If you hadn’t noticed, Euro 2024 is now here – and English hopes of success are high. But how are the UK Betpanda Casino odds stacking up? Is the feeling that Gareth Southgate’s men will finally bring football home? Or does another nation (or two) have the market’s backing as we go into the tournament? Let’s take a look and see how the land lies. It might even help if you don’t quite know if your random work sweepstake pick will come through for you.
First thing’s first with Euro 2024: there are 24 runners and riders in this year’s tournament. It falls on hosts Germany and plucky non-league underdogs Scotland to get the action started on Friday 14 June. Well, that depends if you’re reading before or after the opening fixture (of course). Of the 24 participating nations this year, 19 were on the scene at Euro 2020. And this includes current holders Italy. So, it makes sense for us to start with them – right?
(All odds are correct as of 8.16pm on Thursday 13 June)
Italy
The Azzurri come into Euro 2024 as holders after seeing off England in the final of Euro 2020. But they only just scraped into this tournament automatically; pipping Ukraine into second position on goal difference. Ahead of them in the group table? Why, it was ol’England. Funny how it all worked. The Italians also have a tough group to get out of. They’ll have to account for either Spain or Croatia to be sure of getting through, while Albania will make life difficult.
Italy start the tournament as sixth favourites, according to the UK Betpanda Casino odds.
Germany
Never write off the Germans. Especially if they get through to the knock-out stages and take games to penalties. The hosts will have home advantage, partisan support, and a fairly easy group stage assignment to deal with first up. Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland; yeah, let’s not rule out an upset. But you’d expect the Germans to at least make it through. And they’re not short of proven match-winners either. They currently stack up as third favourites.
England
England arguably boast one of the most formidable attacking line-ups in European football at the moment. Is it enough for them to come back home with a first major trophy since ’66? The jury will be out for as long as the tournament continues. But it’s by no means out of the equation and you’d fully expect them to resist the efforts of Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia. The permutations of who they’ll face after that are too complex to figure out.
But it’s worth noting that UK Betpanda Casino have England down as favourites (67/20).
France
It’s hard to see past the French for pure talent and ability. At 19/5, it’s no surprise to notice that UK Betpanda Casino regard Les Bleus as the most serious contender to England at this year’s tournament. Austria, the Netherlands, and Poland create an interesting group for the French to navigate. Are there three better teams than them there? Absolutely not. Two? That doesn’t feel realistic either. So, is it a shoot-out between them and the Netherlands for top?
Spain
Spain haven’t quite been at their best in recent years; certainly a fair distance off their all-conquering selves of the late 2000s/early 2010s. Only a fool would consider them to be out of the running at Euro 2024, however. Yes: Croatia, Italy, and Albania make for a tricksy first assignment in the group stage. But you wouldn’t want to face them in the knock-outs (or at any other point). Fifth favourites makes them a worthy each way punt if nothing else.
Netherlands
Woking have never won the Conference and England have never won the Euros. But just like us and the Conference, the Dutch can lay claim to a European Championships crown. Now, it was 36 years ago now since it happened and countless Oranje talismen have come and gone without an honour. Is 2024 going to be the year they end their wait for a major honour? Well, a group of Austria, Poland, and France awaits – UK Betpanda Casino say seventh favourites.
Portugal
The 2016 champions can never be ignored, even if their footballing style won’t always be an eye-catcher. Georgia, Czechia, and Turkey won’t hold too many issues for them in the group stage (we think), so you may as well put them down for the knockouts now. And, once there, they’re no strangers to grinding out the results. Fourth favourites, say UK Betpanda Casino – if they win their group, they get a third-placed team from either Group A, B, or C to start.
Best of the rest…
It’s all very well looking at the favourites. But what if a lesser-fancied nation does a ‘Greece 2004‘ and pulls off the greatest of shocks? In terms of the odds, Croatia and Belgium follow up the main pack (37/1 and 157/10 respectively) – as do Denmark (39/1). Everyone else after that currently sit at a price north of 50s. Romania, against whom Jamie Reid bagged his first international goal, are a distant 184/1. Albania, unsurprisingly, bring up the rear.
So, who will take home the trophy? Well, we don’t have long to wait until Euro 2024 reveals all. We’ll give you this one for free straight off the bat. It won’t be Scotland (104/1). What it will be, however, is a nice long month of (hopefully) entertaining tournament football that leads us nicely into the pre-season programme. If you’re rooting for England, we can’t offer any guarantees that heartache and despair won’t feature along the way. They usually do.
