Betway have Brazil as the 9/2 favourites* (betting odds were taken on June 5th, 2018 at 6:19 p.m.) to walk off with World Cup at Russia 2018 this summer. The chances of the Selecao getting their sixth World Cup title were boosted as their star striker Neymar returned from a broken foot to participate in some pre-World Cup friendlies in early June. His inclusion is just going to lift the entire squad and it is a squad that looks strong and dare we say it, confident enough to have managed without Neymar.
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Betway World Cup 2018 odds*
Brazil 9/2
Germany 5/1
Spain 6/1
France 13/2
Argentina night/1
Belgium 11/1
England 16/1
Portugal 25/1
Uruguay 28/1
Croatia 33/1
Columbia 440/1
Russia 40/1
Poland 66/1
Denmark 100/1
Mexico 100/1
Switzerland 100/1
Bar 150/1
* (betting odds were taken on June 5th, 2018 at 6:19 p.m.)
Brazilians boosted by Neymar return
But with Neymar in there, who has an astonishing strike record for his country, Brazil are going to only be more difficult to handle for anyone who goes up against them. There should not be any scare for Brazil who are the odds-on favourites to win Group E where they will compete against Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia. You would imagine the Selecao will be able comfortably to get through that challenge and then get down to business in the knockout phase of the tournament. They just don’t look to have any weaknesses other than perhaps some ageing legs across their back line. But tactically they are very sound under new head coach Tite and will be a force to be reckoned with.
Brazil generally always are in World Cup betting, and the same can be said of Germany who are the current reigning world champions. The Germans got their hands on the World Cup for the fourth time as they beat Argentina in the 2014 final and they are the only ones that the bookmakers have the closest to Brazil in the outright winner market. In Betway World Cup 2018 odds, Germany are trading at 5/1 second favourites* (betting odds were taken on June 5th, 2018 at 6:19 p.m.). You just know with the Germans that they will show up and put together another supremely efficient tournament display.
Spain and France in contention
Much has been made of the looming challenges of Spain and France at the 2018 World Cup and both of them are hovering around the 6/1 mark* (betting odds were taken on June 5th, 2018 at 6:19 p.m.) in Betway World Cup 2018 odds. Spain really look as if they have gathered themselves and gone up through a few levels of quality since their dismal World Cup 2014 exit in the group stage. While perhaps they don’t have quite the outright scoring power of the other main contenders, the quality that they have in terms of ball possession and creativity should carry them far.
France have pace, power and quite the enviable squad that they will be taking to Russia 2018. The French have shown up well in recent major tournaments having reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup and then having finished as runners-up in the Euro 2016 final. It is perhaps that lapse against Portugal in the Euro 2016 final that will maybe raise questions about them and whether or not they have the tactical strength and mental fortitude to handle the pressure of the big occasions at the latter end of the tournament.
Then comes the threat of Argentina which is largely going to come from Lionel Messi. It wasn’t an overly convincing qualification campaign from the Albiceleste, but they got the job done in the end and they have such individuals who can create moments of brilliance that we may once again, just as they did four years ago, see them scraping and edging their way through the rounds. They do have a tricky group stage to manage first off though as they will face Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria.
Will Messi beat Neymar to the Golden Boot?
A lot of the main contenders in the World Cup top goalscorer market can be found playing across those teams who are dubbed as the front runners for the tournament. That’s only natural because the best teams generally have the best players with a few exceptions here and there. For example Lionel Messi is the 9/1 odds* (betting odds were taken on June 5th, 2018 at 6:19 p.m.) favourite in Betway World Cup 2018 top goalscorer odds and he is closely followed by Neymar at 10/1 odds* (betting odds were taken on June 5th, 2018 at 6:19 p.m.). So just the sheer presence of those two alone for their respective countries of Argentina and Brazil are going to lift the chances of either of those getting their hands on the title.
French hopes will be resting on Antoine Griezmann to carry the can for them and then you have Germany with Thomas Muller who has scored more World Cup goals than any other player heading to Russia 2018 during his career, and his young compatriot Timo Werner as big scoring threats for them. Manchester city’s Gabriel Jesus could well play a huge supporting role to Neymar in Brazil’s title challenge and be among the goals. There are some countries that may not be quite as fancied to go all the way and win the title, but who can boast a top goalscorer such as Cristiano Ronaldo with Portugal.
Naturally with these types of players you would be hoping that they can run up a few goals rapidly in the group stage fixtures. For example England’s Harry Kane is a relatively short price in the top goalscorer market considering that England are not really fancied to win the World Cup. But Kane will be up against relatively weak defences of Tunisia and Panama in the group stage so he could well get a chance to be amongst the goals. Likewise Poland’s prolific Robert Lewandowski who is in a team not backed well to win the tournament, but he was the top goalscorer in UEFA qualification for the World Cup.
Betway World Cup 2018 Top Goalscorer odds
Lionel Messi 9/1
Neymar 10/1
Antoine Griezmann 12/1
Cristiano Ronaldo 12/1
Harry Kane 16/1
Gabriel Jesus 14/1
Romelu Lukaku 16/1
Timo Werner 16/1
Edinson Cavani 20/1
Luis Suarez 25/1
Thomas Muller 25/1
Diego Costa 20/1
Robert Lewandowski 33/1
Eden hazard 33/1
Olivier Giroud 33/1
Radamel Falcao 40/1
Mo Salah 40/1
Bar 50/1
* (betting odds were taken on June 5th, 2018 at 6:19 p.m.)
