World Cup Betting
World Cup 2010 - A Simulation
With the World Cup just three months away, the team behind the leading football game Championship Manager have recently decided to simulate the entire tournament, from start to finish.
Featuring the thirty two teams, correct squads and formations, the team set about playing all sixty four matches of the 2010 World Cup in full to try and determine who would triumph. If the actual tournament pans out in the same way, there will be plenty of opportunities to profit on your betting….
Germany eliminated in group stage
The biggest casualties of the group stages in the simulated 2010 World Cup were Germany. Joachim Low’s side are 7/2 to be eliminated in the group stages in South Africa and a late Asamoah Gyan goal saw the 1990 winners crash out at the expense of Ghana.
England reach quarter finals
England’s progress through Group C was smooth. In their opening match against the USA, the simulation saw the Three Lions win 3-1 with goals from Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard. Fabio Capello’s side were also in good form in their second match, with two goals from Rooney and two from Jermain Defoe sealing qualification with a 4-1 thumping of Algeria.
With a place in the last sixteen already secure, England draw 0-0 with Slovenia in the final group match, a result which sees the Slovenians qualify at the expense of the USA. England are 4/11 to win Group C in South Africa.
After winning the group, the simulated World Cup saw England face Group D runners-up, Australia, in Rustenburg. England are once again on top form as first half goals from Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard give the Three Lions a 3-0 lead. Australia have two men red-carded in the second half and England win 3-0.
However, according to the simulation, England fall at the next hurdle and it is 7/2 that England will be eliminated at the quarter final stage for the third consecutive tournament. This time it is their old rivals Argentina who end their campaign, a Lionel Messi goal giving Diego Maradona’s side a narrow 1-0 win in Johannesburg.
Ghana lead the Africa challenge
After eliminating Germany in Group D, it is the Black Stars of Ghana that lead the African challenge in 2010. An exciting quarter final tie saw Ghana beat France after extra time to become the first African country to reach a World Cup semi-final. The fairytale was ended there, however, as four time champions Italy recorded a 2-0 victory.
Italy win the World Cup
Italy are a 12/1 chance to win the World Cup, and if this simulation is anything to go by, that’s where your money should be.
After qualifying from Group F with ease, it takes a nervy penalty shootout for Marcello Lippi’s side to defeat a gallant Holland. In the quarter finals they face pre-tournament favourites Spain and, in the match of the tournament, the Azzuri prevail, beating Vicente del Bosque’s side 4-3 in a thrilling encounter.
A workmanlike 2-0 win over Ghana in the semi-finals follows, before Italy are drawn against 1978 and 1986 champions Argentina in the World Cup Final. There, top scorer Alberto Gilardino’s first half goal proves to be the difference between the two sides and Italy are crowned the World Champions for the fifth time.
Verdict
If the World Cup proper does pan out like this simulation, then the 33/1 about it being an Italy v Argentina final would be a good place to start your betting. You could back Ghana to reach the semi-finals at 10/1 and Portugal to reach the last four at 5/1. Italy’s Alberto Gilardino is 33/1 to be tournament top goalscorer and you can back Argentina at 4/1 to reach the final.
I know that it might be only fantasy, but with these football management simulations getting ever increasingly realistic, you just never know….
