Soccer Betting | Betting Blog

Quarterfinals Euro 2012 Betting Lines

Jun 212012

The field of 16 teams in Euro 2012 has been cut down to just eight, as the top teams on the continent battle it out in Poland and in Ukraine for the right to win the Euro Cup. Join us once again here at CappersMall, as we look at all eight of the teams left standing and their betting odds to win Euro 2012 at Bookmaker Sportsbook!

The two tournament favorites every step of the way have been Germany (+220) and Spain (+230). It shouldn’t come as all that much of a surprise that both were able to get through their respective groups as the winners, and that means that these two won’t be meeting until the Euro 2012 Final as long as they keep winning. Germany was the only team in the first round of the tournament that was able to take the maximum nine points from its fixtures, and it did so without really having all that much doubt. Spain struggled a tad against Italy and against Croatia, but that 4-0 win against Ireland was the most impressive match that you will see in this tournament.

Mario Lopez has three goals, and he is leading the way in the chase for the Golden Boot of the Euro Cup. He is the only man of the three that have three strikes that is still playing in this tournament, as both Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic and Russia’s Alan Dzagoev have been bounced.

The Netherlands was surprisingly knocked out of this tournament without getting a single point, making it one of the two teams that had a stake to that dubious claim. That really leaves the rest of this field wide open. Portugal (+600) has been in good form of late since losing its first match to Germany in the Group of Death. Cristiano Ronaldo had a miserable start to the tournament, but he has since battled back, scoring two goals against the Dutch to ensure qualification for the second round. The draw for the Portuguese figures to be relatively easy going against the Czech Republic (+4500), a team that did win its final two matches in Group A. However, the Czechs haven’t played against a team with anywhere near this much talent yet in Euro 2012, and the best team that they ran into in Group A, Russia, killed them 4-1.

Italy (+750) and England (+750) are going to be playing each other in the final quarterfinal match of Euro 2012. Both have to believe that they can get the job done and get into the semifinals, but both also know that this is going to be the nerviest fixture that both have had in this tourney to date. The strikers on both sides have been awesome here in Poland and the Ukraine, as Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Antonio Cassano, Antonio Di Natale, and Mario Balotelli all have goals to show for their work in the first round. Don’t be surprised if there are fireworks here in the quarters between two teams that have to be thrilled to be here at this juncture.

The problems for France (+1000) and Greece (+5000) are just beginning. The French were embarrassed in their final match in Group D, getting punished by already eliminated Sweden 2-0. Their punishment is a date with Spain, the team that won both the World Cup two years ago and the Euro Cup four years ago, in the quarterfinals. Greece does have the Euro 2004 championship to fall back on, but the team is clearly up against it versus Germany in a match that will take place on Friday evening.

Euro 2012 Betting Odds Going Into Final Match Day

Betting Odds, Soccer Betting

Jun 162012

There are just four days’ worth of matches left to be played in the group stages of Euro 2012, and here at CappersMall, we are taking yet another look at the soccer betting lines and how they are panning out thus far in the Ukraine and in Poland for the 14 teams that are still fighting for eight spots in the second round of this tournament.

All Euro 2012 betting lines courtesy of Bookmaker Sportsbook.

In Group A, the team that is in the catbird seat is Russia (+1200). The Russians are a -1000 favorite to advance out of Group A, and for good reason. If the match between Poland (+5000) and the Czech Republic (+7000) ends in a draw, they are going to be into the second round of this tournament as long as they don’t end up losing their fixture by six goals or more. Poland and the Czech Republic both have a relatively easy formula that they have to follow. The Poles are in the second round of this tournament with a win, but they are out with a loss or a draw. The Czech Republic needs a win to advance for sure, and a draw will get the job done unless the Greeks beat the Russian by at least five goals. For Greece (+10000), it is even more crystal clear. A win and the Greeks are into the second round. A loss or a draw, and they are eliminated.

Germany (+250) is still the favorite on the Euro 2012 gambling lines, knowing that they are the only team in the Group of Death that has two victories to show for their work. They aren’t quite in the second round yet, but it would take an act of the God for the Germans to fall out of the tournament. A point or more would lock up Group B for sure, but if by chance and they lose by more than a goal and the Portuguese win. Got all that? Denmark (+6000) has to be feeling good about itself right now. A win and the Danes are into the second round of this tournament in shocking fashion. A draw won’t be good enough unless the Portuguese don’t lose. The Danes are out of the fold if they lose to the Germans. It is amazing that the Netherlands (+3500) is still around in this tournament in spite of the fact that it doesn’t have a point to show for its work here in Poland and Ukraine yet. If they win by at least two goals and Denmark drops to Germany, the Dutch are through with just three points from the Group of Death. Portugal (+1500) figures to have the easiest of the three roads to get into the second round. The Portuguese need one of a few things to happen. If Denmark loses and Portugal is beaten by a one-goal margin, it will get into the second round. Or, Portugal can get a draw and have Denmark either draw or lose. Or, Portugal can win. However, if the Portuguese do end up winning, they will still be out of the tournament if Denmark beats Germany by a one-goal margin of 3-2 or greater.

Group C is a heck of a lot more cut and dry. Spain (+250) knows that it should have no trouble getting through to the second round, while the team that it will be playing again, Croatia (+3000) should be okay as well. A 2-2 draw (or any higher scoring draw) would put both teams into the knockout round of this tournament for sure, a problem that is all too familiar for Italy (+1200). The Italians were knocked out of this tournament four years ago when they fell victim to this exact same situation. The good news though, is that they draw the Republic of Ireland in the third match of Group C, one of the two teams that have been eliminated from this tournament to date. Italy will get into the knockout rounds with a win. Still, as long as Spain and Croatia do what is figured of them, ending in a 2-2 draw, it won’t matter if Italy wins by 20 goals. It will still be sent packing.

It is basically all said and done that Group D’s representatives are going to be England (+1200) and France (+750). Sure, if the Ukraine (+5000) beats the Three Lions on Tuesday, it will be into the knockout rounds, but anything less, and it will be England and France in some order. England will have back Wayne Rooney for the fixture against the host nation, and it was clear on Friday that Ukraine just doesn’t have the horses to be able to play with the best in the world. Sweden is the other team that has been knocked out of this field, and it can only play spoiler against Les Bleus, who need just a point to ensure that they are going to get into the second round of this tournament.

Euro 2012 Odds Update

Betting Odds, Soccer Betting

Jun 132012

Euro 2012 Odds Update

Euro 2012 is now five match days in, and in the 10 fixtures, we have certainly seen a ton of action, some of which was expected, others of which were certainly not expected.

Group A is the lone group that has engaged in two soccer betting battles at this point. All four teams are still alive in the group, but the team in the best shape is clearly Russia, which has four points and will be through to the second round with a draw or some help against Greece. It’s three points or nothing for the Greeks, and they actually need a two-goal victory to be able to ensure progression. Otherwise, they would need Poland and the Czech Republic to draw in order to advance. The Poles did a remarkable job of getting two points from their opening matches, but the story in this group has been the Czechs. After getting trashed 4-1 in the opening match of the tourney, they stormed back and beat the Greeks 2-1 in a match that really was relatively dominating.

Thus far in Group B, the Group of Death, we have had some differing results for sure. Germany probably ensured that it is going to be in good shape after knocking off Portugal 1-0. The Germans now know that one more win, whether it come against Holland or Denmark will ensure advancement into the quarterfinals. The Portuguese certainly aren’t out of it yet, as they have a shot on Wednesday to get back on terms with the rest of the group. Holland is the team that is in a heck of a lot of trouble. The Dutch were on the wrong side of the biggest upset thus far in the tournament. The Danes struck with a 1-0 victory to take three points, and now, the Netherlands is stuck needing a result against Germany, or its tournament is shockingly over. Denmark was a +400 longshot just to advance to the quarterfinals prior to beating the Dutch.

Spain and Italy drew in the first match in Group C, and it was quite the entertaining fixture to say the least. The Spanish have to be unhappy with just getting a point, especially knowing that they were able to really dominate the game over the course of the last 25 minutes or so. However, getting the winning goal just wasn’t something that was in the cards. Italy and Croatia are set to battle it out on Thursday in what might be the most crucial match of the tournament. The Croats disposed of Ireland 3-1 on Sunday, and a win would put them through to the second round. A loss though, and all of a sudden, they are likely in a position where they will need to beat Spain in the last match to get through. This is a big spot for Italy to not have a letdown, as a loss, and its tournament will essentially be over with. Four years ago, there was a “wink, wink” agreement on the final match day to make sure that the Italians would be left out of the quarterfinals, and you can bet that Spain and Croatia would have the same type of agreement over the weekend if both knew that a draw was good enough to get them into the second round.

Group D has been interesting to say the least. The team at the top of the table is surprisingly Ukraine. Thanks to two goals in succession from Andriy Shevchenko, the Ukrainians were able to storm back from a 1-0 deficit to Sweden to take all three points. France and England drew at a goal apiece, and now both have a heck of a lot of work to do if they want to get into the second round of this tournament. It was clearly a better result for the Three Lions, who picked up a point in the first major match for Manager Roy Hodgson as the skipper of the team.

Odds To Win Euro 2012 (Updated 6/13)

Spain +280

Germany +335

France +925

Russia +1175

Italy +1200

England +1200

Holland +1400

Portugal +2450

Croatia +3650

Ukraine +4450

Denmark +4450

Poland +6750

Czech Republic +7250

Sweden +13500

Greece +26500

Republic of Ireland +51500

Euro 2012 Betting Lines Posted at 5Dimes Sportsbook

Betting Odds, Soccer Betting, Sports Betting

Jun 022012

The Euro 2012 betting lines are all set to rock and roll at 5Dimes Sportsbook, as 16 of the best teams in Europe are set to duke it out for the right to be called the best on the continent. Check out the soccer betting futures for this illustrious tournament, which is set to get started on June 8^th!

The team that is favored to win Euro 2012 this year is Spain (+240). The Spaniards won Euro 2008, and they did so in relatively dominating fashion after a mishap in the opening match. That being said, they are the best team in the world right now and clearly have some of the best strikers that the game has to offer. We have already seen the likes of Fernando Torres and David Silva take over at both the Euros and at the World Cup, and the team also has Juan Mata and Roberto Soldado that can take over as well as goal scorers. This is a team that is just stacked, and the schedule for Group C really isn’t all that bad.

Germany (+300) is the second favorite on the Euro 2012 odds, and it is sure to be a team to be reckoned with as well. The Germans have had all sorts of success at the international level, and there is a great reason for it. Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose are two of the most prolific goal scorers in the world, and Tomas Mueller, Lukas Podolski, and the likes are all heroes to watch out for as well. The trick for Germany? Getting out of Group B, the de facto “Group of Death,” where both Portugal and Holland are waiting to cause havoc.

The other issue that the Germans could have is facing the hosts of this tournament in the first knockout round. Thanks to a weak group, Poland (+4000) could be a team to watch out for. It is going to take a remarkable individual effort from Robert Lewandowski to get the Poles over the top in Group A, but the truth of the matter is that this is a group that is there for the taking. The hosts of the tourney could turn out to be quite dangerous, especially if a team like Germany or Holland turns out to look past the White Eagles in the quarterfinals.

But of course, out of Group D, the team that is going to be the main focus is England (+1200). The Three Lions have disappointed in every step of the way in the international play of late, failing to qualify for Euro 2008, getting knocked out of Euro 2004 prematurely in the knockout rounds and crashing out of the World Cup both in 2006 and 2010. Wayne Rooney is suspended for the first two games for Britain, and that could be problematic in Group D, which has the potential to be open if the English and French both take a point from their matchup.

We have seen all sorts of upsets in European Cup competitions before, and that included in Euro 2008 when Russia (+2000) made it all the way to the semifinals, taking down Holland in the quarters in what turned out to be one of the best matches of the tourney. This team isn’t a lock by any means to get out of Group A, though it is the favorite in the group. Still, with Andray Arshavin leading the way for a team that loves to attack, the Russians could be dangerous. Remember that this is the last time that Dick Advocaat is going to be coaching Team Russia in competitive play, as he is stepping down after this tournament, and his squad is going to want to put on another good show for him to go out on.

Complete List of Odds To Win Euro 2012

Spain +240

Germany +300

Netherlands +650

France +1000

England +1200

Italy +1400

Portugal +1800

Russia +2000

Poland +4000

Ukraine +5000

Croatia +5000

Czech Republic +6000

Sweden +6000

Greece +8000

Ireland +8000

Denmark +8000

Odds To Win The MLS Cup

Betting Odds, Soccer Betting

May 302012

The majority of the European soccer season is said and done with, but here in the United States, the MLS season is just getting revved up. The 19-team league is going to be cut down to 10 teams for the postseason this year, and early in the season, there are a lot of teams that look like they could be in some trouble, while others have been massive overachievers. Check out the top teams in the MLS right now and which teams you should be set to back in MLS betting action!

Right now, the favorites at 5Dimes Sportsbook are the New York Red Bulls (+400). The Red Bulls are 8-2-3 to start the season, and it is clear that in the relatively weak Eastern Conference, that they are going to be in the playoffs this year. Kenny Cooper has already logged 11 goals on the campaign, and he and Thierry Henry make up one of the most dangerous striker tandems in the league.

The other team in the East that is really going to be a pain to try to knock out of the playoffs is DC United (+1000). Part of the issues that we have with United is are that they haven’t played all that many games on the road yet this year. Of their 8-3-4 record, six of their wins and two draws have come at home. That could be bad news for the future for this club, especially knowing that the goaltending has really struggled for the mass majority of the season, especially on the road.

In the Western Conference, the team to beat is Seattle FC (+600). The Sounders are 7-3-3, and they have the best defense in the MLS with just nine goals allowed in 13 fixtures. At home, Seattle is a fantastic 5-0-3, and it is a place that the mass majority of teams come to get destroyed. The Sounders are just an outstanding team, and this could be the year that they get over the top.

Of course, we are wondering when the Los Angeles Galaxy (+1500) are going to get back on track. The Galaxy have just 11 points this year in 13 matches, and they really need to get going here in the near future if they are going to get into the second season. They won the MLS Cup last year, and they still have some of the big time names like Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan, and David Beckham that should really be leading this team. It is worrisome to us that the Galaxy are sitting at the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference, but in the end, we still think that this team is going to get into the postseason and have a real shot at contending once again for a second title.

Full List Of Odds To Win 2012 MLS Cup

New York Red Bulls +400

Seattle Sounders +600

Sporting Kansas City +650

Real Salt Lake +650

DC United +1000

San Jose Earthquakes +1100

Houston Dynamo +1400

Los Angeles Galaxy +1500

Vancouver Whitecaps +1500

Colorado Rapids +1900

Chicago Fire +2000

Columbus Crew +3000

FC Dallas +3400

Chivas USA +6500

Portland Timbers +7500

Montreal Impact +9000

New England Revolution +12000

Toronto FC +18000

Philadelphia Union +20000

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