2010 World Cup outright betting preview
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We’re only days away from the start of the action in South Africa and the betting is really starting to hot up for the 2010 World Cup. There has been a lot of money for Spain to win this competition for the first time in their history, with bet365 offering 4/1 that Vicente Del Bosque steers the European champions to global success.
If you do think the Spanish can go all the way, it pays to back them with bet365 as our number one bookie has created a ‘Penalty Payback’ promotion where they will refund losing outright bets on teams that go out of the World Cup on penalties.
Spain will be hoping to avoid Brazil at the last sixteen stage and the Samba Kings are currently second favourites to win the 2010 World Cup. Ladbrokes offer 9/2 that the most successful nation in the history of this competition claim their sixth crown, although some punters might fancy backing them at 4/1 with Stan James instead. That’s because this particular bookmaker will refund all losing outright bets if Spain win the World Cup.
This tournament is far from a two-horse race and it seems as though many people want to back Argentina to be victorious this summer. The big downside to backing Diego Maradona’s team could be the manager himself, who has little coaching experience and is prone to making strange tactical decisions. However, you can’t argue with the forwards at his disposal (especially Lionel Messi) and the Albiceleste are currently available at a stand-out 15/2 (Coral) to win the World Cup.
England’s price has been moving the wrong way in recent weeks, although punters wanting to back them now won’t complain about the odds of 8/1 on offer with Victor Chandler and William Hill. The injury to Rio Ferdinand and question mark over the fitness of Gareth Barry has caused the Three Lions to drift on the outright market, although Fabio Capello is clearly a coach that has engendered a strong team spirit and they do have a winnable group.
It’s the Dutch who have been the biggest market movers in the past three months. It wasn’t so long ago that you could have backed Holland at odds of 14/1, although that shrank to 12/1, a price that’s currently on offer with Coral. Other firms believe that Bert Van Marwijk’s team stand a far greater chance of success and quote as short as 9/1 (Paddy Power) that the future is orange with regard to the next World Cup winner. However, a hamstring injury to Arjen Robben might put a few backers off the Netherlands.
Germany are next in the betting and they could be an interesting each-way proposition at odds of 14/1 (Sky Bet). Although many are describing Group D as the Group of Death, they should prove too strong for Australia in the first match and one other victory against either Serbia or Ghana should see Joachim Loew’s team play the runner-up of England’s group in the last sixteen. Michael Ballack’s injury is clearly a big blow to the Germans, although this team have a knack of winning matches and they beat Russia at home and away to reach the World Cup.
In the 2006 World Cup, the finalists were France and Italy, two teams that few people were tipping at the start of the tournament. However, it would be a major surprise if Les Bleus managed to get anywhere near Soccer City in Johannesburg on 11th July, especially after a recent friendly defeat to China. It’s Raymond Domenech’s swansong as the French manager and Sporting Bet are prepared to lay 20/1 that it finishes with a second World Cup triumph for France.
As for the Azzurri, we should always show respect to a Marcello Lippi-managed team and we should also note that Italy are the current holders. They have a winnable group including Slovakia, Paraguay and New Zealand, while their last sixteen match should also see them as strong favourites. Therefore, is it worth a punt on this experienced team at odds of 16/1 (Ladbrokes). They could go a lot shorter as the tournament progresses and possess plenty of defensive nous due to Fabio Cannavaro leading the line and Gennaro Gattuso protecting the rearguard.
Portugal and Ivory Coast are also in the top ten countries when it comes to outright betting on the World Cup, although one of them will exit at the group stages if Brazil prove to be the real deal. Indeed, the two teams meet on Tuesday 15th June and it’s the Portuguese who are shorter on the outright market. Carlos Queiroz has everything to prove as coach and bet365 are happy to lay Cristiano Ronaldo and Co at odds of 28/1. However, Coral fancy them much more and have just 16/1 available.
As for the Cote d’Ivoire, Ladbrokes now offer 50/1 about Sven-Goran Eriksson’s team going all the way and their price has been drifting since a) the draw in December and b) news emerged that Didier Drogba may miss the tournament with a fractured arm. Odds of around 65/1 are available on betfair, with the exchange generally offering better prices on some of the outsiders on this market. The Elephants might simply struggle if their captain isn’t available to lead the line.
The next quartet in the betting all stand a pretty good chance of going through to the last sixteen and it’s likely that Serbia (66/1 Bet Fred), USA (80/1 Sporting Bet), Chile (70/1 Paddy Power) and Mexico (80/1 Sporting Bet) could all give punters a run for their money. The Mexicans looks a particularly interesting bet after a friendly win over Italy and El Tri might get the chance to play England in the quarter final stage and gain revenge for that recent unjust defeat at Wembley. Not a great deal is known about Chile, although only Brazil finished ahead of them in south American qualifying.