Unless you’ve been in hiding for a few days, you will have missed the earth-shattering news that England, founders of the game and self-righteous to the last about why they should be utterly dominant, have qualified for the World Cup.
If you were in hiding, well done. And “can we come with you next time?” Missing England’s turgid 1-0 victory over Slovenia was akin to dodging a bullet. If you had the misfortune to watch it, we only pray that you took this column’s advice when it came to betting at BMR\’s best bookmakers green list. We told you it would be dreadful. And we told you there would be under 2.5 goals and England would win 1-0.
Ordinarily when England qualify for the global tournament, there follows in the country much patriotic tub-thumping and a slow but steady descent into a state where the average Joe can envisage only one possible outcome: England to beat Germany 5-0 in the final. And once more they will, rightfully, rule the world. In-ger-lund!
Not this time. The threat of embarrassment and humiliation – for a third successive major tournament – is so close that it would seem most would rather England not be going at all. Indeed, England are currently 26.0000 with Sun Bets to win the World Cup. Those who know that Sun Bets is the offshoot of The Sun newspaper will not miss the irony. It is The Sun which often leads the tub-thumping and delusion. So it is not an insignificant price.
By the time Russia 2018 rolls around England will almost certainly be going off at their biggest-ever odds to win. Fear not, we are not about to make case for betting them, even if we do like to swim against the tide. Instead we want to push some value your way. Having been intrigued by what price England were, the odds of Argentina caught the eye on the outright.
Now if you think being an England fan is bad, the Argentinians will say they have it worse. Argentina, with some bloke called Messi, are in danger of not even qualifying.
A drab 0-0 draw against Peru on Thursday means Argentina currently sit in sixth place in the qualifying table. They need to be in the first five. To do so they have to beat Ecuador in Ecuador next Wednesday. Something they have not managed on their last three visits.
So their price has been on the drift. They are as big as 13.0000 with Bet365 to win the tournament. Now, considering they were 8.0000 to win it before qualifying began we can start to sniff the value.
Why? Because no-one really believes Argentina won’t qualify. They are too good. Against Peru they were just unfortunate, hitting the post and Messi being denied numerous times. And when they do get that win they will probably be cut again. So we, as punters and soothsayers, have 13.0000 at about a 11.0000 chance. Easy peesy.
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