world cup betting tips

Germany V Spain

Wednesday, 7th July – 19:30 (GMT)
Moses Madhiba Stadium, Durban
Semi-Final

Germany

The Germans, arguably the most consistent national team there is, are bidding to become the first country to appear in no less than eight finals when they take on Spain for a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final in Johannesburg on Sunday. Were they to win it, and there’s no saying they won’t, then they will have surely have won the hardest World Cup yet, as both England and Argentina have had to be downed en route to a rightful berth into the last-four. Germany coach Joachim Low insists there will be no let up from his players, but surely they cannot continue playing the way they are which is out of their skin and thumping any side which dares stand in their way of a fourth FIFA World Cup title.

Once again we were blessed with an utterly mesmerizing display from the Germans, backing up their 4-1 humbling of England with a 4-0 rout of Argentina. We thought they were sensational against England but they were sheer briallance against Argentina right from the word ‘go’. Once they took an early lead through Thomas Muller, who incidentally missed the semi-final through suspension, there was no looking back, as the Germans continued to look menacing on the break and so resolute in defence. Despite their opponent boasting an array of forward talent; your Messi, Higuain and Tevez, Germany withstood everything that was thrown at them. In fact, Manuel Neuer was a passenger for the most part, although did look unconvincing when called upon, but on the whole it was another domineering performance from Germany, who continue to go from strength to strength in this tournament.

Quite how they will surpass their previous level of performance is beyond me as it was a footballing lesson for the eyes, but Germany will need to continue this fine vein of form if they are to push the reigning European champions all the way for a place in Sunday’s showcase. Their big names will have to show their worth once again, as they did against the English and Argentina. Bastien Schweinsteiger is having nthe tournament of his life in the heart of the German midfield, a stalwart as he watches over the defence whilst proving effective and useful in the attacking third as well. Mesut Ozil, who has been an inconsistent sort in his domestic career, has been consistently magnificent in these finals and is looking every bit the player of the tournament at this rate. While up front we have a forward gunning for the great Ronaldo’s scoring record of 15 goals in the finals of World Cup’s, with Miroslav Klose racking up four goals in South Africa so far and hungry for more on Wednesday no doubt.

Joachim Low needs another collective effort from his player on Wednesday, to once again work effectively as a team and as a unit. They will also need a great deal of patience as Spain are likely to retain possession for large periods of time and that could be a problem for a Germany team which has dominated possession in its last couple of games. We don’t for one minute expect another German rout, nor do we see the Germans outclassing their opponents, and so the Germans could come unstuck as in the knock-outs they’ve had it all their own way and that will change against Spain. It’s intriguing to see whether Germany can rise to this new challenge.

Spain

Spain are about to enter into uncharted waters on Wednesday, competing against a nation which has been there and done that on the footballing stage in what remains just their second ever semi-final appearance in a World Cup. However, what they lack in know-how and experience they make up for in talent, quality and technical ability as the world’s second best team aim to justify their FIFA Ranking by despatching of the team of the tournament so far in Germany.

The Spanish have made a meal of getting to the semi-final mind, with a 2-0 win over Honduras their largest and most comprehensive win so far of these finals. That doesn’t really matter though when you’re at this stage of the tournament, a point where only those who win are ever really remembered. Spain’s record in these finals currently stands at 4-0-1, with that one and only defeat coming against Switzerland in their opening game of the finals. It was a huge shock then but Spain have bounced back to life courageously, winning their following four matches. They have, however, achieved victory by the narrowest of margins, with both of their knock-out wins coming via 1-0 wins over Portugal and Paraguay. The notable characteristic about both of those teams were they defended very well, and it is peculiar how this current Spanish team have struggled to break down well-drilled defences. The Germans have been outstanding in defence in their two knock-out encounters, with only a Matthew Upson header finding its way past Manuel Neuer in the German goal, so Spain will need to go some if they’re to break through a well guarded and confident German rearguard.

All the talk beforehand is about two players; Fernando Torres and David Villa. The pair are two of the greatest forwards in today’s game, with David Villa prolific in the Spanish La Liga and for Spain, and Fernando Torres equally so for Liverpool in England. However, only one has fired in these finals so far and that’s the former, David Villa. The newly signed Barcelona ace is the tournament’s leading goalscorer with five goals and is looking to cement his Golden Boot claims with a goal or two on Sunday, whereas Torres hasn’t even found the goal as of yet, and there is even talk of Vicente Del Bosque dropping the Liverpool striker for the clash with Germany. We don’t believe for one second that Del Bosque will risk dropping a player of Torres’ calibre for a game o this magnitude, as Torres has proven in recent tournament’s alone that he can score big goals, while it was his strike against Germany two years ago which handed Spain their first major international crown for nearly a half-a-century.

The Spain we all came to love at the EURO’s in 2008 hasn’t been a part of South Africa 2010, at least not yet, but that doesn’t mean we can write them off. If anything the signs look good, as with Spain not playing particularly well, nowhere near the level at which we know they can perform, they’ve still managed to evade all the challenges presented to them. They’re in the last-four of the 2010 FIFA World Cup without playing to their full potential or capacity and that’s a dangerous thought. There will come a time, and it could very well be on Wednesday night, when Spain will show themselves to be the force to be reckoned with like they were two years ago. The worry though, what with the form and confidence of Germany right now, Spain will need to raise their game substantially if they are to qualify for their first ever final of a World Cup, as they try to emulate a feat Germany achieved back in 1974 when they lifted both the FIFA World Cup following their European Championship triumph in 1972.

Match Odds:

Germany – 2.90 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes
Spain – 2.70 bWin

Our Prediction: Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes

No matter what we threw into the equation, the draw kept poking its way out. The Germans have been exceptional in the knock-outs but will face their sternest test of the tournament so far in a Spanish side equipped to handle everything that Germany have to offer as well as give more back in return. The only difference between the two is Germany have come to the fore in South Africa, and then some, while the Spanish have yet to really establish themselves and match all the pre-tournament hype.

Germany have scored more goals in their knock-out victories over England and Argentina than Spain have in the entire competition, but their previous opponents have allowed them to dictate the tempo of the game while you cannot undervalue just how clinical and decisive grabbing that early goal is. In Spain, a team which will close Germany down far more when not in possession whilst retaining it in an almost flawless fashion themselves, Joachim Low will have to demand an even more resolute and industrious effort from his player as anything less than 100% will be punished. If we’re honest, Germany are the favourites in our opinion, but there’s no team better equipped to dethrone a team so full of confidence and boasting tonnes of momentum than Spain, so we’re split right down the middle with this one.

Recommended Bet: Under 2.5 Goals – 1.70 bWIn

Current Germany v Spain Odds:

Uruguay V Holland – Tuesday, 6th July (19:30 GMT)

Suspension and injuries have plagued the Uruguay camp ahead of the nation’s biggest sporting event for decades, as Luis Suarez and Jorge Fucile are both ruled out of the Holland contest while Diego Godin and Diego Lugano are both doubts. They still have their heartbreak kid, Diego Forlan, who continues to break hearts with his sublime goals. The Atletico Madrid schemer scored twice against South Africa and a scorching free-kick against Ghana in the last round, and with the majority of the African support now heading Holland’s way, could he once again be Africa’s nemesis? We don’t see it if we’re entirely honest, and with this depleted Uruguay team going face-to-face with Brazil’s conquerors, we see only one winner.

GET ON Holland, who have won just one of their five games by more than a one goal margin, to make haste of this nervy semi-final situation and beat Uruguay by 3 Goals or More. SkyBet will generously hand out odds of 6/1 on this scenario, while Holland to Score 3 or More goals in 90 minutes can be had at 7/2 (same firm). See the latter as an insurance bet in case Uruguay, Forlan notably, squeezes in a goal for the South Americans.

Germany V Spain – Wednesday, 7th July (19:30 GMT)

In one corner we have the irrepressible and unstoppable Germans, in the other the not so prolific but more clinical Spanish. With Germany in their current form and finding goals so easy to come by, many are expecting another goal rush. We don’t see that happening, as the Spanish will enjoy far more of the ball than any of Germany’s knock-out victims have done while their defence, one which has been a tad suspect in these finals, has conceded just two goals of which one was very scrappy and the other took a wicked deflection.

WE SAY have a nibble at the 8/1 readily available on the 0-0 (Correct Score) being offered by Bet365, SkyBet and SportingBet. There’s no way Joachim Low will tell his German troopers to go out all guns blazing as that will play right into Spain’s hands. A more cautious approach from the Germans here, while Spain have struggled to break every side bar Honduras down in these finals, although worryingly they have tended to find a way through in the end. Spain are 7/1 with 888Sport to win their third successive game 1-0, but the 0-0 has far more appeal. It’s 1.70 (7/10) there’s no more than 2 goals in this match (bWIn).

World Cup betting will have had a lot of mixed reactions to the victory which France produced over Costa Rica in their recent World Cup warm up match. For most people watching, France struggled tremendously to get a grip on the game, and the system which they were playing. Domenech, who is known for tinkering and changing his mind over his teams, again tried an experimentation with his formation in order to try and add a little extra fire power to his side. Domenech utilised star player Franck Ribery out of position on the right hand side, but instead of igniting a performance of passion and pace, it was a labouring victory in which the only positives France will be able to take, is the effort that the players put into trying something new, even if it looked completely unconvincing as a whole. There were some periods of improved attacking play, but on a whole, France looked vulnerable to the threats of a good team. If they do win their group and progress, they could likely face England in the Quarter Finals.

Looking at the set up of France, there is some apparent potential for winning some wagers with World Cup Odds that are betting against France. While the French will be favourite to win Group A, over Mexico, Uruguay and hosts South Africa, there is enough disruption in the French side to cause themselves major problems. Mexico showed in a recent friendly against England, that they can keep the ball well, and be dangerous with their pace down the flanks and in turning the opponents defence. This could be a big problem for France, who are not blessed with the greatest defence. Uruguay, will have been flying under the radar a bit, but have potential to upset France, simply by playing an up tempo game. There is real potential for landing an outside bet here, as France will still be ahead of their opposition in invdividual match betting. Uruguay has the best chance to catch them cold in their opener. While the French battled to beat Costa Rica, they couldn’t do the same against North African side Tunisia, in their penultimate International Friendly before the World Cup. Again they had to fight their way back from a deficit, but this time could only manage a 1-1 draw.

This will have caused more headaches for anyone thinking of betting on France at the World Cup as they look to be on shaky ground, and lacking a direction. Domenech, who has had more than his fair share of critics, will part from the international hot seat after the World Cup, with Laurent Blanc stepping into the national role ahead of the Euro 2012 qualification campaign. France look a jaded side already, and that may not put them in such a clear favourite role to win their group, so that is something to bear in mind when betting on the World Cup. While Domenech had allowed some freedom to be creative and attack against Costa Rica, and they looked more fluent than in most of World Cup qualification, there was still a disjointed look about them. Do the players know what system they are supposed to be playing? Saying that they have improved their attacking performance over the last two games, may fall on deaf ears of French supporters travelling to South Africa. But it should give hope to the tempatation of betting against France.

But there is a flip side to France’s less than ideal form. That is, they would make a great outside bet for the World Cup, as they have an unusually dogged approach to pulling out results without looking convincing. There is an air that Domenech does not really know what his best team is, and the French, with plenty of talent in their team, are searching for a system that works to the benefit of their strikers. Theirry Henry has been sitting out the large part of the International Friendly matches, with Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka getting the staring starting role. With Franck Ribery in the side, and prodigal midfield talent Yoann Gourcuff, there is plenty there to work with. Gourcuff, at just 23, is looking like a World star, and could be one to shine and stand out for the French side. The Bordeaux star, linked with a move to Manchester United, is the vital component in the heart of the France midfield. Will Les Blues have the blues come the end of the group stages, or will they put together another less than impressive, but resilient run to the final? France start their World Cup fixtures against Uruguay on June 11th.

When looking at World Cup betting odds, it is often easy to forget that all matches have the potential of finishing in a draw. It has as much chance of happening at kick off, as a win/loss result does, and it is something which a punter should bear in mind throughout the tournament. Unexpected draws do happen, and while the stronger teams at the World Cup will start as clear favourites, especially going up against group minnows, it is the teams which are expected to finish second in the group which should generate the most interest in drawing matches. Those kind of stubborn teams which base their game on defence and closing the opposition down from the start, in the hope of snatching a break away goal. There is  often a great fear of losing which makes teams hesitant to take too much of an attacking approach to a game. This is unfortunate, but it happens, and it can lead to drawn matches.

Predicting World Cup Draws
Remember playing the pools on a Saturday, and trying to pick out score draws from the list of forthcoming fixtures? Picking a drawn match in World Cup Betting is not easy, for on the flip side of teams which take a somewhat defence first approach to proceedings, teams like Brazil, Argentina and Spain enjoying rampaging forward and displaying their attacking powers. The teams which are further down the list of World Cup Outright betting, are the ones more likely to draw matches, the teams which are deemed average sides. The likes of France and Portugal for example are clearly going to be better than the likes of Australia and New Zealand, but the former can be classed as middle of the road teams as they will probably struggle against higher quality opposition.

Because drawn matches are harder to predict, there are often decent prices to pick up, and the option should not be ignored. Through the group stages, which contain the bulk of the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches, there are matches which will be hard to pick a winner out of, and these should be carefully considered. One of the great options on trying to pick drawn matches, is looking at the Draw No Bet Option, or its Asian Handicap betting equivalent of “0 Goals” for a team. What these options for World Cup Fixtures mean, is that you will back a team to win, but if they do happen to get held to a draw, then you will get a stake refund. Naturally the odds on Draw No Bet selections will be a lot shorter than backing a team straight out to draw a match. Still, the option gives a certain level of coverage all the same, even though you don’t win on a drawn match, at least you won’t lose.

World Cup Kncokout Stage Bets
One of the important factors to remember when betting on the knockout phase of tournament football, is that the fixed odds outright bets will probably only be covered by the main 90 minute result. Whatever happens in extra time is not going to count, so let’s say England play Serbia in the last 16 knockout stage. If you have backed England to win against their European counterparts, but the underdogs hold out for a draw in 90 minutes, only for England to go on and win in extra time, your bet likely won’t stand as it will only be covered by regulation time and nothing else. If you bet on a draw, then you will be enjoying your profits. However, to cover yourself on the eventuality of extra time and penalties in the knockout stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, there are always options to pick out “To Qualify” bets on individual matches at your online bookmaker. These shorter priced selections allow you to pick a winner, regardless of what manner that victory is achieved in.

World Cup Penalty Shoot Outs
There is one more thrilling counterpart to drawn matches to watch out for if you are betting on England at the World Cup. That is the penalty shoot-out, which fans and punters will either love or hate. There is a reasonable chance that at least one of the top four favourites to win the World Cup, may face penalties along the way. Extra time at the World Cup is one of those realty tense half hours of international football, and that old fear of losing, again makes teams hesitant, and can lead to the nail biting event of a World Cup penalty shoot out for survival. Look at the last World Cup Final between France and Italy, which went to a shoot-out to settle the final! Italy won that, and the defending World Cup Champions are the specialists at getting through drawn matches after extra time, while Germany are the Penalty Shoot Out kings. Draws happen, and it is worth mentioning and looking at in World Cup football betting, because it can be a diamond in the rough of drawn match betting, especially when it comes to enjoying Live In Play betting for the finals.

Drawn Match, Extra Time and Penalty Shoot Out Records:

Brazil Penalty Shoot Outs
Lost 3-4 against France in 86
Won 3-2 against Italy in 94
Won 4-2 against Holland in 98
AET Record: W2, D1 L0
Brazil have drawn 15.2% of all their World Cup Matches

England Penalty Shoot Outs
Lost 3-4 against West Germany in 90
Lost 3-4 against Argentina in 98
Lost 1-3 against Portugal in 06
AET Record: W3, D1, L1
Have drawn 23.6% of their World Cup Matches

Argentina Penalty Shoot Outs
Won 3-2 against Yugoslavia in 90
Won 4-3 against Italy in 90
Won 4-3 against England in 98
Lost 2-4 against Germany in 06
AET Record: W2, D0, L0
Have drawn 20% of their World Cup Matches

Italy Penalty Shoot Outs
Lost 3-4 against Argentina in 90
Lost 2-3 against Brazil in 94
Lost 3-4 against France in 98
Won 5-3 against France in 06
AET Record: W5, D1, L0 (+1 golden goal victory)
Have drawn 24.6% of their World Cup Matches

Germany Penalty Shoot Outs
Won 5-4 against France in 82
Won 4-1 against Mexico in 86
Won 4-3 against England in 90
Won 4-2 against Argentina in 06
AET Record: W1, D1, L3
Have drawn 20.6% of their World Cup Matches

France Penalty Shoot Outs
Lost 4-5 against West Germany in 82
Won 4-3 against Brazil in 86
Won 4-3 against Italy in 98
Lost 3-5 against Italy in 06
AET Record: W1, D0, L1 (+1 golden goal victory)
Have drawn 19.6% of their World Cup Matches

Spain Penalty Shoot Outs
Lost 4-5 against Belgium in 86
Won 3-2 against Rep. of Ireland in 02
Lost 3-5 against South Korea in 02
AET Record: W0, D1, L1
Have drawn 24.4% of their World Cup Matches

Holland Penalty Shoot Outs
Lost 2-4 against Brazil in 98
AET Record: W0, D0, L2
Have drawn 27.7% of their World Cup Matches

With the Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup now having been completed, the world of football has a better picture of who will be likely to progress through the groups. This is clearly an important factor in the arena of World Cup betting, as teams being drawn in tougher groups, will obviously have their odds stretched just a little bit. Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Ivory Coast, Serbia and Ghana are the main factors in play after the draw, simply because of how much harder it will be to get out of their respective groups. A look at the draw for the 2010 World Cup will help draw a bigger picture of how betting across the board at online bookmakers will take shape.

2010 FIFA World Cup Draw:
Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana,
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Côte d’Ivoire, Portugal
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile

With the draw finalised, the vast array of online bookmakers have released options for full coverage of the World Cup 2010, even down to the prices on the individual group matches. Here we take a look at some of the early bets that keen punters will be able to get. With these being long range forecasts they are prices which are likely to be cut once we are on the threshold of the tournament which begins on June 11, 2010. This is because teams will continue their preparations through friendlies, and as domestic seasons progress, key players could suffer injuries, weakening the national squad. So this is a great time and a good opportunity to pick up some good prices on the 2010 FIFA World Cup if you are bold with your betting. First of all, let’s look at the draw, group by group, along with the prices for winning the group, qualifying from the group and the all important outright winners markets:

It will be incredibly difficult for an unknown quantity to come along and win the World Cup, that is why it is very hard to look beyond four of five potential winners, however much an underdog tale would be nice. The strongest nations are those with great World Cup history, pedigree and consistency on the biggest stage. In that respect, Brazil and Italy lead the way, and the other factor to take into consideration, is of course, form. For that you look to the likes of Spain, England, Germany and Holland who are in the chasing pack of the two-front runners. Beyond that the prices will stretch out, proving how difficult it will for anyone else to come in and take the tournament. Argentina, France and Portugal all made it into the tournament by the skin of their teeth and therefore their form and quality aren’t as good as the top teams, although Argentina has consistently been seen at around fourth favourites despite all of their problems. Both Portugal and Ivory Coast’s prices have drifted a little because of being drawn in the Group of Death with Brazil.

The rest of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, is therefore filled up with emerging nations and teams who will be struggling to cope with the quality of the cream of Europe in footballing terms. Spain’s odds have shortened a little, as have England’s, thanks to their favourable draws in their groups. But while for a handful of teams, negotiating their way out of their groups will be tougher than hoped for, in order to win the World Cup, you are likely going to have to come up a very strong team in the knockouts. That is why the prices even for the likes of Holland and Frances stand in the mid-teens.

So what of England’s realistic chances of Fabio Capello leading them to the World Cup Finals? Many fans believe that a man with incredible tactical knowledge is at the helm of the good ship England, and performances during qualification have shown that they can also find the back of the net with some consistency. The familiar faces will be there, but for once there is a lot of competition for places up front, and that should give Capello good options and put England in good stead. Goalkeeping and defensive cover look to be England’s problems at the moment, highlighted in the friendly defeat against Brazil recently. Capello has about six months to fine tune his team ahead of the tournament, and coming at the end of a long domestic season, Capello will be hoping his star players like Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney stay injury free. Here are some of the more interesting World Cup Betting England Specials that can be taken on England’s apperance during the 2010 World Cup.

England’s Top Goalscorer:
Wayne Rooney: 11/4 at Boylesports
Frank Lampard: 6/1 at Bet365
Steven Gerrard: 13/2 at Bet365
Jermain Defoe: 7/1 at Victor Chandler
Peter Crouch: 14/1 at William Hill

Any England player to be sent off during the tournament – 11/10 at William Hill
-Chances: With Rooney on the pitch, it’s always a possibility.

England To Win All Three Group Games – 7/4 at Coral
-Chances: Good. Why not?

Any England player to score a hat-trick – 7/2 at 888Sport
-Chances: Difficult. Even playing weaker opposition in the Group stages, it will still take something special for a World Cup hat trick to happen.

England To Be Top Goalscorers In The World Cup – 4/1 at William Hill
-Chances: Fair. The good side of Rooney will help this. England scored heavily during qualification.

England to be knocked out on penalties – 6/1 at Blue Square
-Chances: Fair. It usually boils down to this cruel end.

David Beckham To Score Against USA – 10/1 at William Hill
-Chances: Unlikely. No guarantees he’ll even play against his adopted home.

John Terry to miss a penalty – 20/1 at 888Sport
-Fair: Unlikely to be taking one during regular games, if it comes to a shoot-out he wouldn’t shy away from responsibility.

David Beckham To Score The Winning Goal For England In The World Cup Final 2010 – 33/1 at Coral
-Chances: It would be very fitting in a way, but unlikely.

England Stage of Elimination:
Group Stage – 8/1 at SkyBet
Second Round – 7/2 at SkyBet
Quarter Final – 4/1 at Paddy Power
Semi Final - 9/2 at Coral
Runner Up – 6/1 at BetFred
Winner - 6/1 at Victor Chandler

GENERAL WORLD CUP BETTING
Outside of picking the winner and the teams who will win, or qualify from the Group stages, there are plenty of other early World Cup bets to jump on right now.

Top Goalscorer: (general rule of thumb, look for teams who will stay in the competition the longest).
David Villa (Spain) – 11/1 at Bet365
Fernando Torres (Spain) – 12/1 at Victor Chandler
Luis Fabiano (Brazil) – 16/1 at William Hill
Wayne Rooney (England) – 16/1 at Victor Chandler
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 16/1 at Bet365
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 20/1 at Ladbrokes

Winning Continent:
Europe: 4/9 at Bet365
South America: 9/4 at Boylesports
Africa: 16/1 at BetFred

Those are just a selection of the kinds of bets that can be made right now, with the draw for the 2010 FIFA World cup having been done, and the fixtures released. Everyone knows who they are playing, where they are playing and when. In the build up to the World Cup in South Africa, we will take the opportunity to explore more of these bets in detail as part of the countdown to the big kick off on June 11, 2010. Betting and the World Cup are as synonymous as England and heart break at the major tournaments, but is as exciting as the matches themselves. Make sure you’re on board with a good online bookmaker and start your World Cup Betting now!

A Trixie bet to cover the other three European Wolrd Cup Qualification Play-off that are happening on Wednesday night, could bring a nice return. The three games covered here are Bosnia v Portugal, Ukraine v Greece and Slovenia v Russia and the idea is to take advantage of the European World Cup Play-offs, excluding the France v Ireland game, in order to add interest in those other fixtures, while hoping the Irish can find a way to join England at South Africa 2010.

A Trixie bet is when you make three different wagers, but are covered by four bets. Included in a Trixie is the treble on all three results coming up, and three double bets. Naturally this gives a little more coverage than going all out on just a treble, which is notoriously hard to land. Taking the Trixie instead gives you a higher chance of return, as you spread your stake out, which goes on all four bets, instead of taking taking individual bets.

For a Trixie to pay off, then you will need to land at least two of the selections in order to see any kind of return. This can be looked at in two ways, with regards to the World Cup Play-Offs. Firstly there is the option to just go for the individual games on the night, trying to target just the results. Alternatively, because these are games which can go to extra time and penalties, you could also opt for taking the route of “To Qualify” bets, picking the team that will come through the tie in whatever manner necessary. Or indeed you could mix and match from the different games, but obviously this is going to need to be taken at just one Bookmakers. Let’s take a look at what is likely to happen on Wednesday night:

Bosnia (0) v Portugal (1): This could be the game which brings the biggest reward, as it will rely on Bosnia overturning a 1-0 deficit, and there is the risk of Portugal scraping a vital away goal, whereas Bosnia failed to do so. Bosnia had the better of the encounter in Portugal, despite the result. They have good firepower up front and are an attack minded side. Whether they can avoid Portugal catching them out with the away goal is another matter, but you can expect Bosnia to go at them hard. It is hard to see Ireland or Slovenia overcoming their deficits, and realistically Bosnia have the best chance. Not strong odds for any of the selections, as this is how close it is. But Bosnia to qualify makes a nice fulcrum for a Trixie.

Match Odds:
Portugal to win: 7/5 at Boylesports
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Bosnia to win: 11/5 at Bet365

To Qualify Odds:
Portugal: 2/7 at SkyBet
Bosnia: 10/3 at BetFred

Slovenia (1) v Russia (2)
Slovenia gave themselves a late lifeline with a goal against Russia, just to keep the tie alive somewhat. Russia though were by far the better team on the day, and look to have enough quality to qualify for World Cup 2010. They have quite a bit of flair, as well as control with Guus Hiddink at the helm, and while Slovenia will be relishing taking down Russia, they have a lot to do. Just one more goal from the better Russians will kill this tie off in an instant. Slovenia just do not have enough goals in them to outplay and conquer Russia.

Russia have been strong favourites to come through this, and this is reflected in the odds. Russia to win on the night represents the best odds out of the likely outcome, but for more certainty, then the Russians to qualify isn’t too bad in the grand scheme of things.

Match Odds:
Slovenia to win: 23/10 at Expekt
Draw: 23/10 at Bet365
Russia to win: 11/8 at Paddy Power

To Qualify Odds:
Russia: 15/8 at Expekt
Slovenia: 10/3 at 888Sport

Ukraine (0) v Greece (0)
Every chance that this game will head into extra time as there is very little to choose between the two sides. It is really tough to pick out a winner from this one, although if there is something to give an edge, it will be the fact that it is back in Ukraine. Both teams like the defnsive side of the game, and they did cancel each other out a little bit. There were a couple of good chances to take an advantage on both sides, but both failed to capitalise. This game really could come down to one chance being taken on the night, and the Ukrainians did have that little bit more creativity. Away from home though, Greece will prove to be an even more stubborn side and are more than capable of snatching this away from the Ukraine.

Match Odds
Ukraine to win: 10/11 at Boylesports
Draw: 5/2 at SkyBet
Greece to win: 7/2 at Bet365

To Qualify
Ukraine: 13/9 at Expekt
Greece: 6/5 at SportingBet

A possible Trixie selection based on the odds would be:
Bosnia to Qualify: 10/3 at BetFred
Russia to Qualify: 15/8 at Expekt
Ukraine to Qualify: 13/9 at Expekt

A £1 stake (which would mean that the stake would be £1 each on the four bets within the Trixie) on that would bring a return of around £60 if they all came in. Of course, the selections above will be based on only one Bookmakers price, those above are just the current best prices for the events to be found at the moment. Even swapping out Bosnia for Portugal, who do have a lead, would return around £20 for all three results. Even Greece are more than capable of qualifying too, as one away goal could be curtains for the Ukraine. This is the fun of a Trixie, mix and match, and by taking on more bets the return is higher at a little less risk than betting big on one outcome.

June 11th is the when the first ball will be kicked in anger at the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa, so that means, if you get in early enough, there is plenty of time to scope out antepost betting scenes. There are plenty of options around for laying your money down upon right now, and it is the perfect chance to pick up some longer odds. The earlier the betting on a sporting event, the increased likelihood that you will get better odds. As it stands, thirty two nations are in with a chance (however great or slim) at winning the World Cup. Come the end of the group stages, it will be down to just sixteen, and therefore, odds will be slashed. As well as being a great time to pick out the Outright Winner for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it is also a good chance to pick up a great price on that elusive dark horse.

It is worth remembering though that the bookmakers are not about to give their money away freely, and teams which are listed at beyond 50/1 really are not going stand that much of a chance of pulling off a major shock, certainly not in the outright category. But with strong South American teams like Chile and Paraguay in the mix, upsets are more than possible at the individual match level. Prices for all of the group matches can be found at online bookmakers right now. With that in mind, part of placing your bets is about dreaming, though it’s not a particularly great idea to let your heart rule your head when it comes to money. But for the dream chasers out there, it can be a good time to put your money down early. There is nothing like planning ahead, and between qualification times and the World Cup itself, a lot can change with regards to a team’s fortunes.

The categories that you will be looking at as early fields of betting, will be the choice for the outright winner of the tournament, as well as the winners of the individual groups. It is during the group stages, there is a chance to perhaps pick one of the ultimate dark horses, a nation that is on the brink of qualifying for the last sixteen. In order to pick out someone from that category, look at the qualification records form Europe and across the world. With long gaps in international fixtures, form is all important, and simple stats like goals for and against can give a good indication of where a team is at. Also studying any past history between group rivals will help, as some teams hold good records against other nations. If you find a good attacking side in a group with predominantly defensive teams, this could tip the balance in favour of betting on an outsider to qualify. Remember, it has happened before with the likes of South Korea, and there’s every chance of an unexpected name or two getting to the knockout stages.

Unseeded teams France, Portugal and the Ivory Coast dangerously floating around the draw (with France having the most favourable group draw of all) now is the time to get your money down on the long shot. Look for the groups in which the top two are fairly secured of qualifying above the rest of the group, and pick from one of them. Their odds will be longer now than they will be once the group stage is over. If you are looking for tips on who to go for, then always look for pedigree. Nations such as Germany and Italy will usually go deep into a tournament, no matter the status of their team. They possess the big stage temperament which makes them a threat, even if they were not in form going into the tournament, or through qualification. These kind of teams generally produce when it matters.

Picking the outright winner for the World Cup 2010, will likely come down to just a handful of teams. Such is the strength of favourites, such as Brazil and Spain, unless you bet big, the return is not going to be that rewarding. Having said that though, with the favourites hovering around 4 or 5 to one in ante post betting, it still represents a good return on a favourites. Bookies are currently fluctuating between the two nations as the favourite to win the tournament come the final on July 11th, 2010. England and Argentina have shortened their odds since securing qualification, and then it is from the pack behind the favourites, the teams which start out around 10/1 which will include the likes of holders Italy, Germany, Holland and France, which will be the fun group to select from. If there is going to be a winner outside of the outright favourites, then this is where they will come from.