cup Titles?
Since the OFC Nations Cup was created in 1973, 3 nations have won the OFC Nations Cup Championship.
New Zealand has the most titles, with 5 ((1973, 1998, 2002, 2008, and 2016), followed by Australia with 4 (1980, 1996, 2000, and 2004), and Tahiti with 1 (2012).
Here you'll find the list of the OFC Nations Cup champions in the last ten seasons up to 2023:
- 2016 - New Zealand
- 2012 - Tahiti
- 2008 - New Zealand
- 2004 - Australia
- 2002 - New Zealand
- 2000 - Australia
- 1998 - New Zealand
- 1996 - Australia
- 1980 - Australia
- 1973 - New Zealand
The future of the OFC Nations Cup is unclear. The 2020 tournament was ditched due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there's no news about the 2024 edition—no venue or dates have been announced.
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