Host Brazil Leads Way in World Cup Wagering

Host nation Brazil continues to sit atop the list of favorites to win the 2014 World Cup, owning odds of 3/1 to capture their sixth title in futures wagering at Bovada. Brazil has not won a World Cup since 2002, but is expected to reap the benefit of playing on home turf in hot and humid weather conditions that are expected to present a challenge for opponents, particularly Brazil’s European rivals.

Argentina, the last South American nation to host a World Cup, which they won in 1978, follows Brazil in World Cup futures betting at major online sportsbooks. However, while Bovada and 5Dimes list Argentina at 4/1 and +410 respectively, Topbet pegs them at a slightly longer +500.

The European team with the best World Cup 2014 odds is Germany. With odds of 11/2 at Bovada, the three-time World Cup champions are poised to make a deep run into the knockout stage. Bovada also lists Germany as a 2/1 favorite in World Cup 2014 specials betting to emerge as the top European team at the tournament.

Germany is followed by the 2010 World Cup champion Spain, who currently have odds of 6/1 at Bovada. The Spanish will be looking to extend their winning streak in the world’s biggest tournaments, after claiming both the 2008 and 2012 European championships. But to do so they must first get past the group stage where they will face Chile, who are considered a dark horse threat at this year’s tournament with very appealing futures odds of +5350 at 5Dimes, and the Netherlands, who Spain defeated in the 2010 final match to claim their first World Cup title.

The oddsmakers at Topbet currently have Spain as a -135 moneyline favorite to defeat the Netherlands in their match on Friday afternoon. The Dutch are +355 moneyline underdogs against Spain, and trail the favorites in futures betting with odds of +2500 at Topbet.

Belgium, who have emerged as an offensive dynamo and a -150 favorite to win Group H at Topbet, lead the middle of the pack in futures wagering with odds of +1800. They are followed by Italy at +2000, France and Uruguay at +2500, Portugal at +2800 and England at +3300. Both USA and Mexico enter the World Cup as +5000 underdogs.

Mexico is a -125 favorite to be the top North American team in props betting at Bovada, while the USA trails at +120.