Here is the ultimate betting guide to the 2012 European Football Championship!
Euro 2012 kicks off on June 8th when (co-hosts) Poland face Greece at the National Stadium in Warsaw, it then throws football, football and more football at you until the final on 1st July at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.
Here’s analysis of each group and a few teams and players to watch out for (or even bet on).
GROUP A - Poland, Russia, Greece and the Czech Republic
Poland will be the team to watch in Group A as host nations have a habit performing well, and Poland (co-hosts with the Ukraine) have what appears to be an easier group. Poland are 16/1 to reach the final, but 40/1 to actual win the tournament, a bet for fans only, but they should at least make it past the group stages.
This group is 9/1 to produce the winner of the overall tournament, but it seems like a two horse race as Poland and Russia are the fancied team to make the semi-finals, at 4/1 and 11/4 respectively.
I don’t foresee the Czech Republic (66/1 to win the competition) progressing very far, as they finished 11 points behind group winners Spain in the qualifying stages and only narrowly squeezed through to the play-offs at the expense of Scotland. Even worse off (not just financially) is Greece, who despite losing just once in 19 international games since the World Cup 2010, go into Euro 2012 as the lowest-scoring automatic qualifiers; they found the back of the net just 14 times in 10 games. Greece round out Group A as the 80/1 tournament winning longshots.
GROUP B - Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark This so called “Group of Death” will likely see some tears as either Germany, the Netherlands or Portugal will have to bow out early.
Keep an eye on the Netherland’s Robin van Persie (Premier League player of the season) who played a huge goal-scoring role in Arsenal’s third place league finish, he’s certainly worth a bet to win the Golden Boot at 9/1, and could make all the difference to Group B.
Germany have a history of winning BIG trophies, they’ve lifted three World Cups (and were runners-up on four other occasions) and have won three European Championships, and been runners-up on three other occasions. Germany are also the favorite with the bookies to be the tournament’s highest scoring team at 11/4, and look the most likely to survive Group B. As a comparison their Group B opposition Denmark are 200/1 to be the highest scoring side and are 12/1 to reach the semi-finals.
Group B is highly fancied, at 11/8 to provide the winner of the tournament, with Germany the shortest soccer odds at 3/1.
GROUP C - Spain, Italy, Croatia and the Republic of IrelandGroup C should be a straightforward two horse race with the oddsmakers backing Italy and Spain to waltz through to the semis (at 9/4 and 8/15 respectively), while Croatia and Ireland are 5/1 and 10/1 longshots.
Group C is 13/8 to provide the winner and 5/2 to be the highest scoring group. Both those odds favour Italy and Spain. Italy are a very tempting 14/1 to win Euro 2012 while Spain are the reigning European champions, and 5/2 (favourites) to retain the trophy. That would be no mean feat as it would be an unprecedented third consecutive major tournament, as Spain won both UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
At the other end of the success spectrum is the Republic of Ireland, who return to the Euros after an absence of 24 years and for just the second time. If you like fairy stories back the Irish to be crowned Champions of Europe at 100/1 (or reach the final at 40/1) but be warned they are 4/1 favorites to score the fewest goals in the tournament.
GROUP D France, England, the Ukraine and SwedenThis “soft” group is 4/1 to provide winner, and in Group D France are the favourites (and third favourite overall) to lift the trophy.
The Ukraine, make their debut as an independent nation, although they have previously won the Euro competition in 1960, as part of the Soviet Union.
It might also be (very worth) sticking (no more than) a couple of pounds on Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win the golden boot at 60/1. Sweden are 15/2 to make the semis but Ibrahimovic topped the Serie A scoring charts with 28 goals for AC Milan last season and might just be the surprise package of the tournament.
Watching England isn’t always pleasant, but it is always emotive.
England return after missing Euro 2008 and are something of a wild card, with their new (old) manager Roy Hodgeson, Andy Carroll taking part in his first Euros and will be without Wayne Rooney for the first two matches (due to suspension). What is clear and obvious is the fact that Andy Carroll is 60/1 and Wayne Rooney is 40/1 to be the competition’s top goalscorer, England are 9/2 to reach the final and 12/1 (fourth favourite) to actually win it, but they are 7/1 to go out on penalties.
Prediction 1: Russia, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Spain, Croatia, France and (hopefully) England in the quarter-finals.
Prediction 2: Germany or Spain to win Euro 2012.