Euro 2024 Favourites and a Surprise Underdog

With major football club competitions and leagues finishing across Europe, attention turns to the upcoming UEFA European Championship in Germany. Euro 2024 begins on Friday, 14th June, with the opening game pairing the host nation with Scotland in Group A. The locals are the red-hot favourites with pundits and online betting traders to get off to a winning start.

Euro 2024 will be the 17th edition of the world-famous international football tournament. Twenty-four teams will compete in games across ten host cities at some of the sport’s most important venues. Georgia will make its debut at this level, while Italy will arrive as the defending champions after beating England on penalties in the final of Euro 2020.

Finding the best odds

Which team will lift the Euro 2024 trophy in Germany? Do you fancy the host nation or one of the favourites from the betting, including Spain and England? Perhaps you prefer an underdog, like Scotland, to spring a surprise. The leading online sportsbooks offer odds on several Euro 2024 markets, including the outright winner, to reach the final, top goalscorer and each game from the Championships.

Where do you find the best Euro 2024 odds, and why is it important to get the best odds each time you bet? Did you know iGamingNuts is a key player in the industry and can help you get the best deal each time you gamble? Experienced sports content writer Frank Monkhouse explains everything in this Euro 2024 special.

Favourites and Underdogs: Overview of UEFA Euro 2024 Odds

The leading online sportsbooks offer odds on Euro 2024 and have released their list of favourites. The top bookies have England atop a competitive market, with the Three Lions deemed the most likely team to lift the trophy in Germany on Sunday, July 14th, at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Gareth Southgate’s team qualified and was drawn in Group C alongside Slovenia, Denmark, and Serbia. The draw appears to have been kind to England fans, and they should emerge from that pool as winners before tackling the knockout stages. England has never won this competition, with a World Cup in 1966 the nation’s major success. But they did reach the final three years ago, losing on the lotto of spot-kicks to a talented Italian side in London.

England has a squad that looks good enough on paper to challenge, but some bettors may be put off by the country’s lack of experience in winning the competition. They’re no bigger than 10/3 in the market. 

If the betting is wrong and England doesn’t perform well at Euro 2024, which team could take advantage?

Contenders

France is the second favourite for Euro 2024, with bookmakers expecting a huge effort from Les Bleus. Didier Deschamps led France into the competition as two-time winners, landing the trophy in 1984 and 2000. It’s no secret the French have underperformed at this level in recent times, but they have one of the best squads in Germany and should coast through Group D ahead of the Netherlands, Poland, and Austria. 

Kylian Mbappe will be key. The PSG striker aims to put the pain of missing out on the Champions League behind him by firing his nation to the European trophy. France is priced at 4/1 with most major firms to win the trophy.

Third in the Euro 2024 outright betting list is the home team, who trades at 6/1 in places. Germany is this competition’s joint most successful team with Spain. Victory for the hosts would set them apart from the crowd as the Euros’ best-performing side, delighting fans across the country. Germany shares Group A with Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland. Pundits expect them to make the knockout stages with ease.

iGamingNuts predictions

Italy arrives in Germany as the defending champion after their historic win at Wembley, but the betting traders have written them off despite boasting a talented squad. There’s as big as 18/1 about Italy winning two in a row, and we think they’re better than that. 

Italy will begin its defence in Group B alongside Spain, Croatia, and Albania. It’s this year’s “group of death,” but if Italy bags a top-two finish and progress to the knockout stages, they have the experience and skill to challenge. If you’re looking for a good bet at Euro 2024, why not back the defending champions with big odds attached? The Italians bring a young, energetic, and ambitious squad to Germany, and that will give them energy. What the Italians lack in experience, they more than make up for in skill, speed, and goal scoring prowess.

Underdogs

Looking for an underdog with bite and decent odds attached? Scotland could be the answer. Steve Clarke’s side impressed during qualifying to beat Spain at Hampden and the Scots were one of the first nations to confirm their attendance at Euro 2024. They’ve never won a major competition, and ending up as champions in Germany could be a bridge too far. But bookmakers offer many eye-catching Euro 2024 specials that allow fans to back Scotland and target a profit.

Will Scotland break free from the group stage for the first time in history? The Tartan Army certainly hopes so, and they take heart from our experts. We polled 11 of our football experts, and nine agreed Scotland was a great pick to advance to the quarter-finals. Some of the reasons were Clarke’s management style, an ambitious yet experienced young squad, the Group A draw, and the generous odds available at major sportsbooks.

Scotland’s best chance of finding a way out of Group A comes from winning their opening game against Germany. Many football writers believe the Scots could catch the hosts cold and get at least a point from the game. The locals also suffered a poor performance at the last World Cup and were less than convincing against Mexico, Turkey, and Austria on the road to Euro 2024.

Winning the European Championships looks a long shot, but Scotland qualifying for the knockout stages and the quarter-finals is more realistic. The Tartan Army has never seen its beloved team play knockout football in the Euros or World Cup, but the team is improving under Clarke, and there’s optimism amongst supporters. Scotland’s squad is packed with players from Europe’s top leagues, including the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, and the Scottish Premiership. 

Looking at the stage of elimination betting, we find Scotland is trading at 11/2, and that’s sure to attract attention. Scotland is a talented team that arrives in Germany under the radar with nothing to lose. Scotland could perform much better than critics imagine, and the odds make it easier to trust the dark blues.

Euro 2024 odds explained

When preparing your Euro 2024 odds and researching the market, it’s important to understand the odds. The leading bookmakers offer outright betting odds on each team playing at Euro 2024. The favourites are the teams most likely to win, and they have the shortest odds. The outrights are those with little chance of lifting Euro 2024, and their odds are bigger. As a bettor, you want to find the best team at the biggest price.

The odds offered on each nation differ at major sportsbooks. For example, England’s Euro 2024 odds range from 14/5 to 10/3. When betting on a team, you must browse the market and find the best odds. Thankfully, iGamingNuts makes it easier. Our experts trawl the markets to find you the most generous odds, standout promotions, and the markets that increase your chances of landing a profit.

Stick with this site during the run-up to Euro 2024 and throughout the competition for the best football predictions, bonuses, and betting odds available.