England World Cup betting odds: Worth a punt?

England are 33/1 at BetVictor to lift the World Cup in Rio on Sunday July 13, making them joint ninth favourites to win the tournament outright, and punters have so far shunned their chances in the run up to the opening game against Italy in Manaus on June 14.

Manager Roy Hodgson has gone on record as saying his young side could become the first European side to win the World Cup on South American soil and after a number of major tournament disappointment could the class of 2014 belie their current odds?

As well as an experienced Azzurri (rated 25/1 to win it), England will meet Uruguay (like England at 33/1) in Sao Paulo before finishing their Group campaign against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte - the scene back in 1950 of, arguably, England’s lowest footballing moment when they were beaten 1-0 by the part-timers of the United States.

BetVictor’s current odds for where England will be eliminated are:

Group Stage: 6/5

Last 16: 11/4

Quarter Final: 4/1

Semi-Final: 8/1

Runners Up: 20/1

Winner: 33/1

Remember if England get out of the Group Stages they will play one of the Ivory Coast, Japan, Greece or Colombia and it would be wrong to describe any of those four nations as being footballing superpowers.

Wayne Rooney has never scored in the World Cup Finals but is 5/2 to be the leading England goalscorer in the tournament.

Although we have taken as many bets on no England goalscorer at 25/1 as we have on the Manchester United striker at 5/2! Rooney is 4/11 to break his finals duck and 2/1 to have a barren time in Brazil.

The Liverpool pair of Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard are next on the list at 3/1 and 10/1 respectively and the former makes plenty of appeal having scored 21 times in just 26 starts in the Premier League last season for the Reds.

England are 5/1 NOT to win a game at the World Cup and, again, this has been quite popular with both Italy and Uruguay (both 28/1) favoured over the Three Lions in the outright market.

If you think of England and major football tournaments then the words missed penalty immediately spring to mind and Hodgson’s men are 8/1 to exit the tournament following spot kicks.

The Three Lions have won just one of their seven penalty shoot-outs in major competitions and David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and, more famously, Stuart Pearce, Gareth Southgate and Chris Waddle have all missed from the spot in shoot-outs.

First up for England is four-time tournament winners Italy and there is a train of thought that a draw would suit both nations.

England are 2/1 to begin their challenge with a win with Italy 8/5 favourites and the draw also at 2/1 at BetVictor. We will be offering money back as a free bet on selected markets if a penalty is scored in the game and it promises to be tight and tense. I think Roy Hodgson would take a draw now and we bet 11/2 the game finishes 1-1 and that is the recommendation.

The brains in the BetVictor office have named their starting England XI against Italy and here is what we have come up with:

Hart; Johnson; Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Gerrard; Wilshere, Sterling, Welbeck; Rooney, Sturridge.

But how many of the BetVictor XI will be in Roy Hodgson’s side against Italy?

Over eight: 5/4

Under eight: 6/4

Exactly eight: 3/1

We will have everything covered in Brazil and, like everyone else, can’t wait for the action to begin. Can England do it? Probably not but I expect, arguably, the heart to rule the head and don’t expect the Three Lions to still be 33/1 when they line up against Italy next month, especially if they impress in their three friendlies.

Current odds for the outright tournament winners:

Brazil 3/1 favourites

Argentina 5/1

Germany 11/2

Spain 13/2

Belgium 20/1

Italy 25/1

Portugal 25/1

France 25/1

Uruguay 33/1

England 33/1

Holland 33/1

Columbia 33/1

The waiting is almost over.

For all your World Cup odds check out BetVictor.com