| Welcome to Soccer 102. In Soccer 101, we | | | | Group B; England, Paraguay, Trinidad-Tobago |
| learned a bit of history surrounding soccer, | | | | and Sweden. |
| the rules of the game and some important | | | | |
| things about the upcoming 2006 FIFA World | | | | Group C; Argentina, Ivory Coast, |
| Cup. This time around we'll focus on a little | | | | Serbia-Montenegro and the Netherlands. |
| more of the history involving the epic | | | | |
| tournament and we'll get a "how to" lesson on | | | | Group D; Mexico, Iran, Angola and Portugal. |
| wagering on soccer, on teams, on pool (group) | | | | |
| formations, on predictions and on odds. The | | | | Group E; Italy, Ghana, United States and the |
| World Cup is the largest sporting event on | | | | Czech Republic. |
| the planet. More people in the USA are | | | | |
| getting up to speed on the World Cup. One of | | | | Group F; Brazil, Croatia, Australia and |
| the reasons for this could be that many | | | | Japan. |
| Americans haven't been educated about this | | | | |
| thrilling and time-tested sport. | | | | Group G; France, Switzerland, South Korea and |
| | | | Togo. |
| By the twelfth century, the game of soccer | | | | |
| had become an extremely violent sport | | | | Group H; Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudi |
| resembling a sort of riot. The free-for-all | | | | Arabia. |
| version was subsequently banned by the | | | | |
| governing royalty of the age. Despite the | | | | Typical wagers on soccer usually involve |
| illegal status, soccer in this form continued | | | | picking the winner. Remember that the odds |
| to grow in popularity. The current, formal | | | | are set for a reason. The experts have |
| rules of today's game have evolved throughout | | | | supreme confidence in their ability to |
| the years, and they continue to be tweaked | | | | loosely predict the outcomes. Currently, the |
| annually by the Fédération | | | | favorites in the FIFA World Cup are Brazil |
| Internationale de Football Association | | | | (odds to win it all ~ 3/1), Germany (~ 7/1), |
| (FIFA). | | | | England, Italy and Argentina (~ 8/1), France |
| | | | (~12/1), and Spain and Holland (Netherlands) |
| Formed in 1904, the FIFA originated from | | | | (~ 14/1). Odds change frequently and vary |
| seven separate European soccer associations. | | | | depending on the sportsbook you use. |
| Destined to be the world's governing soccer | | | | |
| body, the annual FIFA Congress originally | | | | If you want to get some high odds on possible |
| focused on international competition and a | | | | history making and non-traditional winners, |
| possible international tournament. However, | | | | bet on Trinidad-Tobago (~1000/1) or Saudi |
| with the start of World War I, all plans for | | | | Arabia (~750/1). Iran, Costa Rica and Togo |
| an immense tournament were put on hold until | | | | are also long-shots at about 500/1. If you |
| 1930 when the first FIFA sponsored global | | | | feel uneasy about wagering on underdogs, you |
| tournament was held in Uruguay. The host | | | | may want to stay with the teams near the |
| nation won the contest by defeating Argentina | | | | middle of the field - Portugal, Sweden, |
| in the finals. However, global travel was | | | | Mexico, Ukraine and the USA. There are |
| extremely time-consuming and slow at that | | | | countless other ways to lay bets on this |
| time and many European nations declined to | | | | titanic tournament. Wagering on a team to |
| play due to the thirty-day float across the | | | | place or show, group winner, group |
| big pond. | | | | qualifying, head-to-head match, final pair, |
| | | | and most goals are just a few of the |
| Up until this point, the Olympic Games | | | | opportunities for bettors. |
| represented the highest level of competition | | | | |
| in soccer, even though at that time Olympic | | | | Wagering is a mix of luck, art and |
| participation was restricted to amateur | | | | statistics. There are a number of ways to |
| athletes. The World Cup offered a new | | | | "parlay", or combine your bets, within one |
| professional level of international | | | | sport or through a combination of various |
| competition. It immediately became popular in | | | | sports. These types of bets are a great way |
| many countries; however it took some time for | | | | to increase your possible payoff, but they |
| the European soccer faction to get completely | | | | are often difficult to hit because of the way |
| on board. | | | | the combinations are often presented. If you |
| | | | know what you are doing, or you just have a |
| The second World Cup was held in Italy, and | | | | gut feeling about two or more match-ups, |
| the location of the event went a long way to | | | | parlaying your wagers into one can offer a |
| bolstering European support. Benito | | | | bigger payday than just a straight bet. |
| Mussollini was at the helm of the Italian | | | | |
| government, and his fascist regime used the | | | | In World Cup wagering, you can also get |
| tournament to gain popularity for their | | | | campaign wagering on particular nations. The |
| agenda. Once again the host nation was the | | | | Australian and the England campaign are two |
| champion in 1934. | | | | of the most popular. A bettor predicts at |
| | | | what phase of the tournament either of these |
| Many European soccer enthusiasts had | | | | clubs will exit, or even if they will go on |
| succumbed to the governing FIFA, although | | | | to win it all. Wagering within the groups is |
| there were still some strong holdouts. The | | | | another popular form of betting in the early |
| British Isles - England, Scotland and Wales - | | | | rounds. Any big upsets at this stage can |
| still refused to participate partly due to | | | | produce an adequate return on your investment |
| political differences with Italy and partly | | | | and these are generally much easier to |
| due to just plain stubbornness. In 1938 for | | | | predict than which teams will win, place or |
| the third world Cup, 36 nations entered the | | | | show in the tournament. |
| competition, and for the first time | | | | |
| preliminary games were played to reduce the | | | | I like Germany to win it all. They are |
| field to 16 teams. The British Isles were | | | | playing as the host country and the home team |
| still a no-show, despite the fact that the | | | | has won six of 17 tournaments. Plus, they are |
| tournament was held in France, where | | | | loaded with talent, making them an authentic |
| diplomatic relations with Great Britain laid | | | | threat to beat any team on any given day. I |
| in a somewhat benign stasis. Italy repeated | | | | also like England's chances. They are in the |
| as World Champions. | | | | same group as Sweden, which has traditionally |
| | | | been a problem for them, but I know the |
| The twelve years that followed saw the world | | | | English want to put an end to that long |
| in a horrendous World War and consequently, | | | | losing streak. Thirty-seven years is a long |
| the World Cup was put on hold. When it | | | | time to go without a win against a team like |
| resumed, the FIFA World Cup was undisputedly | | | | Sweden. The English appear to be on a mission |
| the highest level of international tournament | | | | to put this controversy to rest. Brazil |
| competition in soccer. | | | | probably has the best and most talented team |
| | | | in the entire field. Just like any other |
| Since 1958, the tournament locations have | | | | tournament, it isn't necessarily the best |
| alternated between Europe and the Americas. | | | | team that will emerge victorious; it is the |
| That is, until 2002, when Korea and Japan | | | | team that builds the most momentum through |
| were selected to co-host the event. In 2006, | | | | confidence and emotion to perform at their |
| the event is being held in Germany. Even | | | | peak potential. |
| though the tournament is in Europe, the | | | | |
| odds-on-favorite is Brazil at ~3/1. | | | | The 2006 FIFA World Cup is an event unlike |
| | | | any other. With all its adversity, triumph |
| If you are thinking of laying down a bet or | | | | and tragedy, it is the defining international |
| two on the World Cup, there are some things | | | | event for the soccer world. It is on a scale |
| you might want to consider. First of all, | | | | like no other; pitting nation against nation |
| consider that the make-up of the pools or | | | | and culture versus culture as the pride of an |
| groups is extremely relevant. | | | | entire continent hangs in the balance. From |
| | | | the 9th of June to the 9th of July 2006, this |
| Group A; Germany, Costa Rica, Poland and | | | | epic contest will be fought on German soil |
| Ecuador. | | | | and just about the entire world will be |
| | | | watching. |