If you’re going to bet on World Cup odds, now is the time as the semifinals are about to get underway in South Africa, starting on Tuesday with Uruguay and the Netherlands, and then end on Wednesday with Germany and Spain, a rematch of the Euro 2008 finals.
Uruguay Holland Betting – Tuesday, 2:30 PM ET
The Netherlands are a -165 favorite in this semifinal showdown, while Uruguay comes in at +475, and a draw is listed at +260. The Dutch came away with a crucial 2-1 win over Brazil to knock out the Samba Kings, and it was a pair of goals from Wesley Sneijder that did the trick. Uruguay is a country that, if you’re an NFL betting player, you may compare to the 1969 New York Jets, although we’re not sure if anyone made any guarantees to win the game. The Uruguayans beat Ghana 4-2 on penalties after finishing 1-1 in regulation, but they received some luck when Ghana missed a late penalty. These two have met just twice, with each winning one game, and the Dutch won the only World Cup meeting between them, a 2-0 win in the group stages at West Germany 1974. Uruguay will be missing Luis Suarez because of suspension, which puts a lot of pressure on strike partner Diego Forlan. (Online betting pick: Holland -165)
Germany Spain Betting – Wednesday, 2:30 PM ET
The Germans, rated at +170, would be like a team full of freshmen and sophomores becoming a college football betting favorite, as they have nine players 25 or younger. But they’re coming off a 4-0 rout of Argentina, their second straight game with four goals and third of the tournament, with Miroslav Klose notching a pair. Spain, the pre-tournament favorites, are rated as the favorite at +155 after a 1-0 win over Paraguay, a match that saw two penalties saved in the same game for the first time since Argentina-Mexico in 1930. These two powers have met 20 times, with Germany winning eight and drawing six, but the Spanish beat the Germans 1-0 in the final of the 2008 European championships, and the Germans would love to avenge that. The Germans will be without Thomas Muller, who has four goals in the tournament so far, but he picked up a late yellow card against Argentina. Still, the Germans have a lot of weapons, while Spain has yet to play their best game, and Fernando Torres is struggling mightily up front, which leaves David Villa to carry the load. The winner of the midfield matchup between Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger and Spain’s Xavi could determine who will go on to Sunday’s final. (Online betting pick: Germany +170)
