Euro Final Set To Be Biggest Since World Cup Final

Up to 500 bets per minute are set to be placed on tonight’s Euros Final once the game kicks off, report William Hill. Anywhere up to £25 million is expected to have been wagered on the match in the build up to the game in the UK alone. “The final of any major tournament is always going to be a massive draw for our punters and they have already been getting involved with gusto. As things stand, over half of all bets placed have been for Spain to win,” said Hill’s spokesman Joe Crilly. “This match is set to be the biggest since the World Cup Final in 2010.”

Spain are 23/20 to win the match in 90 minutes, with Italy 11/4 and the draw 21/10. Spain are 8/15 to lift the trophy, while Italy are 6/4 to do so. Hills are offering a couple of matchwinners for tonight’s game, going 7/1 for Balotelli to score and Italy to win in 90 minutes, while the same price is offered for Iniesta to score anytime and Spain to win in 90 minutes. The match is 4/1 to go to penalties.

Llorente and Torres are the 6/1 favourites to open the scoring tonight, but should Del Bosque decide that he wants to start with no strikers once again, Fabregas and Pedro are offered at 7/1 and 9/1 repectively. Mario Balotelli looks the most likely to score for the Italians at 7/1.

Euro Final:

90 minutes: 23/20 Spain; 11/4 Italy; 21/10 Draw

Lift the trophy: 8/15 Spain; 6/4 Italy

Match to go to penalties: 4/1

First scorer: 6/1 Fernando Llorente; 6/1 Fernando Torres; 7/1 Mario Balotelli; 7/1 Cesc Fabregas; 7/1 Alvaro Negredo; 9/1 Pedro; 9/1 Antonio Di Natale; 10/1 BAR

Joe Crilly
Press Officer

Twitter: @footy_joe

T: 0208 918 3746
M: 07850 518 164
E: jcrilly@williamhill.co.uk

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Super Mario Brothers Head To Head On Thursday

Germany are 2/5 favourites to progress to the final of the Euros, also offered at 10/11 by William Hill to win the match in 90 minutes. Germany are expected to win the match comfortably, and Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose are 9/2 favourites to open the scoring. As if to highlight the perceived dominance of the German side, only one Italian player is in the top five in the first scorer betting – the mercurial Mario Balotelli (13/2).

The Italian has the potential to light up any stage with his ability but he is also prone to seeing the occasional red mist. Super Mario is 12/1 to receive a red card in Thursday’s encounter in 90 minutes. It is 25/1 that a red card is the first thing that happens to Balotelli in the match. The favourite is that he gets subbed at 11/10, 13/8 he will finish the match, 5/2 he will be booked and 4/1 he will score. With a character like Balotelli on the pitch, each of those are as likely as the other but William Hill believe he will behave himself without scoring and will be replaced.

There is another Super Mario expected to be on the pitch on Thursday night and that is the German one, Gomez. The joint top goal scorer at Euro 2012 is 5/2 that he will be beat Balotelli in a goals match bet with the Italian at 10/3. The odds suggest they may do as well as each other with a tie rated at 8/15.

“It could be argued that Gomez has been the stand out performer in a Germany team that has done so well at this tournament but Balotelli, while not being as prolific, has the ability to turn a game on its head in an instant,” said Hill’s spokesman Joe Crilly.

Germany/Italy:

Match betting: 10/11 Germany; 7/2 Italy; 11/5 Draw

To qualify: 2/5 Germany; 7/4 Italy

Man of the Match: 7/2 Mesut Ozil; 9/2 Andrea Pirlo; 11/2 Mario Gomez; 7/1 Miroslav Klose; 8/1 Mario Balotelli; 9/1 Lukas Podolski; 9/1 Marco Reus; 9/1 Antonio Cassano; 10/1 Antonio Di Natale; 10/1 Bastian Schweinsteiger; 11/1 BAR

Match to go to penalties: 5/1

First scorer: 9/2 Mario Gomez; 9/2 Miroslav Klose; 13/2 Lukas Podolski; 13/2 Mario Balotelli; 15/2 Marco Reus; 8/1 BAR

The Mario Derby:
Gomez Vs Balotelli (Bets void if both players don’t start)

5/2 Gomez, 8/15 tie, 10/3 Balotelli

12/1 Balotelli to receive a red card (90 mins only)

What will Balotelli do first? (90 mins only)
11/10 Be subbed, 13/8 Finish the match, 5/2 Booked, 4/1 Score, 25/1 receive a red card

Joe Crilly
Press Officer

Twitter: @footy_joe

T: 0208 918 3746
M: 07850 518 164
E: jcrilly@williamhill.co.uk

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Poland Save William Hill £2m Payout

By avoiding defeat to Russia, Poland did William Hill a massive favour. Russia were Hill’s first £2m liability of the tournament with punters having backed them as if they could not lose (from 7/5 to 23/20 and at every price in between). Over £1,000,000 of the liability was on singles alone with £500,000 wrapped up in accumulators.

“Blaszczykowski’s strike could not have been any sweeter,” said Hill’s spokesman Joe Crilly. “Not only because it was a wonder strike but because it saved us paying out a fortune as well.”

After the Czech’s early goal against Greece became the fastest goal of the Euros so far, Hills offer 16/1 that there is a quicker goal scored at any point in the tournament. Hills also offer 6/5 that three or more additional goals are scored in the opening five minutes of games throughout the rest of the tournament.

How many MORE goals in first five minutes of Euros games: 6/5 three or more; 8/13 two or fewer

Group A winner: 3/10 Russia; 4/1 Czech Republic; 7/1 Poland; 33/1 Greece

Group A qualify (not to): 1/10 Russia (11/2); 4/5 Czech Republic (10/11); 5/4 Poland (4/7); 10/3 Greece (1/5)

Top goalscorer: 3/1 Alan Dzagoev; 6/1 Mario Gomez; 14/1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic; 14/1 Antonio Di Natale; 14/1 Vclav Pilar; 14/1 Karim Benzema; Mario Mandzukic; 14/1 Andriy Shevchenko; 16/1 BAR

Euros outright: 11/4 Germany; 3/1 Spain; 9/1 France; 10/1 England; 12/1 Italy; 12/1 Holland; 12/1 Russia; 20/1 Portugal; 25/1 Croatia; 40/1 Ukraine; 40/1 Denmark; 50/1 Poland; 66/1 Czech Republic;100/1 Sweden; 150/1 Greece; 250/1 Rep of Ireland

Joe Crilly
Press Officer

Twitter: @footy_joe

T: 0208 918 3746
M: 07850 518 164
E: jcrilly@williamhill.co.uk

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Euros Latest: Shevchenko 10/1 For Golden Boot

Euro co-hosts, Ukraine went top of Group D after an Andriy Shevchenko brace and William Hill make them 4/6 to qualify from the group and 4/1 to win it. Shevchenko is 10/1 to bag the golden boot.

“Shevchenko is a national hero in the Ukraine and even more so now,” said Hill’s spokesman Joe Crilly. “Just imagine what it would be like if he ended the tournament with the golden boot.”

England drew with France and given the way in which the Three Lions have set up in Roy Hodgson’s first three games, they could all be tight affairs and they are 14/1 to remain unbeaten but to go out at the group stages.

14/1 – England to go unbeaten but fail to qualify

Group D winner: 6/4 France; 7/4 England; 4/1 Ukraine; 11/2 Sweden

Golden boot: 5/1 Mario Gomez; 8/1 Alan Dzagoev; 10/1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic; 10/1 Andriy Shevhenko; 12/1 Karim Benzema; 14/1 Antonio Di Natale; 14/1 Mario Mandzukic; 16/1 BAR

Tournament winner: 5/2 Germany; 3/1 Spain; 9/1 France; 10/1 Italy; 12/1 Holland; 12/1 England; 12/1 Russia; 20/1 Portugal; 25/1 Croatia; 401Ukraine; 40/1 Denmark; 50/1 Poland; 100/1 Czech Republic; 100/1 Sweden; 100/1 Greece; 250/1 Republic of Ireland

To qualify from the group (not to): 4/9 France (13/8) ; 8/15 England (11/8); 4/6 Ukraine (11/10); 9/2 Sweden (1/8)

Joe Crilly
Press Officer

Twitter: @footy_joe

T: 0208 918 3746
M: 07850 518 164
E: jcrilly@williamhill.co.uk

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