posted June 4, 2008 at 16:50 EST in Soccer Articles

Italy, the defending World Cup Champions, will go into the Euro 2008 tournament without perhaps their most important player, Fabio Cannavaro. How will the loss affect them?

Well, there’s no way to tell. Italy is such a talented team that even without Fabio Cannavaro they should have no problem getting out of their group…right?

I’m not so sure. Group C has some serious playas! Besides Italy, Group C has both Portugal, with the brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo leading the way and the Netherlands who are traditionally always very tough.

Cannavaro is an Italian captain. Losing your captain before a major tournament is never a good thing. Keep that in mind all you Euro betting faithful. Then, having to battle the likes of Portugal and the Netherlands without your captain makes things even more difficult.

The defending World Cup and FIFA champions are up against it in Euro 2008.

That makes an online betting soccer wager on these guys difficult at what I see as low BetUS soccer betting odds of 13 to 2. As good as Italy has been in the past, well, forever, it makes no sense to take them in this tournament when their captain won’t be on the “pitch”.

Us American’s don’t fight over our “futbol” games. We’re more interested in which team, or teams, will pull an upset and help us pad our sports betting bankrolls. That means, as always, finding an online wagering overlay to get us to the next tournament!

Let’s take a look at the teams I believe could surprise at nice Euro betting odds in Euro 2008!

Best Overlaid Teams to Win Euro 2008

1. Portugal - - BetUS online odds 7/1 - - Nice odds, the best player in soccer right now in Christiano Ronaldo. ‘Nuff said, right?

2. Czhech Republic - - BetUS online odds 12/1 - - After you realize that the Czech have qualified for the EUFA European Championship on the last four occasions you start to think that maybe, at 12 to 1 online betting odds, these guys have a shot.

3. Holland (Netherlands) - - BetUS online odds 12 to 1 - - These guys are always there. With Cannavro’s injury, the Italians could get upset. This is another top team in Group C that could go all the way.

4. Croatia - - BetUS odds 11 to 1 - - These fellas qualified over both the Russians, who did make it into Euro 2008, and the English in Group E during the qualifying round. They have what it takes and, eventually, the stranglehold that the Germans and Italians have on European Soccer will diminish some.

5. Spain - - BetUS odds 11 to 2 - - They aren’t really a long-shot in the betting range that I like, but that’s okay. They are a European Super Power and will eventually break that losing streak in the Euro Championship; they haven’t won this thing since 1964. Why not this year at okay online betting odds?

6. Turkey - - BetUS odds 30 to 1 - - Yes, they are a long-shot. They are a huge long-shot. They might even be an online soccer betting underlay at 30 to 1, but there’s something about this Turkish team that I like. They’ve been slowly, very slowly, making their way up the European soccer ladder and their coach, Fatih Terim, is a brilliant strategist. At 30 to 1…why not take a stab?

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