Euro 2012 Odds: Spain Will Dominate More Than the Odds Expect Them Too

Spain has outscored their last four opponents by a score of 12-1, and they have been pegged as the favorite to win the 2012 European Championship by 13-5 odds (odds courtesy of PaddyPower.com).

The only question mark that the Spanish national team has is one that asks why they aren't heavier favorites.

Vincente del Bosque and company will be likely be the club to come out of Group C, which also includes Italy (16-1 odds), Republic of Ireland (80-1 odds) and Croatia (50-1 odds).

As the definitive best team in the world, Spain's fortunate group draw will only serve to aid their quest for the European Championship.

Ranked as the No. 1 team in the world by FIFA, they are way ahead of the rest of the group—Italy is No. 12, Croatia is No. 8 and Ireland is No. 18. They didn't draw slouches by any means, but the athleticism and precision that comes with Spain gives them a seemingly insurmountable advantage over the other three squads in their group.

An easy group stage journey is essential to victory in a tournament of this size and gravity, something that will propel Spain to victory and show the oddsmakers that they deserved to be more than a 13-5 favorite.

Spain has won two-of-three matches against the Italians, dating back to 2008, by an aggregate score of 6-4. The Spaniards clearly possess superior talent to the Italians, showcasing their ability through their patented tiki-taka style of play that has been lauded by international media. Xavi Hernandez has become the poster boy for the fast-paced playing style, as his method of operation is to make short, quick passes, often resulting in drawing his opponents out of position.

Spain is too polished to fall to any of the three teams in their group. Italy is their biggest threat, but the Italians are a step behind La Roja. Here's a stat that the members of Group C should take to heart: Spain has won 14 competitive matches in a row.

Once the Spanish are able to move passed the group stage, they will meet the runner-up of Group D. That group is comprised of Ukraine (50-1), Sweden (66-1), France (10-1) and England (14-1).

England beat Spain back in November, but the Spanish were far from their best in that contest, looking sloppy and unmotivated, leading to a 1-0 loss to the English. Don't expect the same result if the two teams meet in Ukraine on June 23 in the quarterfinals.

Group B, which Spain won't have to face until the semifinals, includes the Netherlands (13-2), Germany (3-1), Denmark (80-1) and Portugal (18-1). That seems to be the group of death in the 2012 European Championship.

Germany has the best chance in the field to compete with Spain, but there hasn't been much turnover since their 2008 loss in the Euro final or the World Cup semifinal loss in 2010. That's not to say that Spain owns Germany, but those losses have definitely left Germany at a disadvantage, especially in regards to their confidence against the Spaniards.

Group A is made up of Poland (50-1), Greece (100-1), Russia (22-1) and the Czech Republic (66-1). Spain won't meet any of these teams until the semifinals, and you should see a doctor if you believe that any of these teams could give the Spanish a hard time.

Make no mistake about it, Spain is going to win their second straight European Championship, and it may be in relatively easy fashion.