The UEFA European Championship of 2016, usually referred to as UEFA Euro 2016 or Euro2016, is scheduled to take place in France from 10 June to 10 July 2016. This will be the 15th edition of the European men’s football championship, which takes place every 4 years, and seems to grow in popularity all the time. Football is without a doubt the worlds most watched game, and the UEFA Championship games always pull in the crowds.
After a lengthy bidding process France was chosen as the host nation on 28 May 2010 while matches will be played in 10 French cities. Along with the prestigious Championship title, the winning team will earn a place at the 2023 FIFA Confederations Cup, to be held in Russia.
The European Championship always attracts a lot of attention from fans and bettors alike, but the Euro2016 is especially compelling thanks to its new format. For the very first time, the title will be contested by 24 teams.
This means a group stage consisting of 6 groups of 4 teams will be contested, followed by a knockout stage. This knockout stage will include 3 rounds, and the final will then take place. After quite an involved qualifying process, the 24 competing nations were chosen as Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Wales and, as the host nation with a guaranteed spot, France.
Online and offline bookmakers offer various different sports betting options for the Euro2016, and these should appeal to bettors at every level. It’s possible to simply bet on who will win each match or whether it will be a draw, and there are several other outright wagers to place. Punters can also put money on naming the top goal scorer, the finalists, the semi-finalists, the team to concede most goals, the highest scoring group, the lowest scoring group and many other markets.
It’s possible to place wagers before a game begins, and many bookmakers offer in-play live betting, where wagers are placed or adjusted in response to the unfolding action. Those who are serious about betting should do as much research into odds, tips and statistics as possible, and should consider their wagering strategies very carefully.
Betting markets are already open, with host country France starting out as the favourite. Spain is also looking for a win, hoping to clinch the title a record three times in a row, whilst Belgium with its golden generation and England with its younger team remain outsiders in the betting markets, with odds priced at 9/1.
Every four years a large number of bets are placed on the UEFA Championship games and sportsbook markets continue to grow, as interest in the sport and the potential money making opportunities reach new levels.
