The World Cup is less than two months away and football fans from all over the world are anxiously waiting for the event to kick-off. Punters don't have to wait that long, as bookmakers have already published the odds for most of the upcoming events and they are unlikely to grow much further.
Brazil is the team that spends the most time in the spotlight, for the simple reason that they are the hosts and a perennial favorite to lift the trophy. In 2014, this powerful combination will result in odds that are lower than what many would have hoped for, as Brazil is credited with the first chance to prevail.
Group stage and event prospects
Those who fancy backing Brazil to win the tournament should know that the odds with Bet365 stand at 3.75 at the moment of writing. They might go a bit higher, but they are unlikely to cross the 4.00 limit, regardless of how undervalued this bet might look. The hosts have a formidable offensive team, but if Neymar remains sidelined or fails to play at full potential, their chances to win are greatly diminished.
This is one of the things that punters should focus on in the upcoming months and the best part is that news are abundant and information easy to find. Another way of betting is by waiting for the group stage to conclude, to see what team Brazil will be pit against, before placing a wager. The odds are unlikely to drop much further and if they are to lock horns with another favorite, it might be wise to pass.
Winning the group stage should be merely a formality, as they play against the likes of Cameroon, Croatia and Mexico. Luiz Felipe Scolari knows how to keep players in check, despite their huge egos and it is unlikely for Brazil to suffer a meltdown early in the event. Not winning Group A is most unlikely, with the odds for Croatia and Mexico being long at 7 to 1, respectively 9 to 1.
Key players for Brazil at the World Cup
There is an indissoluble link between the top players and the chances of one team to prevail at an event of such magnitude and Brazil makes no exception. Punters might consider backing certain players to score the most goals, give the most passes or be nominated the Player of the World Cup. In this case, Neymar is a solid choice for the top scorer bet and the odds for this to happen are 13 to 1.
The young Brazilian striker is only second to Messi and tied with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, but he has an advantage over Real Madrid's international. Brazil is the main favorite to win the cup and as a result, he is likely to play more games, which translates to more opportunities to score. Neymar is also the natural choice for midfielders when it comes to decisive passes, so he's expected to enjoy plenty of action
Paulinho and Luis Gustavo are two other players to watch for, but for all the wrong reasons as they could be the weak link in their midfield. None of them are top class players and when pit against with German and Spanish opponents, they are unlikely to stand to scrutiny. The midfield is the Achilles' heel for Brazil but this should only become obvious in the latter stages of the World Cup 2014.
The bottom line
There is no value whatsoever in backing Brazil to win the group at 1.25, but it might be worth a shot betting on them to lift the trophy for the 6th time in history.
