World Cup 2018 Betting: Groups E-H

With the FIFA World Cup kicking off tomorrow now is a good time to look at making your viewing more fun. Whether you are a die hard football fan or a casual observer betting on a game can always increase the fun. Earlier this week I looked at the best World Cup 2018 betting odds in Groups A-D. Today it is the turn of groups E through F.

Before I look at today’s groups a bet that interests me is Spain to be eliminated in the group stages. After sacking their manager Wednesday things can go one of two ways. This could initially galvanize the team and they come out firing. However, there is also a chance this makes them flat. If that happens they could quickly find themselves staring down the barrel in group B. I would still expect them to qualify but at 15/2 it is worth a little bit of money just in case.

Group E

As with many of the groups the other day there is one stand out team in this group, Brazil. After the humiliation they suffered at home in 2014 they will have a point to prove. Behind them the group gets interesting. Serbia and Switzerland are both good teams who can be a force on their day. Switzerland may be the better all around team but Serbia will give them a good fight. The dark horse of the group is Costa Rica who made a fairy tale run to the quarter-finals in 2014. That year they came out of a group with Uruguay, England and Italy.

Main bet

I think Brazil are by far the class of this group. I expect the European teams to try and blank them out and Costa Rica will play on the counter. However, I would still bet on Brazil to win all their matches at 11/10.

Other bets

Pair the Brazil to win all games with them to win the group at 4/11 to cover you in case someone does stop them scoring. Costa Rica to qualify at 5/1 is a fun bet but it is tough to expect lightning to strike twice. The value is of the other two is Serbia to qualify at 5/4. I think they are as good as Switzerland and have the better odds of the two.

For Brazil I like Gabriel Jesus (3/1) or Roberto Firmino (16/1) to be top goalscorer. Jesus is the most likely to start but if Firmino gets hot he could be super effective either starting or off the bench.

Group F

This could actually be a really interesting group. No team is bad and while Germany are the best team it is not as clear cut as other groups. Mexico, Sweden and South Korea can all prove threats to qualify and to Germany. All of this makes this one of the hardest two groups to bet on.

Main bet

I quite like Mexico to qualify at evens but I am not going to go crazy on it. Mexico to win the group at 13/5 is perhaps something I will look at putting a little bit on as well.

Other bets

South Korea to qualify offers nice odds at 22/5. Despite me saying Germany will not roll this group they are the best team. Therefore, Germany to win all group games at 7/4 is another bet I will look at.

Group G

Finally we get to the England group. I dread every single one of England’s games because they are nearly always disappointing. Unlike last World Cup this is a group they have a real shot to get out of it. Sadly that means they probably will not. Belgium are the best team in the group but they themselves are prone to moments of madness. Panama and Tunisia are the two teams hoping to spring a surprise. Realistically I think only Tunisia have a chance but we said that about Costa Rica four years ago.

Main bet

Raheem Sterling to be England’s top goal scorer at 8/1 is interesting. The pacy Manchester City winger is ever developing and he can be a threat playing off Harry Kane.

Other bets

I cannot help but be drawn to Tunisia to qualify at 11/2. I think its unlikely but both England and Belgium are more than capable of choking. Panama to finish bottom at 8/13 feels like a nice little cash builder but this is a group I m not going to get to carried away betting with. Finally England always seem to labor through games so going under for totals goals in the match for their games is tempting.

Group H

We end with perhaps the most even group of the lot as all four teams could win this group. Colombia are the favorites with Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez. Poland have the big man in Robert Lewandowski and Senegal and Japan lack superstars but have solid groups of players.

Main bet

Japan to qualify at 35/12 seems good value. I think anyone can qualify from this group and Japan are the best odds.

Other bets

Lewandowski at 33/1 to be top goal scorer for the tournament is interesting but a lot of his goals will need to come in the group stages. I do not see Poland going much further, if they even qualify. However, this group is not full of great defenses and Lewandowski ran wild in qualifying. Colombia to win the World Cup at up to 50/1 is a fun bet for a team loaded with talent. They will have to face one of England and Belgium in the first stage of the knock outs which will not be easy. However, this is a team full of exciting talent who could be a fun surprise.

Bonus bets

Last week I told you my golden boot winner, although with the Spain mess who knows. Today my bonus bets are my serious, I think they win it bets. I love the value on Argentina at 10/1 and I think they can do it. Pairing Argentina to win with Messi as top goalscorer at up to 33/1 is also extremely interesting.

Brazil at up to 21/5 is the safest bet with them having a point to prove. Pair it with Neymar to top be top goalscorer at 25/1 adds some decent value.