The World Cup is great, but nothing compares to the UEFA European Championship, aka the Euros. Almost every match is very competitive, and many of the countries are rivals from a historical and/or sporting perspective.
Euro 2024 will be played in Germany with matches held in 10 cities. Twenty-four countries will compete in six four-team groups with each side playing three matches against its group foes. The top two finishers in each group and the four-best third-place squads advance to the knockout phase, which is a bracket-style tournament to determine the champion. The final will take place July 14 in Berlin.
This group preview includes a predicted order of finish and the best prop bet involving a team or player. Throughout the Euros, I will tweet out my individual match bets and any additional futures.
Group C predicted finish (with BetMGM futures odds)
1. England, 2. Denmark, 3. Slovenia, 4. Serbia
| Team | To advance | To win group | To win Euros |
| 1. ENG | -3000 | -225 | +350 |
| 2. DEN | -300 | +400 | +5000 |
| 3. SVN | +160 | +1200 | +50000 |
| 4. SRB | -190 | +700 | +10000 |
This group features the tournament’s betting favorite in England, who are consistently the most hyped team every major tournament and usually end up being a disappointment. However, these Euros could be different for the Three Lions. They have plenty of high-end talent in their midfield and attack, and their strong squad depth gives manager Gareth Southgate plenty of options.
At the last Euros, Denmark reached the semifinals, where they mounted a valiant effort in an extra-time loss to England at Wembley Stadium. The Danes became an easy side to root for in that tournament after star player Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during their opening match and received life-saving treatment. The 32-year-old midfielder is back with the team, and his Manchester United teammate Rasmus Hojilund is a striker to keep an eye on.
Group C is rounded out by two countries from the former Yugoslavia in Serbia and Slovenia. They’re not easy to play against and should have plenty of fan support in Germany.
Best bet — Harry Kane to be top goal scorer at Euros (+550, DraftKings and FanDuel)
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England could have a very easy path. If they win the group, they would play a third-place team from Group D, E or F in the round of 16. Then they would face the runner-up from Group A or Group B in the quarterfinals.
This is one of the reasons England is the pre-tournament favorite and listed as short as -165 to reach the semifinals. I don’t have interest in either bet, but I found something else that banks on England making a deep at a bigger price — Kane to win the Golden Boot.
Kane should feel comfortable playing in Germany. Last year, he left Tottenham for Bayern Munich, and despite Bayern’s disappointing season (by their lofty standards), the striker adjusted seamlessly to life in the Bundesliga by scoring 44 goals in all competitions, including 36 in 32 league matches.
Having played a more forgiving schedule in terms of rest, as opposed to the grind of the English domestic calendar, should keep Kane more refreshed for the Euros. The England captain also takes penalties, a responsibility that boosts his prospects of leading the tournament in goals.