Euro 2024 kicks off on Friday, June 14, 2024 with Germany locking horns with Scotland in what pundits hope will be a mouthwatering fixture. As the quadrennial tournament gets underway, the wagering market is busy with bookmakers doubling down on who are their favour to win. As it stands, England is attracting the most attention with favourite odds, bonus bets and more, directed towards The Three Lions.
Eight of the FIFA Top Ten Converge
Eight of the top ten national teams in the FIFA ranking are taking part in this tournament. While England is the third best country among European countries, it has attracted more than its fair share of attention on the oddsboard. However, France, Spain, and Portugal aren’t doing badly for themselves.
Gareth Southgate’s lads have +350 odds to win the tournament according to some of the leading sports betting outlets. Despite the obviously “good wishes,” England has “preferred” to disappoint when it matters. The last time the English team won a consequential trophy was in 1966 when they lifted the FIFA World Cup.
Twice they have come close to redeeming themselves. In the 2020 version of the Euro Cup, which was played in 2021 due to COVID-19 restriction, Harry Kane led his compatriots to the finals. They, however, lost to Italy despite the thunderous “Bring it Home’ campaign championed by the Football Association.
In the following UEFA Nations’ Cup, they lost to France by a slim 1-2 scoreline in the quarter finals.
The Ghosts of Euro 2016 Aren’t Dying Soon
The odds mean that a £100 bet would give an impressive £350 profit for a £450 total payout. However, pessimists are not getting carried away, especially in the light of the Three Lions’ inconsistent form over the years. While they are the clear favorites, their performance in the buildup to the tournament is not wholly convincing.
A good example of their nothing-near-perfect form is a match against Iceland in Wembley Stadium on Friday, June 7, 2024. England allowed their opponents an early 16th minute lead on their way to a disappointing 1-0 loss.
The defeat brought back the sad memories of Euro 2016 where they lost to Iceland in the knock-out stage.
Other Horses in the Race
Aside from England, bookmakers are also gunning for France to do well. Les Bleus are the second favourite with +400 odds. France is seeing increased action probably because of their back-to-back appearances at the World Cup finals as well as the Euro 2016.
The other bookmakers’ favourites are Germany with +500 futures odds, Portugal with +600 and +700 for Spain. Germany is getting the bookmakers’ attention because of its fresh crop of players that include Jamal Musiala. On the other hand, Portugal ranks high because of the depth of its squad.
The Spanish at the moment is riding on its experience.
What should worry betters is the absence of other prominent teams such as Belgium, Croatia, and the Netherlands among the leading lights. Belgium has odds of +1800, great news for their backers if the Red Devils can cause an upset large enough to lift the trophy. Croatia has odds of +6600!
