All the odds ahead of the big kick-off

• Football
• 15.06.2013 21:00
• Posted by: csabax
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With the Confederations Cup starting imminently in Brazil, Luke Moore casts his eye across the latest odds ahead of the big kick-off...

Brazil will start this year's Confederations Cup as 2.64 favourites. While at first glance, this seems reasonable - they're the home team, and they're Brazil - it is perhaps a little surprising considering the form they've been in recently and the strength of one or two of the other teams in the competition.

Vicente Del Bosque's all-conquering Spain side won't start much longer than Brazil, they're currently just 2.84 to lift the trophy, and, given La Roja have lifted three major tournaments in a row and the relatively poor form of Luis Felipe Scolari's men, look a much shrewder bet than their hosts.

It's hard to see past these two teams for the overall trophy, but if you are feeling slightly more adventurous you'll get 8.6 on Cesare Prandelli's Italians and a chunky 11.6 on Copa America winners Uruguay. The men from Montevideo are a talented bunch but have been in indifferent form of late, especially away from home, and that may go some way to explaining the hefty price.

Outside of these four heavyweights, the prices do get quite long indeed, starting with Olympic champions Mexico who are available to back at 23.0, African Cup of Nations champions Nigeria (65.0) and Asian champions Japan (55.0). That leaves us with just Tahiti to make up the eight nations competing and they are, rather obviously, available to back on the exchange at a generous but ultimately fair price of 1000.0.

Although Tahiti have next to no chance of winning the tournament or even qualifying from their group, that doesn't mean you can't have a flutter on them. The Tahiti to Score a Goal? market is now up and running , and if you fancy them to get on the score sheet at any time throughout the tournament then back them at 1.75. You'd have to be pretty cold-hearted to back No in that market, but if that's your bag then a slightly longer 1.87 is on offer.

Elsewhere on the markets, Brazilian wonderkid Neymar is currently favourite for the coveted Golden Shoe at 9.0, closely followed by Uruguay's Luis Suarez at 9.2. Fred may well be the value bet to finish as top scorer though; his goalscoring record is solid at international level and he's in excellent form; 14.5 for the Brazilian to be top marksman seems a very reasonable price indeed. If you're more interested in backing a top scorer from the group featuring whipping boys Tahiti and you don't fancy a tickle on the aforementioned Suarez then Roberto Soldado (off the back of a fine season for Valencia) is available to back at 16.5.

The action kicks off at 8pm on Saturday 15th June with hosts Brazil (1.32) taking on Japan. Japan are currently a colossal 13.0 to pile yet more misery on the Samba Boys, with the draw a seemingly generous 5.8.

(Source: Betfair) 

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