World Cup Gambling Predictions for Group A

This coming June will see the kicking off of one of the biggest festivals of sport in the world, as the FIFA soccer World Cup gets under way with the first match being a group A clash on Friday June 11th. At this point the eyes of the sporting and betting worlds will be firmly focused on the events unfolding in South Africa.

As for betting predictions for what might happen in Group A the group itself contains the hosts themselves, South Africa, a team described by some betting and sporting gamblers as a “sleeper” team and, as a country, with some quality players performing in a nation hungrily looking for a measure of home success. The other teams in Group A are France, currently standing at odds of -130 to win the group, Mexico, currently at odds of +350 to win the group, Uruguay at odds of +365, and South Africa themselves given odds at this stage of all of +600 to top Group A.

On closer inspection of their prospects South Africa have a current FIFA world ranking of 88 and their overall odds to win the World Cup are a massive +15500. They have an experienced coach, a Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, and he will be keen to endure that the team does not suffer an embarrassing early exit. The team does possess some skilful players and their experienced coach – not to mention passionate home support. The bookies may well be right on the money, though.

Many feel that it will be a disappointing competition for the hosts and they are unlikely to make the second round. They are odds on to finish in fourth place in the group. Next up is Mexico, who currently have odds of +8500 to win the whole tournament and could be one to watch. The side has qualified for the last 16 in the past four World Cup tournaments. With France in patchy form of late Mexico would appear to represent fairly decent value to win Group A at +350.

Next come Uruguay and their current odds to win the World Cup stand at +12500, and the team are without a World Cup winning game in two decades. To give an indication of current form they required a playoff and a win over Costa Rico merely to qualify for the finals. They appear set for third place in the group with a win against the hosts, but no more than that.

After that we have the mercurial French, who many feel are surviving on reputation alone. Their odds to win the whole tournament are +1800 and, despite having the pedigree (they won the competition in 1998 and won the European Championship in 2000) they lack the players and the cohesion this time around, having just squeaked home after a contentious playoff result against the Republic of Ireland. They look likely to finish second in the group and could, maybe, revive some ghost from their glorious recent past.