World Cup betting odds and tips

World Cup Top Teams

World Cup Odds: Spain

Euro 2008 winners Spain will begin the World Cup as slight favourites at a best price of 4/1 having been handed a generous set of opponents in the Group Stages. Vicente Del Bosque's men are unlikely to have to break sweat on their way to the knockout stages with Switzerland, Honduras and Chile standing in their way and the expected meeting with Portugal in the second round their first real test. In David Villa and Fernando Torres they possess two of the world's best strikers who are priced at 10/1 and 12/1 respectively to pick up the Golden Shoe and behind them is a squad full of talent and class; any team who can afford to have Pepe Reina and Cesc Fabregas on their bench has got to be amongst the best in the world. Historically the big tournament under achievers, Spain put that right at Euro 2008 and if they play like that again then a price of 4/1 looks a safe bet.

World Cup Odds: Brazil

Far from the powerhouse they were in the 90s and early 00s, Brazil are second World Cup favourites at 5/1 and they will certainly still be up there in the tournament's closing weeks. Littered with stars such as Fabiano, Ronaldinho, Robinho, Dani Alves and Kaka they are by far the tournament's most exciting side to watch. But for all their attacking prowess they are often let down by a reluctance to defend properly which saw them slip up in Germany four years ago. The indications are that coach Dunga has papered over those cracks as they waltzed through qualifying and so at 5/1 they may be worth a bet.

World Cup Odds: England

Under Fabio Capello England are a vastly improved outfit and will travel to South Africa as third favourites. But despite a world class coach they are short of world class players with just Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard really possessing the talent frequently found amongst the Brazilian and Spanish squads. England should comfortably reach at least the quarters and possibly the semis but beyond that there are better sides than them and so a price of 13/2 could be too much of a gamble.

World Cup Odds: Argentina

Argentina are always amongst the front runners for world cup glory but they've slipped to fourth in the running for the 2010 crown according to the bookmakers with a best price of 8/1 available. That will be down to their shaky run to the finals, scraping through in the final qualifying matches which proved that Diego Maradona is not even half as good a coach as he was a player. With players like Tevez, Higuain and Messi Argentina are capable of mixing it with the best and could go a long way but there's not enough in their squad to suggest they'll go any further than the semis at best.

World Cup Odds: Germany

Underestimate the Germans at your peril. Time and time again the efficiency and ruthlessness of Germany has seen them succeed at world cup time and they are priced at 14/1 to lift their fourth world cup title in South Africa. They qualified with ease conceding just five goals and not losing a game and with players like Michael Ballack, Cacau, Miroslav Klose and Bastian Schweinsteiger they have enough international quality to ruffle a few feathers when it comes to the business end of the tournament and so could be worth considering.

World Cup Odds: Italy

World Cup holders Italy seem to have been overlooked at a price of 14/1, surprising considering they have a straightforward route to the knockout stages. Their solid defence and hardworking midfield is unlikely to ship many goals but it remains to be seen whether they have enough firepower up front to trouble the top sides. Holland's route to the knockout stages is not so comfortable with Denmark, Japan and Cameroon to contend with but with an improving squad and after a solid showing in qualification and at Euro 2008 they could be worth considering at a best price of 15/1.
 
World Cup Odds: African Nations

And this year there are plenty of African nations with their sights set on the knockout stages with the Ivory Coast favourites to advance the furthest at evens. Their odds would have been shorter had they not been drawn in the group of death as the West African side will now have to beat either Brazil or Portugal to have a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages. Sven Goran Eriksson has players such as Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Kole Toure and Salomon Kalou at his disposal and so they have every chance of making out of the groups and being the top African side in this year's competition.
 
Last time out it was Ghana who caused a stir by beating the Czech Republic and the USA to set up a second round meeting with eventual semi-finalists Brazil. At a price of 9/2 this time out, they have just as good a chance of repeating that feat with their opening match against Serbia likely to decide whether they'll finish second behind Germany in Group D.
 
Cameroon are a side with a number of quality players, most notably Samuel Eto'o, Alexandre Song, Jean Makoun II and Sebastien Bassong but they have been placed in a very difficult group. Behind Holland; Japan and Denmark will both believe themselves capable of grabbing second but Cameroon find themselves second favourite to qualify at 11/10.
  
Ivory Coast have the strongest squad but given the group they are in I can't see them going too far. Ghana and Nigeria have a decent chance but my money would go on Cameroon who have plentiful world cup experience, a decent squad, a manageable group and good odds at 13/2.