Two Betting Tips For UEFA EURO 2024
The anticipation for UEFA EURO 2024 is reaching a fever pitch as football fans gear up for what promises to be a thrilling summer. England and France are expected to be the two favorites for the trophy, with both nations building up a stellar cast of young stars in recent years, primed and ready for success. For the Three Lions, the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka have all emerged to support captain Harry Kane. For Les Bleus meanwhile, Kylian Mbaappe remains the leading light in his newly minted role as captain.
The duo squared off in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar 18 months ago, and on that occasion, the French emerged victorious. A thunderbolt from Aurelien Tschouaamen and a late header from Olivier Groud were enough to secure the victory, coupled with a shocking penalty miss from the aforementioned Kane. Now the two could square off once more in Berlin on July 14th.
The action gets underway exactly a month before that with hosts Germany facing off against underdogs Scotland at the Allianz Arena in Munich. With the huge tournament looming on the horizon, there is plenty for both fans and punters to get excited about, including our tips. Here are four outright tips that could land in Germany this summer.
Albania to Qualify for the Knockout Rounds
One of the more intriguing potential bets revolves around Albania, a team often considered an underdog in major tournaments. The Red and Blacks well have winced when they saw the group stage draw pitted them against record three-time champions Spain, reigning champions Italy and World Cup semifinalists Croatia. To the naked eye, that looks like a disastrous draw and they hold no hope of progressing.
However, the eagle-eyed punter won't be scared. Throughout qualifying, Albania were one of the most impressive sides. They finished top of their group ahead of the Czech Republic and Poland. Adding to that the fact that neither of the three aforementioned heavyweights are the force they were in years before, and Albana has a great chance to qualify from their group. n fact, one particular punter has priced them as a rank of +300 outsiders to do exactly that.
And it isn't just outright markets in which Albania should be fancied. They are also worth keeping an eye on in the live betting markets as well. Three years ago, Hungary found itself in its position in a challenging group alongside Germany, France, and Portugal. In their final group game against the Germans, they were pushed out to 25/1 when Ka Havertz netted on the hour mark to tie their group stage clash at one goal apiece. However, despite their live sports betting odds, the Hungarians came out fighting and walked away from the Munch-hosted clash with a 2-2 draw.
The moral of the story is this, don't write Albana off, even if things aren't going their way. There will be bucketloads of value on them throughout the group stages and their live betting odds will be huge if they fall behind any of their group rivals. They have proven in qualifying that they know how to win, and all they need is one win to make it into the knockout stages. We fancy them to get it.
England to Win the Tournament
While it was France that eliminated Gareth Southgate's side in the Arabian Gulf, we can see the Three Lions gaining revenge in style this summer. The country has seen a remarkable resurgence over the past few years, culminating in a near-miss at UEFA EURO 2020 and a strong showing in Russia in 2018. However, it was that defeat three years ago that truly stung.
Back then, England reached a major final for the first time since 1966, and they also played host to it. When Luke Shaw gave them an early third-minute lead, it looked as though football would finally come home. But ultimately, the Italians had other ideas, equalizing through Leonardo Bonucci before ultimately winning a nerve-shredding penalty shootout.
Now, England's young stars have developed and are beginning to enter their prime. Harry Kane remains their talisman, while his supporting cast of Bellingham, Foden, Saka and Declan Rice are all certified stars. Additionally, although the tournament is hosted in Germany, England's passionate fanbase travels well, ensuring that the Three Lions will have significant support throughout the tournament. Plus, they have a favorable group stage draw alongside Denmark, Serbia, and Slovenia, and they should progress to the knockout stages at a canter.
The one question mark hanging over England's big match experience. They have played in three huge matches in recent tournaments, and they have lost all three. First, it was Croatia who knocked them out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia through Maro Mandzukic's extra-time winner. Then came that defeat to Italy and finally, the quarterfinal elimination at the hands of the French a year and a half ago. They will need to find a way to win when the pressure is on if they want to leave Germany as European Champions.
