Hard to say. Punters put the odds of the US team winning at 1:100, same as Australia which is ranked 42nd - they think the US's soccer level of play more at Australian levels.
I could care less about what one gambling site has. I take far more stock in FIFA rankings. I don't think the US will win it all but I do think they will advance past the first round.
The US is 18-4-6 since World Cup qualifying started in mid 2004; that's nothing to sneeze at.
Not true. The reason we have a 1:80 chance (not 1:100 if I recall correctly) is because we are in the death group, group E. In our first round we face the #2 ranked team, the Czech Republic (though there is a runner up slot in the first round) and in the next round we have a chance of facing #1 ranked Brazil. Assuming that the Czech team or the Brazil team move forward (which is a good assumption), we will have to face at least one of them again.
US has 1:40 chance to win the world cup, vs 1:130 for Australia. That's with the US starting in a MUCH harder bracket and the possibility to face Brazil in round 2.