Euro 2012 Odds: Smartest Plays in Entire Field

This is the time when the best of the best must rise above and assert their dominance over…the rest of the best.

There are no slouches among the field of 16 at Euro 2012, which is excellent news for the fans and bad news for the teams actually competing for a championship. Particularly for those in the deadly Group B, one mistake could cost them the chance to move on. As a result, each and every squad must be at its best for the entirety of the tournament.

Of them all, which teams are the best bets? Here's a look. You can see a full list of the odds below. 

Spain (11-4)

Could the Spaniards really become the first team ever to win two consecutive Euros and three consecutive titles overall, including Euro and the World Cup? The odds seem to say so. When Group C opens on Sunday, Spain is expected to take care of Italy with little fanfare, and then do the same to Ireland and Croatia as the week progresses.

Ever since 2008, there's been no national team better than Spain, a change that occurred at Euro 2008 quarterfinals, according to defender Gerard Pique. He told IBN Live, "I think it changed the mentality of the national team. Before Spain played to avoid losing but afterwards they played to win."

Even without David Villa and Carlos Puyol, no one is expecting Spain to lose—certainly not in the first round, but possibly not at all. 

Germany (10-3)

For the Germans, the biggest obstacle will be making sure they are ready to take down the entire Portugal squad in their first match—not just Cristiano Ronaldo. It seems they've found a way to do it by adopting a very conservative attitude and refusing to take anything for granted, especially not their front-runner status.

Germany may be a young team led by the likes of Mario Gotze, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller, but it is a deep and talented team that managed to finish third at the World Cup two years ago.

Fullback Philipp Lahm is cautiously confident in his squad, telling the Telegraph's Paul Hayward: 

"

We have a very balanced squad, with great strength in depth, everybody’s doing his bit to make our dream come true. We won the match for third place at the 2010 World Cup, we came second at Euro 2008 and now we want more. But we know perfectly well that nothing is easy and that there are no guarantees just because you tell yourselves ‘now’ it’s our turn. 

"

There's nothing more dangerous than a talented team scorned—twice in the last four years, at that. Even in the Death Group that also features Portugal and Holland, this is a safe bet. 

France (8-1)

A first-round test against England will be no easy feat, but France boasts 23 players who currently play for English clubs, according to Reuters, and all of them are prepared to face a strong English squad despite the fact that the Brits have been riddled with injuries and suspensions prior to Euro 2012.

Patrice Evra told Reuters: 

"

They are not going to give us anything. There is a lot of talk about how many injuries they have and the fact that they have just had a new manager. But look at what happened with [Roberto] Di Matteo at Chelsea—he came in late in the season and won the Champions League. So that means nothing. 

"

The French realize that in order to have a fighting chance throughout the rest of the tournament, it's imperative that they earn a resounding win over England right off the bat, but they're not going to over-prepare to get it, according to the New Straits Times.

Instead, they're relying on the fact that their players are familiar enough with England's style of play—and its players—to begin their journey to the finals on a positive note. 

Euro 2012 Odds

Spain 11-4
Germany 10-3
Holland 6-1
France 8-1
England 14-1
Russia 14-1
Italy 17-1
Portugal 19-1
Croatia 50-1
Ukraine 50-1
Poland 50-1
Sweden 66-1
Ireland 80-1
Denmark 80-1
Greece 100-1
Czech Republic 150-1