Who Do the Bookies Think Will Win UEFA Euro 2024?

As UEFA Euro 2024 edges ever closer, excitement among fans and pundits is reaching a fever pitch. The tournament is set to be held in Germany, and the hosts will face off against Scotland in the curtain raiser on June 10th in Munich. Over the month that follows, Europe’s finest will battle it out for the honour of being called European Champions.

Amidst the passionate discussions and analyses, the bookies have compiled their odds list, outlining who they believe are the frontrunners for the coveted title.

However, with this continental showdown, the bookies’ predictions are consistently incorrect, with underdogs rising to the fore and getting their hands on the trophy. Three years ago, that team was Italy. The Azzuri headed into the tournament off the back of missing the 2018 FIFA World Cup for the first time in history. As such, they were made massive outsiders. However, they knocked off Belgium and Spain before defeating England at Wembley on penalties in the final. Four years before them, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal finished third in their group but still defeated hosts France in the Paris showpiece to secure the country’s first-ever major piece of silverware.

England, France, and Germany are among the favourites this time. Each has strengths that have led the bookmakers to rank them as the frontrunners for glory. Let’s delve into what makes these teams the frontrunners.

England

England heads into Euro 2024 as one the narrow favourites for glory, with online sports gambling sites pricing them at +325. This optimism isn’t unfounded; the English squad boasts a blend of youthful exuberance and seasoned campaigners. With talents like Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, and Harry Kane, the team has depth in attack and defence. Recent tournaments have seen them reach the latter stages, including heartbreaking losses in the final of Euro 2020 against the Italians and to Croatia in the semifinals of the World Cup three years prior.

However, at the most recent global showdown in Qatar, the Three Lions took a step back as they exited at the quarterfinal stage for the seventh time, the most of any team on the planet. France was the team that downed them, with Olivier Giroud’s late goal and Kane’s even later penalty miss coinciding to send Gareth Southgate’s teams packing. With the former Middlesbrough boss rumoured to be out of the managerial hot seat at the tournament’s culmination, he hopes to leave with England’s first major trophy since 1966, which his incredible eight-year tenure certainly deserves.

France

France, the World Cup 2018 champions and runners-up in the 2022 edition, are perennial favourites in international tournaments, and Euro 2024 is no exception. The Les Bleus squad is laden with stars like captain Kylian Mbappé and Atletico Madrid’s newly minted all-time top scorer Antoine Griezmann, lethal attacking options that know how to get the job done. In addition to that, the defensive stability of William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano is also essential, and the French will take some beating this summer.

Their odds, slightly longer than the favourites at +350, reflect their high probability of success. Their journey in recent tournaments has been a mix of brilliance and unpredictability, with their early exit in Euro 2020 as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of football. That time, Mbappe went from hero to villain after Yann Sommer saved his decisive spot-kick in the shootout defeat to Switzerland. But they bounced back in style by winning the subsequent Nations League before reaching a second straight World Cup final in 2022.

In qualifying, they were one of the show’s stars, winning all but one game, including victories home and away against the heavyweight Netherlands. They will aim to put their recent continental woes behind them, just as they have on the global stage, and lift their first European trophy since Euro 2000.

Germany

Germany is the host nation for Euro 2024, perhaps the sole reason they are considered the third favourites at odds of +700. In recent years, German football has been in the mud. They have been eliminated at the group stage in the last two FIFA World Cups, losing to Japan and South Korea along the way. However, since the most recent elimination in Qatar, their performance has been the most worrying.

Die Mannschaft has lost several friendly matches while the rest of the continent battled it out for qualification. In recent matches, they have lost to Colombia, Japan, Austria, Poland, and Turkiye, and expectations are low. However, that was also the case back in 2006 when they hosted the World Cup. Back then, they were coming off of a group stage exit at Euro 2004 with a team in transition, just as they are this year.

Back then, they reached the semifinals before being stunned by the Italians in extra time in Dortmund. This year, a similar achievement would be considered a massive success. But whether they can go all the way and lift the trophy for the first time since 1996 is a different ask entirely.