World Cup 2018 Belgium Betting – Chances, Odds & Group Fixtures

Quarter Finals a realistic target for Red Devils

De Bruyne - Lukaku (Belgium)
Kevin De Bruyne - Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) © GEPA pictures

Belgium’s chances at the World Cup 2018

Belgium have been pegged as one of the main dark horse threats at the World Cup 2018. They were in a similar position at Euro 2016 but never really got themselves going with any consistency or momentum. However, they are a side who look very talented and they have a lot of quality running through their ranks. If anyone is going to come through the field and upset the big guns like Germany and Brazil then Belgium are definitely one of the front-runners to do it.

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In the World Cup 2018 outright winner market, Belgium are in double figures of 11/1 odds with bet365* (betting odds taken on May 18th, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.). They will have their appeal for punters at that price as an each way flutter and there is extra interest on them this time around is they will be facing up to England in the group stage for an interesting all-European battle. Will they top England to Group G success? Will they be able to get the best out of the top players like Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku?

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Belgium World Cup 2018 Fixtures – Group Stage

So Belgium are in group G alongside England, Panama and Tunisia. The Red Devils are 5/6 odds favourites* (betting odds taken on May 18th, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.) to win the group ahead of England. Belgium’s campaign opens on Monday, June 18 when they take on minnows Panama and so more likely than not, Belgium will be opening with a victory which will give them good momentum to push on for a positive campaign. Their second match in the group comes against Tunisia on Saturday, June 23 leaving the big showdown against England to come in the final round group stage matches on Thursday, June 28.

Belgium should make pretty light work of both Panama and Tunisia and it is expected that England will do the same, but maybe not with the same conviction. So the most likely scenario in the final round of group stage matches is that the England v Belgium game will be the group decider. Belgium are 3/2 favourites* (betting odds taken on May 18th, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.) to win that clash against England with the Three Lions at 19/10 odds* (betting odds taken on May 18th, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.).

England won the last meeting between the two nations, taking a one-nil friendly victory in 2012. England are actually on a three-match winning streak against the Belgians one of those being a World Cup success over them in 1990. Belgium have actually failed to win any of their last 10 games against England and in the overall head-to-head trail 1-15 with four drawn games against the Three Lions.

Belgium have not faced Panama before and they have only played three previous matches against Tunisia. Interestingly they are even in the head-to-head with the African nation with one win each and one draw. Tunisia and Belgium were together in the World Cup 2002 group stage when the two of them played out a 1-1 draw. Basically, Belgium should find themselves easily in the round of 16 with a comfortable group stage ahead of them.

Belgium Stage of Elimination

Belgian can be pencilled in for a place in the round of 16 simply because the challenges of Tunisia and Panama are not likely to trip them up. In the round of 16 they will be facing someone from Group H which contains Poland, Senegal, Columbia and Japan. So it could be a tricky challenge for Belgium in the first knockout stage but nothing they shouldn’t be able to handle.

But then comes the potential problem for them in the quarter-finals. If both Belgium and Brazil win their respective groups then they are on a collision course in the final eight.

So that’s where things get difficult for Belgium and a quarter-final exit in the bet365 stage of elimination market is at 3/1 odds while they are at 12/5 odds* (betting odds taken on May 18th, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.) to go out in the round of 16.

Belgium Top Goalscorer

The big goalscoring hopes for Belgium rests on the shoulders of Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku. The big man is that 2/1 odds* (betting odds taken on May 18th, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.) to finish as Belgium’s top goalscorer at the World Cup 2010. Belgium are blessed with some quality attacking talent including Chelsea’s Eden Hazard who is a 5/1 odds option in the top goalscorer market for Belgium and there is Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne, Dries Mertens and Christian Benteke there as well as options for the Red Devils.

Outright Odds* for the World Cup 2018

Brazil 4/1, Germany 9/2, Spain 6/1, France 13/2, Argentina 9/1, Belgium 11/1, England 18/1, Portugal 25/1, Uruguay 33/1, Croatia 33/1, bar 40/1* (Betting Odds taken at 5:27 p.m. on May 16th, 2018)

Predictions

prediction group win world cup 2018The group draw has been pretty kind to Belgium and it would be a shock to not see them in the first knockout stage of the competition. Really the jostling for position at the top of Group G isn’t all that important because their opponents from Group H (which is just wide-open) won’t pose too much of a threat. Whoever they get isn’t likely to trip them up either way in the round of 16.

But there is not going to be an easy game in the quarter-finals for Belgium. If they win the group they could be facing Brazil. If they finish as runners-up they could be meeting Germany that stage. So things are going to get tough for them very quickly and the quarter-final exit at 3/1 odds for Belgium* (betting odds taken on May 18th, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.) looks to be right on the money. They are a dark horse, not a main contender and it’s hard to see them getting beyond the final eight teams.