World football’s focus will be on Euro 2012 this summer, with Poland and Ukraine set to host the 14th edition of the European Championships.
For those who are not familiar with the competition, sixteen of the best national football teams in Europe will compete for the Henri Delaunay Trophy.
The competition includes four four-team groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout stages.
Once you reach the knockout stages, also known as the quarter-finals, it’s win or go home.
Draws will no longer get the job done. As a result, nerves will play an even bigger part, and understandably so.
Now then, let’s take a look at the four groups for this summer’s European Championships.
Euro 2012 Betting Odds: Group Qualification
Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic
Russia and Poland are the favorites to advance to the quarter-finals according to the bookmakers.
Russia are 4/9 to advance in the competition, while the co-hosts are 5/6 to reach the knockout stages.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic are slight underdogs at 6/5 to reach the final eight, meaning that the Euro 2004 champions are 11/8 to survive Group A.
Group B: Holland, Denmark, Germany, Portugal
Group B is undoubtedly the “Group of Death” of Euro 2012. With that said, any of the four teams could technically maneuver their way to the quarter-finals.
However, “technically” does not cut it for some, myself included. Subsequently, Germany are the bookmakers’ favorites, at 1/4, to carry on in the competition.
Die DFB-Elf are closely followed by Holland, who are 1/2 to finish in the top two of Group B.
In contrast, Portugal and Denmark are the underdogs, with the Portuguese given 6/5 odds to achieve a top-two finish, while Denmark round out Group B at 9/2.
Group C: Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia
Defending European and World Cup champions Spain are gigantic favorites, to the tune of 10/1 odds, to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.
Italy, who will be looking to avenge their poor performance in the 2012 World Cup, are next in line at 8/13.
Subsequently, Croatia and the Republic of Ireland have been marked as the underdogs.
The Croatians are 7/4 to reach the final eight, while the Republic of Ireland are 7/2 to make an improbable appearance in the quarter-finals.
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England
In a rather peculiar decision, the bookmakers have designated England, yes the Three Lions, as the favorites in Group D.
After failing to qualify for Euro 2008, England are 1/2 to survive Group D, despite Wayne Rooney’s two-match ban.
Furthermore, France are 8/15 to reach the quarter-finals, whilst co-hosts Ukraine are 11/8 and Sweden 7/4 to advance to the next phase of the competition.
Visit our Euro 2012 Betting section for more odds, bets & betting specials.
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