World Cup Odds - My Thoughts on the Favorites

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 Spain (15-4)

Entering the tournament as the favorites, Spain carries with it a history of disappointment on the world stage. Much as the Italians got the monkey off their back in 2006, Spain hopes to erase all of their recent poor performances at the World Cup and emerge victorious. The 2008 Euro champions, Spain has all the skill and strategy required to bring home the trophy, but despite this: questions remain. How will they  with adversity should they get off to a slow start in South Africa? Can they toughen up and play physical if necessary? These questions make betting on Spain at the relatively low odds of 15-4 somewhat unattractive to me, as every year it seems as though a big upset happens along the way.

Brazil (5-1)

Widely regarded as the finest footballing nation in the world, Brazil enters the 2010 World Cup with the usual high expectations. Their players are the most creatively skilled of all, and when they are on top of their game they produce some spectacular goals. If a team tries to keep pace with the Brazilians and run up and down the field with them, you can expect the results to be disastrous. However, they have shown a slight weakness when attacking teams who play a more conservative style. Nevertheless, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Brazil doesn't advance to the late rounds, at which point it becomes a question of who wants it the most. Betting on Brazil is never a bad idea, so who am I to tell you otherwise?

England (13-2)

 If people thought the Spaniards had a history of disappointment at the World Cup, then what can be said about the English? Year after year, they carry the hopes of the nation on their backs, and year after year they find a new way to let it all slip away. This years squad is determined to put the past behind them, and one has to wonder if they will have such a golden opportunity again. They have a deep, experienced and talented roster, and will most certainly have a large crowd of supporters cheering them on during their matches. I have concerns about their ability to handle to pressure, however--the feeling of dread seems to be planted firmly in the minds of all Englishmen, and the weight of the world is on this year's squad. If they prevail, they will be Gods among men in England; if they fail, they will be just another underachieving English squad in a line of many. I can't believe I'm saying this, but: betting on England might be worthwhile this year.

Argentina (15-2)

Deigo Maradona has taken over as head coach of the Argentinean squad amid much hype and controversy. They were not particularly impressive in their qualifying rounds, narrowly making it into the World Cup on the last match of the qualifiers. They have a tremendous history on the world stage, however, and despite limping into the competition, they cannot be overlooked. I'm concerned that the circus that follows Maradona could prove to be a distraction for his team, however, so the players will have to be mentally strong in order to succeed--which they historically have been. I regard Argentina as something of a mystery entering this tournament, and while I don't dislike them, I don't feel there's quite enough value in the odds to bet on them.

Holland (12-1)

The always-popular Dutch team enters the 2010 World Cup after breezing through their qualifying rounds. The level of competition they faced, however, was nowhere near as strong as they will face in South Africa, so it's important not to read too much into qualifying. I've noticed a lot of people are jumping on the Dutch bandwagon this year, as they seem to be a trendy pick to win it all. I have always enjoyed watching Holland play on the world stage, and I am once again looking forward to watching them perform. However, I always like to go against popular consensus, and with so many people picking the Dutch to win it all, I just can't put my money behind them.

Italy (12-1)

The defending World Cup champions enter this year's event with very little momentum. They performed poorly in both the 2008 European Championships as well as the 2009 Confederations Cup, and feature a decorated yet aging roster. Their players have tremendous amount of experience on the world stage, yet at this point one has to question their motivation. Once an athlete reaches the top of the mountain, it is very difficult to maintain the level of hunger and determination required to compete on the elite level. While it would be foolish to dismiss the Azzurri's chances entirely, I don't expect them to make much noise in this year's tournament.

Conclusion

There you have it, the favored nations to win the World Cup. Don't see your team listed here? Don't be offended--for the purpose of this article I only covered the teams with the lowest odds of winning. I am certainly not dismissing anyone's chances in the World Cup this year--the event is always extremely exciting, and one or two countries that nobody thought had a chance always find their way into the mix. In fact, if you don't see your team listed here you should consider it a good thing--it means that the odds are higher and you will win more money if you bet them to win. However you look at it, the World Cup is one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports, lets all enjoy the games together!

Check out more of our sports betting tips articles to become a smarter sports better. Knowledge is power, folks.  Best of luck, and please gamble responsibly!

--ajec