The Sports Bookie Blog

Spain are the favourites to win the World Cup after they defeated Germany 1-0 in their semi-final clash on Wednesday night. The Spanish side will face Holland at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Both sides are looking to win the World Cup for the first time, and so it’s likely to be a tight and cagey encounter.

Spain looked very comfortable against Germany and it’s no surprise to see them trading as shorter-priced favourites but it’s going to be a close match.

Spain can be backed at 11/10 (2.10) at Bet365 to win the match in 90 minutes, with Holland priced at 14/5 (3.80) at Victor Chander, and the draw 23/10 (3.30) at Bodog.

Holland face Uruguay in the opening semi-final with the Dutch buoyant after a superb fightback from 1-0 down at half-time saw them knock favourites Brazil out of the tournament.

It’s been good and bad news for Holland during the build-up to this game with Joris Mathijsen and Robin van Persie declared fit, while Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong will have to miss out through suspension.

Uruguay have selection issues of their own with Nicolas Lodeiro, Jorge Fucile and, most crucially, Luis Suarez all suspended. The potential loss to injury of captain and defensive lynchpin Diego Lugano would also provide a massive blow for Oscar Tabarez’s men. 

Holland are rightly favourites at 4/6 to win the match but they should be made to work for the victory and a one-goal Dutch success looks like the likely outcome.

Bert van Marwijk’s men have won four of their five games at this World Cup by only a one-goal margin (against Japan, Cameroon, Slovakia and Brazil) so the 5/1 for a 1-0 win and 17/2 for a 2-1 win look worth an interest. 

Betting Pick : Uruguay 1-2 Holland

The Betfair World Cup winner market has lost its short-priced favourite favourite as Brazil crashed out at the quarter-final stages at the hands of the Netherlands.

Robinho opened the scoring after being matched at 10.00 and it all looked like plain sailing for Dunga’s troops who traded at just 1.23 to win on the match odds market.

An uncharacteristic mistake from the normally reliable Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar gifted the Orange an equaliser before a Wesley Sneijder header from a corner shocked football fans and punters alike and proved enough to see the outsiders through, a task made easier after Juventus midfielder Felipe Melo was sent off for a stamp on Arjen Robben shortly after the second goal.

The Netherlands were matched at a high of 48.00 on the match odds market sfter fgallnig behind, and at 9.40 on the “to qualify” market ; while Sneijder was matched at 19.0 to be the match’s last scorer.

The Netherlands share favouritism with Spain to go all the way, at odds of 3.40, though backers of Brazil’s victors may consider themselves to be in a better position given that Spain still need to beat Paraguay if they are to make the final four.

Check out all the betting Exchange odds at Betfair

England’s World Cup odds have drifted to 7/1 from 6/1 with Irish bookmaker Paddy Power following their lacklustre performance against Japan yesterday - with England needing two late own-goals to scrape a 2-1 victory.

England are now joint third best with Argentina behind tournament favourites Spain at 4/1 and Brazil at 5/1.

World Cup Latest Outright Winner Odds

4/1 Spain,
5/1 Brazil,
7/1 Argentina,
7/1 England (From 6/1)
10/1 Holland,
14/1 Italy,
14/1 Germany,
18/1 France

Wayne Rooney is expected to be England’s star man and is a very likely 8/13 to bag 3 or more goals in the tournament and 11/1 third best in the betting to finish top tournament goalscorer behind Spain’s David Villa and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

 World Cup Golden Boot Latest

8/1 Villa (Spain),
10/1 Messi (Argentina),
11/1 Rooney (England),
12/1 Fabiano (Brazil),
13/1 Torres (Spain),
16/1 Van Persie (Holland),
18/1 Higuain (Argentina),
20/1 Ronaldo (Portugal)

Dutch striker Robin Van Persie is now 18/1 with top UK bookmaker bet365 to win the World Cup Golden Boot after his brace against Mexico on Wednesday night.

The Arsenal man opened at 33s, and bet365 Steve Freeth said: “Van Persie looks to have put his injury problems behind him and punters have been quick to latch onto the Dutchman after his double against Mexico.

Spain striker David Villa remains the favourite at a general 9/1 ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and England’s star man Wayne Rooney.

Selected Odds :
David Villa (Spain) 9.00
Leo Messi (Argentina) 10.00
Wayne Rooney (England) 11.00
Fernando Torres (Spain) 13.00
Clemente Luis Fabiano (Brazil) 13.00
Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina) 17.00
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) 19.00
Robin Van Persie (Holland) 19.00
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) 26.00
Vincenzo Iaquinta (Italy) 26.00
Thierry Henry (France) 26.00
Sergio Aguero (Argentina) 26.00
Miroslav Klose (Germany) 26.00

2008 European Championship winners Spain and perennial favourites Brazil along with the are currently leading the way as favourites at Victor Chandler for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

England are currently third favourites to win the tournament, reflecting the home bias of the English football fans, meaning that some of the other sides are priced at good value.

To Win The World Cup

Check out all the latest prices at Victor Chandler bookmakers site.

GoonersGuide.com provides independant gambling reviews, sports betting tips, previews, and bookmaker odds for club and international games played in Europe.

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PADDY POWER REFUND €250,000 AFTER FRENCH DECEPTION

After Ireland were cheated out of a place in the 2010 World Cup Finals tonight with a blatant hand ball by French football thief Thierry Henry, Ireland’s biggest bookie Paddy Power are refunding over €110,000 to punters who backed Ireland to qualify for next years Finals.

Paddy Power are refunding a further €140,000 on tonights game after they pledged to refund all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast bets placed on the match if Ireland won the game in 90-minutes.

Paddy Power said, “Luck of the Irish me arse!  Not only did FIFA change the rules to protect the big teams, but then we drew France and that dirty little thief Henry cheats us out of a place in the World Cup. After all that we’re only too happy to put our hand in our pocket and hopefully ease some of the pain for our patriotic punters”

2010 World Cup
Outright Betting
9/2      Spain
5/1      Brazil
6/1      England
9/1      Argentina
11/1    Germany
12/1    Holland
14/1    Italy
16/1    France
18/1    Portugal
20/1    Russia

All prices remain subject to fluctuation check Paddy Power’s betting website for the latest odds.

PUNTERS ABANDON IRELAND AS GREEN DREAM FADES
-Bookies forced to cut odds on match not being shown live-

According to Paddy Power Irish punters are waking up to the belief that their World Cup dream is well and truly over with the bookie reporting less than €200 wagered on the Boys in Green successfully qualifying for next years Finals since their defeat at the hands of the French in Croke Park. 

In an effort to entice patriotic punters into backing Ireland Paddy Power pushed Ireland’s qualification odds from 7/1 to 8/1 but this move resulted in only one bet of €20. Paddy Power have also pledged to refund a variety of losing bets on  Wednesday’s match should Ireland win the game in normal time.

Paddy Power said “We literally cannot give Ireland away at the moment.  Punters seem to believe it’s the end of the line for the boys but we all know the impact an early Irish goal would have on Wednesday so I wouldn’t be inclined to throw in the towel so fast”

As the ongoing dispute between the French Football Federation and Irish broadcasters intensifies Paddy Power have slashed the odds on Wednesday’s game NOT being televised from 6/1 to 2/1 second-favourite.  

The national broadcaster RTE remains favourite to televise the match live but have drifted in the betting from 1/4 to 1/3 amid growing concerns that a deal will not be struck in time.

WORLD CUP BETTING ODDS AT PADDY POWER

To Qualify for the World Cup
1/25    France
8/1      Ireland

Betting on Wednesday’s Return Leg
8/15    France
11/4    Draw
6/1      Ireland

Who will show the 2nd Leg?
 1/3     RTE
 2/1     Not Shown
 8/1     Sky One
12/1     TV3

A goalless draw was just about the right score as a Greece side held off a Ukraine team that played too defensively after an enterprising first half-hour.

The conservative Greeks threw a little more caution to the wind in the second half but without exerting too much pressure on a solid Ukrainian rearguard, leaving the tie level at 0-0 ahead of Wednesday’s return game in Donetsk.

The Ukraine are favoured to progress now at a best price of 1.91 to win at Ladbrokes, while Greece are at 5.41 at PinnacleSports to win away from home

 Get Live Sportsbook betting odds for the Ukraine v Greece second leg