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Euro 2008

Euro 2008: Betting opportunities abound - even without England

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Andrew French looks at the early punting options ahead of this summer's big tournament

So, that's it then. England's last home game before Euro 2008. That big summer football tournament. The one England aren't attending.

Nor, come to that, are Scotland, Wales or either of the Irish teams.

At last, a summer where we can enjoy a proper holiday and not worry about getting through the group stage or penalty shoot-outs. Except, we know it won't be like - will it?

I spent as much time last night flicking through the scores on the Betfair Live Score Console, seeking some form lines, as I did stifling first-half yawns during the England game.

Germany franked their position as outright Euro 2008 favourites at [5.8] with a comfortable 3-0 win in Austria, whose appetite for hosting the tournament may rapidly dwindle if that is any indication as to how they might fare.

It's hard not to fancy the Germans when you look at Group B, which they are currently available to win at just [1.72]. Croatia [3.4] will doubtless offer the greatest challenge - of course, if things had ended differently in qualification, that would have been where England's name would have been. Grrrrr.

The remainder of Group B, Poland [9.4] and Austria [16.5], will surely do well to go further.

Group C looks a real demon to call, reflected in the prices of three of the nations to win it: Italy [2.78], France [3.2] and Holland [3.7]. Italy were 3-1 winners over Portugal on February 6th, and you simply have to respect the world champions. If you take them to get through, and are ruling out Romania [14.0] in Group C, then it looks a match between France and Holland for the other place in the last eight. Their fortunes were contrasting in this week's friendlies: the French lost 1-0 in Spain while the Dutch cruised to a 3-0 win in Croatia.

Spain [1.96] are a warm order to win Group D, and again that is as much to do with the quality of the opposition as anything else. Greece [5.8] may be the defending champions but it's hard to see them getting close four years on, while Sweden [4.8] only just scrambled past Northern Ireland in qualification. Russia [6.6] came through England's group but even though they beat Steve McLaren's side at home, that was as much due to English failings as anything the Russians did. They certainly looked very ordinary when they lost 3-0 at Wembley.

Group A looks trickier to call. Portugal are favourites at [2.46] and they certainly have the talent, but just how some of their great individuals combine in the heat of the tournament will decide their success or failure.

The Czech Republic are currently [3.35] to win the group, but losing 2-0 at home to Poland in a friendly wouldn't fill me with confidence about their chances, while co-hosts Switzerland [5.2] didn't look much more than organised at Wembley. Turkey [7.4] make up the group.

After Germany, the outright market lists Spain [7.4], Italy [8.4], Portugal [9.2] and France [11.0] as the main contenders. Hard to disagree, and of those I do like Italy. They will certainly be hard to beat.

Of the slightly bigger-priced countries, the Czech Republic catch the eye at [15.5]. They are in a very open group and after messing up their chances in the World Cup when they lost to Ghana, they will want to show they are capable of much better.