2010 FIFA World Cup Bet Lines: Group F Odds, Picks and Preview

Group F seems like one of the more forgotten groups in World Cup betting this year, which is strange considering that it houses the defending world champs. Why isn’t Italy getting much fanfare this time around?

Italy (-225)

The Bodog odds show that Italy is still head and shoulders above the competition in Group F. But the lack of overall confidence in Italy’s tournament hopes stems from the advanced age of its team. From Gianluigi Buffon to Gianluca Zambrotta, most of the Azzurri’s best players have something in common: They were born in the 1970s. This old team defied expectations in 2004 and still has the talent to dominate Group F but a lengthy tournament run is unlikely this time around.

Paraguay (+300)

File Paraguay under solid but unspectacular. It had a decent qualifying run, winning at Chile and at home against Brazil. Paraguay plays generally tough defense—it ranked second best in that regard during South American qualifying, and it has some decent scoring potential up front with Nelson Haedo Valdez and the giant Oscar Cardozo.

Slovakia (+700)

Slovakia may lack the defensive responsibility to survive the group stage but it should at least do it in style. We shouldn’t underestimate them at the sportsbook as they have a dynamic midfielder and young leader in Marek Hamsik. He can control the offensive flow from his position but also jump in at forward and finish.

New Zealand (+4000)

If you were to poll every media outlet, New Zealand may well be the consensus pick as the 32nd-best team in the field of 32 in South Africa. Sure, this is a tenacious group and Ryan Nelsen is a legit defensive presence, but the cupboard is bare talent-wise. Even a draw against Slovakia would be an accomplishment.

Today’s free pick : Italy and Paraguay. Seeing Slovakia sneak through instead wouldn’t be a shocker at all but Paraguay just has a bit more depth and maturity. Slovakia may be a better bet for 2014.