You don’t have to be cheering on Spain or Italy in Sunday’s Euro 2012 final, as there’s a host of side bets to keep the neutrals enthralled. Find out which prop betting options we think are worth adding to your Euro 2012 picks.
It’s
finally here, game 31 (aka the final) of Euro 2012 kicks off at the Olympic Stadium
in Kiev on Sunday 1st July. The final will be contested between the tournament
favourites (and current Euro trophy holders) Spain and surprise contenders;
Italy.
Before the tournament kicked off a Spain / Germany final (at 7/1) was
the bookies pick du jour, but Italy and “Super” Mario Balotelli had other ideas
and dumped (second favourites) German out, at the quarter final stage.
What
about ze Germans?
With
Spain on eight goals and Italy on six, Germany (and their ten goals) are worth
a cheeky bet to be the tournament’s highest scoring side at 6/17. Especially at the final ending with less than
2.5 goals/ is at 4/9 and Spain scoring three goals is (at least) at 18/1.
Cash
back!
If you
were smart (like this handicapper) you would have locked down a soccer pick on 2012’s winner to
come from Group C, as both finalists started there. While the odds weren’t high enough to see me
laughing all the way to a Jersey-based bank, they were high enough (and are now
guaranteed), that I can throw some cash (sorry, I mean “invest wisely”) in
certain Euro 2012 final side bets.
Easy
money
Some
pundit (possibly with the foresight of Cassandra) advised “If you want some
real money from the golden boot bet audaciously, on betting odds of 25/1 for
“Super” Mario Balotelli to be the tournament's top scorer. Ahead of the final, Mario is one of five players tied on three goals (there are also 10 players
with two goals, and 36 players having scored one goal). Mario, now at 6/5 to be
Euro 2012’s top goalscorer is the only player on three goals capable of adding
to his tally.
Super
Mario and Super odds
I’m not
putting all of Mrs Richardson’s shoe fund on it, but I’m certainly investing a
couple of inches worth of heel on a combination of Italy winning Euro 2012 (at 6/4),
Mario scoring in the final (at 5/2), Mario scoring and taking his shirt off (at
3/1) and a lone bet on Manchester City’s
petulant, firework-loving, silly-haired striker scoring, taking off his shirt,
getting booked and getting substituted at a very reasonable 10/1.
Pub bore
alert! Mario is now the first Italian to score three goals in a single European
championship.
Should
Mario fail to entertain, you should know that the other names in the three goal
club are Alan Dzagoev, Mario Gomez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mario Mandzukic. They
are all are around 8/1 with the sportsbooks to picking up the Golden Boot
despite their sides being eliminated.
NB: All
of which are worth a tiddler bet as if they all finish equal after the final,
dead heat rules would apply and the award would be split between them.
If you
believe fortune favours the brave
Invest in
out-of-sorts Fernando Torres on two goals, thanks to a brace against the Irish in
the group stage. He’s at 9/1 to score against Italy and become leading top
scorer in the tournament. Also still in the mix are, Spanish duo Xabi Alonso
and Cesc Fabregas both on two goals, and available at 25/1 and 11/1
respectively to overtake the Three Goal Club members, and win the Golden Boot.
So far
Euro 2012 has seen 72 goals
The 2008
European tournament saw 77 goals in total, with Spain’s David Villa winning the
golden boot on 4 goals. If you think Euro 2012 will equal 2008’s goals tally,
back a 3-2 win, at 50/1 for Italy and 40/1 for Spain, but you’d have to be as
rich as Jimmy Carr to invest in such a dodgey result.
The last
time these two sides met in a knockout match, back in 2008, Spain were
victorious on penalties. If you reckon history might repeat itself the game
ending drawn is at 11/5, and the game going to penalties is at 10/1.
Spain
winning inside 90 minutes is at 5/4 while Italy winning before extra time is at
11/4. Those betting odds should tell you who the bookies fancy, but if you’ve already
backed a Spanish Euro 2012 victory (before a single ball
was kicked) you might as well hedge your bets on an Italian victory.
A draw is
certainly worth a little bet as Italy have won just two of their last eight
matches in regulation time. But you might want to back an Italy victory as they
haven’t (yet) lost a competitive fixture under Cesare Prandelli. Hail Cesare!
Prediction:
I’m backing Balotelli first, Italy second and a draw third!