[jonnyb0000]

With pre tournament odds up on most online bookmaking site who does everyone tip to lift the Euro 2008 title.

Current odd have Group B Germany as the tournament favourites at 9/2 with bet365 sportingbet and Coral, and 5/1 with totesport and PaddyPower. Although I see croatia in the same group a potential group winners there.

The pre tournament odds give Spain as second favourites at 7/1 closely followed by Italy at 8/1 of which both should comfortably reach the quarters.

Also any thoughts on top Euro scorers?

In the Euro finals one of my tournament bets will surely be tournament top scorer, for which Miroslav Klose is narrow favourite at 10/1 followed by Fernando Torres and Chritiano Ronaldo at 11/1 and 13/1 respectively.

Not sure about ronaldo's international scoring record but 10/1 for closer in a strong Germnay side seems good value to me.

[BocaFan]

Originally Posted by jonnyb0000

With pre tournament odds up on most online bookmaking site who does everyone tip to lift the Euro2008 title.

Current odd have Group B Germany as the tournament favourites at 9/2 with bet365 sportingbet and Coral, and 5/1 with totesport and PaddyPower. Although I see croatia in the same group a potential group winners there.

The pre tournament odds give Spain as second favourites at 7/1 closely followed by Italy at 8/1 of which both should comfortably reach the quarters.

Got to disagree with you there. Italy are notoriously slow starters to int'l tournaments. When they reach the quarters, they usually win it all (or at least make the final). But there's a good chance they won't even make the quarters IMO.

Also any thoughts on top Euro scorers?

In the Euro finals one of my tournament bets will surely be tournament top scorer, for which Miroslav Klose is narrow favourite at 10/1 followed by Fernando Torres and Chritiano Ronaldo at 11/1 and 13/1 respectively.

Not sure about ronaldo's international scoring record but 10/1 for closer in a strong Germnay side seems good value to me.

Yeah, I think I would go with Klose too. Just because Germany play against weaker defences compared to what Torres will face.

[Pfeife]

I think most Germans would agree that it is pretty likely that Gomez will be Germany's top scorer at the EC and not Klose, given that he doesn't get injured (he is pretty injury prone).
Gomez has an even better goal ratio this season than Luca Toni, that says it all I think:


Mario Gomez, season 2007/2008:

........................games:.........goals:
Bundesliga...............23..............18
German cup ............. 3 .............6
Championsleague .......4 .............3
National team.............6 ........... .3

[RobertK]

I would definately take a shot on whoever looks to be Germany's #1 striker. This tourney is going to have a ton of low scoring games in Group's A, B & D. Group B will be where the goals are and should produce the top goal scorer.

As for who's to win it, I took Italy at +500 before the groups came out, I'll take them for more at their current odds of +700. I actually like the group they are in. IF they get out of it, they won't have any chance of facing any other favorites except Spain until the final (No chance of facing France/Holland, Portugal or Germany).

I also took Romania at +3500. I know its a massive long shot, but if my Italy wager implodes in the group stage, then the Romania long shot looks like a better shot as they get the same path to the Finals. Plus, they have a good recent history vs Holland to boot.

[BocaFan]

Originally Posted by RobertK

As for who's to win it, I took Italy at +500 before the groups came out, I'll take them for more at their current odds of +700. I actually like the group they are in. IF they get out of it, they won't have any chance of facing any other favorites except Spain until the final (No chance of facing France/Holland, Portugal or Germany).

I also took Romania at +3500. I know its a massive long shot, but if my Italy wager implodes in the group stage, then the Romania long shot looks like a better shot as they get the same path to the Finals. Plus, they have a good recent history vs Holland to boot.

That's not true. You should've looked at the brackets more carefully before wagering on these teams.

If Italy get to the semis, they will play either a group C or group D team. They have the most difficult route (along with the other teams in Group "C"), hence the fairly high odds for them to win.

[RobertK]

Originally Posted by BocaFan

That's not true. You should've looked at the brackets more carefully before wagering on these teams.

If Italy get to the semis, they will play either a group C or group D team. They have the most difficult route (along with the other teams in Group "C"), hence the fairly high odds for them to win.

Yes, I mis-stated. They would face a group D team in the Qtrs - and then possibley re-match with a C team in the Semi's and can't face a group A or B team until the finals. Regardless, I have them beating Sweden in the Qtrs, France in the Semi's and then Portugal (I picked Portugal over Germany in the other semi) in the final based on plugging in my expected results for each team. I still say its a team from group C that will win it as I think both teams to come out of that group will meet in the semis. Ideally I'd see Romania vs Italy in the Semi's, but thats pretty damn unlikely.

[masto22]

I hope many goals please!

[+Gooner+]

BocaFan, Italy doesn't seem to have a "system" of going to the quaters and winning it all then. I think they reached the final twice in the Euros and apart from that they had everything from semis to 4th place. Germany either doesn't make the group stages or reaches the quater finals and goes into the final.

There are so many strong teams this time I really can't make up my mind about who I should see as a clear favourite to win it. If history means anything then Italy, Germany, France and the usual underdog will play a role (if the first two make it out of the group stages), Spain and the Netherlands will have a great squad and bottle it as usual and Portugal might go far but not make it in the end. And if Germany meets Italy in the finals.. Please everyone, just not Italy.

But yeah, I have no idea. Could be anyone.

[jonnyb0000]

Originally Posted by RobertK

I would definately take a shot on whoever looks to be Germany's #1 striker.

This was my thinking so on reflection maybe Gomez is somebody worth looking into. Have to say not really followed him much, but Klose has that big comp experience.

[johan neeskens]

Originally Posted by +Gooner+

Spain and the Netherlands will have a great squad and bottle it as usual

Dutch Euro performance:

1988: win
1992: semis
1996: quarters
2000: semis
2004: semis

If that's what you call bottling it, I'd like to know who in your view did better than the Dutch over the past five European tournaments.