 World Cup betting: The Final Countdown
07/07/2006
World Cup betting is approaching its finale as the footballing world waits to see who will lift the most famous sporting trophy on the planet this Sunday – France or Italy.
The World Cup odds for these two teams are understandably tight, with the Azzurri just shading it as favourites to win the tournament at 4/5.
Les Bleus, who to many would have seemed unlikely finalists three weeks ago, as they made a stuttering start to the tournament, have been valued at evens to lift the trophy.
A 1-0 win for the Italians is an available bet at 9/1, while a 2-0 win for Marcello Lippi's side is open at 9/1, or maybe if you're interested in a more distinctive World Cup bet you could take a chance on them to win 4-0 at 100/1.
France have been valued at 5/1 to take the game by a goal to nil, or at 11/1 for a 2-0 scoreline, with Thierry Henry favourite to score first at 4/1.
Luca Toni and David Trezeguet are next in line to bag the game's first goal, at 9/2 and 6/1 respectively, or 13/8 and 2/1 to score at any point in the game.
Anyone interested in tailoring their World Cup bet to their own conditions may want to go for a Scorecast, with such odds as 35/1 for Zidane to score first and France to win the game 1-0 or 50/1 for Gilardino to hit the net first and the Italians to triumph 2-0.
As ever with these knockout games there is a chance of extra time and penalties taking place – which could come about if both teams keep a clean sheet. The Azzurri have been sized up at 6/5 to avoid conceding while Les Bleus are at 6/4 to shut the Italians out.
If the most nerve-wracking possible finale comes to pass and the teams find themselves taking penalties, they have both been valued at 8/1 to win from spot kicks, while a win for Italy in extra time is available at 9/1 or for France at 10/1.
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