World Cup 2010 Betting

Online football betting won't come any bigger than World Cup 2010 betting. OK. Eager internet punters may have to wait every four years before they get to wager on what is effectively the most money-spinning sports betting event on the planet, but once the countdown begins everyone linked - from the internet bookmakers to the football betting-savvy man on the street - is privy to the tumultuous and tangible excitement centering around the month-long, global celebration of football, make no mistake.

Running from mid-June to mid-July, the 2010 World Cup Football sees people from all walks of life adopt a greater awareness and more appreciative attitude to the beautiful game as it's played out on the world stage, and beamed into homes, pubs, clubs and other public areas once the official opening ceremony is out of the way. In online Football Betting terms, this represents the opportunity for fans from across all five continents to place bets on the country's national team they believe will win what remains the greatest prize in world football. Otherwise known as the outright win bet, backing the international team that you feel will deliver the goods after the group stages, second round, quarter and semi-finals are decided – and ultimately all the way to facing out the other last team standing – is the most popular form of internet wager that you can place. And as World Cup 2010 betting starts to reach fever pitch, now's the time to get the low-down on what's what from an online bookies' perspective.

England turn on class in second-half

04/03/2010

You could almost hear the knives being sharpened on Fleet Street as England put on a dismal first-half display against Egypt. The side looked disjointed and bereft of ideas in the opening 45 minutes and were 1-0 behind going in at the break courtesy of a Matthew Upson slip which resulted in a Mohamed Zidan goal. However, a couple of second-half substitutions including the introduction of Peter Crouch completely changed the game. England upped their game and put together some sublime flowing moves and eventually went on to win 3-1 after goals from Crouch (2) and Shaun Wright-Phillips. The second-half was a performance which justified England’s position as third favourites in the World Cup 2010 Betting, but they will need to improve their first-half performance dramatically if they are to stand any chance of winning in South Africa.

Brazil Flex Their Muscle

03/03/2010

Brazil showed why they are the second favourites in the World Cup 2010 Betting by brushing aside Ireland at the Emirates this week. Although they were a little wasteful in front of goal – Main striker Luis Fabiano was out with an injury – they produced some great link-up play to create plenty of chances and rounded off the night with a jaw-dropping move which culminated in Robinho sliding the ball past Shay Given in the Ireland goal. There can be few who watched the game that can suggest that Brazil are not once again one of the main contenders to lift this year’s World Cup in South Africa.

England Favourites To Win Group C Outright in World Cup 2010 Betting

Despite a couple of hoax bomb threats, some painful on stage PR exchanges with Hollywood's Charlize Theron (wheeled out to lend some much needed glamour to the proceedings) and David Beckham's latest hairstyle threatening to steal the show, the draw for the 2010 World Cup group stages managed to pass off with little in the way of disturbances. Or razzmatazz for that matter, as the 32 competing nations (no, sorry Republic or Ireland, you were never really going to be the 33^rd team) discovered who they'd be duking it out with during the first round of group games at next year's footballing jamboree.

All this World Cup 2010 betting group draw jiggery-pokery sees England installed as favourites to win their World Cup Group C outright, whilst our chances of lifting the Jules Rimet trophy itself are rated good to fantastic. Well, third favourites behind the world's finest footballing nations, Brazil and Spain isn't something to be huffed at. Before we all get too carried away as a soccer crazy nation, here's a sobering thought though. Should we do what England expects, then lying in wait for us to sabotage our daring plans to emulate 1966 (again) are Australia. But that's not all. Possibly Serbia and Ghana too. Or the easy route could be left open to us of course, as England are most likely to meet Germany in a second round game. Great. All bets are off then.

England Drawn In World Cup Group C With USA, Algeria And Slovenia

For the more optimistic amongst the World Cup 2010 betting community, here's the low-down on the latest outright win betting odds, whilst for those wanting to break the new and improved World Cup betting 2010 markets down further and in terms of the tournament's top scorer (those gunning for the fabled Golden Boot) Spain's David Villa is 9/1 with Paddy Power, Brazil's Luis Fabiano 10/1 and England's Wayne Rooney is listed at 16/1 as England's leading candidate in that particular category.

Spain And Brazil Dominate Latest World Cup 2010 Betting Outright Win Markets

Nelson Mandela sent a video message, lots of small people (children we assume) were dancing and singing, whilst a footballing icon hall of fame (living) were paraded out in front of the glare of the world's media. Footballing legends such as Eusebio, Beckenbauer, Michel Platini and Roger Milla rubbed shoulders with Ethiopian distance running star, Haile Gebrselassie, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South African rugby union captain John Smit and former President of the country, FW De Klerk. How about that selection for a decent Scrabble score?

After much surmising and flights of fancy involving far-fetched 'group of death' scenarios – from an England supporters' viewpoint this was finding ourselves squaring up to the USA, France and Ivory Coast apparently (or swapping the USA and France for Portugal and Australia for reasons not quite known) – the fate awaiting Fabio Capello's team became clear. The first week or ten days was set to be a holiday after all, as England players will interrupt their sight-seeing and souvenir buying to go through the World Cup motions with the USA, Algeria and Slovenia. Yes you read right. USA, Algeria and Slovenia. Exchange the USA for New Zealand and it really would be the equivalent of giving a bye to the next round of the Finals.

With respect, on paper the prospect of a hoe down, sorry, show down with the United States of America (home to the Major League Soccer, and its biggest box office draw – our very own David Beckham) wont exactly send shivers down the spine of the most cynical and eternally pessimistic England follower, whilst all we really know about both Algeria and Slovenia is that they remain two of the few nations we've never declared war against. But that's the problem isn't it? On paper. In theory. England being England means that we'll labour to a nil all draw with our American brothers in arms, flatter to deceive against Algeria and salvage our reputation and a point against the global footballing super-power that is Slovenia. And scrape through to the next stage where we'll cave-in to Germany. Still, it could have been a whole lot worse of course, as we only have to think back to the group games England faced in the 2002 World Cup against Sweden, Argentina and Nigeria. Yet at least they amounted to more than the warm-up games we've been handed for the 2010 version of World Cup events.

England Versus USA World Cup 2010 Group C Encounter Has Beckham's Name Written All Over It

On the plus side at least the England versus USA match allows the online World Cup 2010 betting to whip themselves up into a frenzy predicting whether or not Los Angeles Galaxy's play-maker – England's midfield maestro of legend, David Beckham himself – will figure at any stage in the tie against some of his domestic league team-mates. Which will keep the speculators and headline writers busy for a while anyway. And if he does what odds will be laid on England's World Cup 2018 bid ambassador scoring a decisive goal or providing the crucial cross that'll enable England to progress. All of this however relies rather heavily on Becks actually being on the plane carrying the England squad to South Africa next summer, which isn't exactly a foregone conclusion at this juncture.

England's World Cup 2010 Group C Fixture Schedule

England v USA on June 12^th 2010 at Royal Bafokeng in Rustenberg

England v Algeria on June 18^th 2010 at Green Point in Cape Town (England

England v Slovenia on June 23^rd 2010 at Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth

The top two teams from the following World Cup 2010 groups will automatically go through to the second round and the start of the knock-out phase as such;

World Cup 2010 Groups With Group Win Betting Odds

Group A

South Africa (8/1), Mexico (5/1), Uruguay (9/2), France (6/5)

Group B

Argentina (4/7), Nigeria (5/1), Greece (9/1), South Korea (14/1)

Group C

England (4/11), USA (5/1), Slovenia (12/1), Algeria (25/1)

Group D

Germany (10/11), Serbia (9/2), Ghana (5/1), Australia (9/1)

Group E

Holland (4/5), Cameroon (5/1), Denmark (5/1), Japan (16/1)

Group F

Italy (4/7), Paraguay (5/1), Slovakia (10/1), New Zealand (80/1)

Group G

Brazil (8/11), Portugal (4/1), Ivory Coast (9/2), North Korea (200/1)

Group H

Spain (4/11), Chile (5/1), Switzerland (11/1), Honduras (50/1)

World Cup 2010 Draw Took Place In Cape Town On 4^th December 2010

For those of you waiting around for a bit of World Cup 2010 trivia, here's a few random facts and figures to get you all in the mood. £380 million in World Cup 2010 prize money is up for grabs for the 32 teams competing in the Finals, an increase of some £145 million from 2006. all of which means that the eventual winning nation bags £27 million for coming out on top. Sorry, we're meant to be filling you in on the World Cup 2010 draw stats. OK. The draw lasted around 90 minutes, was held in front of 2,000 invited dignitaries and around 800 media representatives at Cape Town's International Convention Centre, while an estimated 200 million people around the world will tune in with images projected to 200 countries across the globe. Oh, and Becks popped up again to launch the official World Cup 2010 match ball in another spot of contrived PR fluff that he's grown accustomed to being the face/hair/voice/right foot/pants of. Elsewhere Sony in conjunction with FIFA announced that 25 of the matches at the tournament will be broadcast in 3D; sign of the times or what.

World Cup 2010 Betting Top Eight Seedings Announced By FIFA in South Africa

Now that the dust has settled on the Thierry Henry cheating scandal* and the calls for the recent France versus Republic of Ireland World Cup 2010 play-off to be replayed have fallen on the deaf ears of FIFA bigwigs as we'd all half-expected, the serious matter of the World Cup 2010 draw can take place. And thereafer, the evn more studious business of predicting World Cup 2010 betting eventualities. Well, on Friday 4^th December it can anyway. Before that momentous – and probably controversial - world football tombola can be staged in front of the planet's media, there's the not inconsequential matter of the World Cup 2010 seedings to be determined. And with it the odd upset or voice of discontent.

Ahead of the actual draw for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, FIFA has announced the top seeds that will go into the highly-anticipated draw in pot 1. With all football eyes firmly focused on official World Cup 2010 events taking place in Cape Town the week ending the 4^th December 2009, the FIFA Organizing Committee have revealed the eight top seeded international football teams based on October 2009 world rankings. That means Brazil, Spain, Holland, Italy, Germany, Argentina and England join host nation South Africa in the seeded mix, ensuring that they avoid each other in the group stages of the competition. At the expense of France and Portugal who only just made the 2010 World Cup party at the final time of asking after suffering stuttering qualification campaigns that culminated in them both having to win play-offs to book their tickets for the finals.

 

World Cup 2010 Betting Fans Spoilt For Online Gambling Opportunities With Internet Bookies

Of course eager online punters can break 2010 FIFA World Cup betting opportunities down still further thanks to all the associated wagering kit and caboodle that comes with the onset of the planet's most highly anticipated footballing pageant. Aside from betting on just which nation will beat the plucky little Englanders in a quarter/semi-final penalty shoot-out (and naturally go on to win the tournament outright) punters with a sense of humour and irony might also wish to determine who they think will stroll off with the Golden Boot award (handed out to the player who chalks up the most goals during the competition), group betting odds (self explanatory in as much as once the groups are ascertained you might want to back a team to qualify from it ahead of t'other in group), player of the tournament, naming the two teams who compete in the final, the amount of yellow and red cards brandished by the officials and the total number of goals scored from beginning to end. It's all of this and more that makes World Cup 2010 betting such an enthralling opportunity for football fans with a gambling inkling or indeed bias. Or for that matter those looking to make the whole World Cup Finals experience that much more exciting.

And there's always the host of other pre-fixture and in-running live match betting eventualities that virtual punters can get carried away by, including the timing of goals scored, the name of the first goal-scorer, the name of the first goal-scorer and final score, whether that first goal scored comes courtesy of someone's boot, head or backside, how many set pieces are recorded during the course of an individual match (be they free kicks, penalties or throw-ins) and the number of corners, throw-ins or . Why you can even punt on the likelihood of a player losing his football boot or having his shirt ripped, as well as the outcome of the traditional heads or tails choice that comes with the toss of the match-starting/pitch end deciding coin. And of course the more regular how many substitutes will be used and what time in the game they'll be deployed.

Online Football Betting Guide To Bookmaker's Favourites For 2010 World Cup Outright Win

If England are going to lift the greatest prize in world football – and arguably win the biggest sports tournament in history, with the possible exception of the Olympic Games – then they must play a bit better than Brazil and Spain. OK. This isn't the the in-depth analysis that you were perhaps looking for when you typed the popular phrase 'Favourites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup' into your search engine, but it's what we do best. Tell it exactly how it is. If you were hoping for Freud-like platitudes and essays on the beautiful game, then we're sorry, you're in the wrong place. If however you're wanting the facts and figures at your fingertips (complete with instantly navigable links to the online bookmakers that can guide you through the dirty deed), then pull up a pew.

Brazil and Spain are pretty much even Steven with the bookies at the moment and are very much seen as the teams to beat. This as yet unswerving belief was arrived at on the basis that A) Brazil are wedged with some of the most naturally talented footballers of their generation, Adriano, Pato, Baptista, Robinho and a certain Kaka and are always lurking with intent when it comes to the latter stages of the major tournaments and B) Spain are current UEFA European Championship holders after their sublime showing at Euro 2008 and proving once again that La Liga is the place to be and the gladiatorial arenas that showcase the full repertoires of Fabregas, Alonso, Silva, Villa, Xavi and Torres.

And then there's England sitting in third place in the outright win categorywith a host of virtual bookmakers (Paddy Power, Stan James, Victor Chandler and Betfred amongst them) pricing them favourably to achieve what managers of the ilk of Ron Greenwood, Bobby Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Sven-Goran Eriksson and, er, Graham Taylor couldn't. And that's lead Team England all the way to glory and finally stop our national side's apologists harping on about 1966 every time the Germans start crowing around the hotel pool . And when you think of the personnel that these managers had at their beck and call it's almost criminal that no team has ever emulated the stunning achievement of our 1966 World Cup winning side. Players like Terry Butcher, Bryan Robson, David Platt, John Barnes, Jimmy Greaves, Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan, Chris Waddle, Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, Paul Ince, Alan Shearer, Stuart Pearce, David Beckham and, er, Steve Bull -all at the peak of their powers at one time or another – have failed to deliver in subsequent finals.

Germany, Argentina, Holland, Italy And France Could Upset England's Odds Of 2010 World Cup Victory

So who should get the nod over Argentina, Holland, Italy and France into fourth favourite for the tournament? Why none other than England's oldest enemy, the Germans. Germany will always be there to both taunt and haunt the true En-ger-land fan when the major tournaments home into view, which naturally enough will end up with them getting yet another 'one' over us just for good measure. With or without the referee's assistance.

Of those aforementioned, and it's Argentina and Holland (the first team to qualify from the UEFA Europe Zone) that look the most likely to steal our thunder at the finals, as with Messi, Mascherano, Aguero, Milito and Lopez masterminding a South American renaissance that could yet stop Brazil in its stride come next June. whilst the Dutch are fast becoming a force to be reckoned with again after a few years in the wilderness, with Sneijder, van Persie, Babel, Kuyt and Robben at the heart of everything. Passing them the other way however is France, who we believe are fading away now that its very own golden generation (Viera, Henry, Pires, Zidane, Blanc and co) are winding down their careers or have already thrown in the towel. And that's despite the emergence of exciting prospects such as Diarra, Benzema and Ribery who are complimented by Anelka and (for in some cameo appearances) Henry lending a hand.

Elsewhere, and Guus Hiddink's Russia will be well backed, Cristiano Ronaldo and chums at Portugal are worth a World Cup betting 2010 flutter, whilst Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast will be a much fancied each way bet. Otherwise South American pairing of Paraguay and Chile shouldn't be overlooked and for that matter, how about Slovakia or the host nation itsself - South Africa - for an interesting pre-tournament outside bet?

Surprise African Football Nation's Could Ensure Online Bookie Payouts During 2010 World Cup Finals

On the subject of African football's prospects of fielding a winning nation, and after all it was prophecised many years ago (by no other footballing authority than Pele) that the African footballing nations would come to global prominence thanks to the premier league imports and the showcase African Cup of Nations tournament, that would one day ultimately prove that the African continent would spawn a world cup-winning side, lest provide the backdrop for such a sporting spectacle.

The 2010 World Cup Finals should see strong challenges made from the Ivory Coast, Egypt (having won two African Cup of Nations back to back), a Eto'o-inspired Cameroon and possibly Ghana, led my Chelsea's Michael Essien orchestrating events. Well, that's according to both football analysts and betting pundits, so who are we to argue. Here's one to mull over though. Statistically, and in fifteen of the eighteen world cup finals the eventual winner has been participating in their own continent, with the exception of the one recurring country. Yup, Brazil. In fact six of the eighteen were the host nation themselves, equating to a third of host nations having given us the winning side.

2010 World Cup Finals - Venues

Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final itself, the endgame of the International Football tournament on Sunday 11th July 2009, taking it full circle from it's role as the arena in which the opening ceremony will take place (Friday June 11th) that gets the whole shooting match under way. With a capacity for just under 95,000 spectators, Soccer City Stadium's design is said to be based on the Calabash, a native African pot, in the belief that its unique shape would best illustrate the host country's heritage. At least from above. A total of eight matches will unfold in what is by far, the biggest of the 2010 World Cup venues, and one which has catered for the African Cup of Nations previously.

Well known to rugby fans, Johannesburg's 'other' national stadium, Ellis Park (now referred to as Coca Cola Park for, let us see, commercial reasons?) can hold 62,000 football fans, whilst the Moses Mabhida Stadium (Durban - capacity 70,000), Green Point Stadium (Cape Town - capacity 69,000), Loftus Versfeld Stadium (Pretoria - capacity 52,000), Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Port Elizabeth - capacity 48,000), Free State Stadium (Bloemfontein - capacity 48,000), Peter Mokaba Stadium (Pietersburg/Polokwane - capacity 46,000), Mbombela Stadium (Nelspruit - capacity 44,000) and the Royal Bafokeng Stadium (Rustenburg - capacity 42,000) complete the rosta of venues.

Football Fans Get In Tune With 2010 World Cup Song Betting Odds

Finally, and world cup songs anybody? Did you know that you can even bet on the recording artist who you think might pen the official England world cup song if you're that way inclined. Thus far you can take your pick of the pops betwixt comedian-turned-music-maestro Peter Kay (4 - 1), West Ham fan and comedy writer James Corden (5 - 1), Mercury Music Award-nominated Kasabian (6 - 1), Port Vale FC shareholder and renown England following songsmith Robbie Williams (8 - 1), Leeds-based indie tub-thumpers and South African football team name-inspired Kaiser Chiefs (10 - 1) monotone man band and housewives favourite Take That (10 - 1) and laddish rabble rousers Arctic Monkeys (10 - 1) are all front runners on this score. Elsewhere Britain's Got Talent nut-caseee Susan Boyle (14 - 1), mockney warbling ladette Lily Allen (16 - 1) and the old Baddiel and Skinner anthem 'Three Lions' as originally performed can all be wagered on courtesy of our friends at Paddy Power. Geordie double-act Ant and Dec are also priced to bash out a tune, although suggestions that Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle are set to reform and reprise a World Cup-flavoured version of their 1987 pop classic, 'Diamond Lights', are reported as wide of the mark. Thank God; and Eileen Drewery.