So the first round is complete, and just 8 teams remain. Let’s take a quick look at how the bookmakers got on in round 1. Our Round 1 Calendar gave you all of the odds from the first round matches before the tournament kicked off and if you look at the pre-tournament odds and how things panned out, you’ll see that it has been a great tournament for betting on the favourites.
If you had bet €10 on the favourite outcome in the betting you’d have made a profit of over €40. There were 24 matches, so your return on investment would have been about 16%.
This indicates that the bookies were generous with their odds on the favourites in the group stages and that the matchups weren’t nearly as close as they had thought they were going to be. There wasn’t a single match of the 24 where the draw was the favourite outcome and in the end there were only 5 draws.
Had you made the 24 bets on the favourites, you’d have won 16 times and lost 8.
Group A:
Poland (Evens) v Greece (7/2) Draw: 23/10
Poland couldn’t get the job done here. It finished 1-1.
Loss €10 Bank: -€10
Russia (5/4) v Czech Republic (11/4) Draw: 23/10
Russia were dominant in this one and showed why they were favourites.
Win €12.50 Bank: €2.50
Greece (2/1) v Czech Republic (6/4) Draw: 2/1
Greece weren’t strong enough to hold off the Czechs and it finished 2-1 to Czech.
Win €15 Bank: €17.50
Poland (2/1) v Russia (6/4) Draw: 5/2
Poland earn a well deserved draw in this one 1-1.
Loss €10 Bank: €7.50
Czech Republic (2/1) v Poland (13/8) Draw: 5/2
Poland exit the tournament in disappointing fashion after a great game that the Czechs win 1-0.
Loss €10 Bank: -€2.50
Greece (3/1) v Russia (evens) (1945) Draw: 5/2
Greece pull off one of the shocks of the tournament and send Russia out.
Loss €10 Bank: -€12.50
Group B
Holland (11/17) v Denmark (11/2) Draw: 3/1
One of the biggest shocks of the tournament sees Holland lose 1-0.
Loss €10 Bank: -€22.50
Germany (evens) v Portugal (7/2) Draw: 5/2
A dominant Germany get the job done against Portugal 1-0.
Win €10 Bank: -€12.50
Denmark (7/2) v Portugal (evens) Draw: 5/2
A roller coaster match sees the Danes go down 3-2
Win €10 Bank: -€2.50
Holland (2/1) v Germany (11/8) Draw: 5/2
Germany prove too much for the Dutch and send them down 2-1
Win €13.75 Bank: €11.25
Portugal (5/2) v Holland (6/5) Draw: 5/2
Another loss sends Holland out.
Loss €10.00 Bank: €1.25
Denmark (7/1) v Germany (1/2) Draw: 7/2
Germany make it 9 points from 9.
Win €5 Bank: €6.25
Group C
Spain (5/6) v Italy (4/1) Draw: 5/2
Italy hold out for a 1-1 draw against the World Champions.
Loss €10 Bank: -€3.75
Republic of Ireland (3/1) v Croatia (6/5) Draw: 9/4
The Croats are too much for Ireland and win 3-1.
Win €12 Bank: €8.25
Italy (6/5) v Croatia (3/1) Draw: 5/2
Another draw as Italy can’t overcome the resolute Croats.
Loss €10 Bank: -€1.75
Spain (4/11) v Republic of Ireland (10/1) Draw: 4/1
Spain crush the Irish 4-0.
Win €3.60 Bank: €1.85
Croatia (7/1) v Spain (8/13) Draw: 3/1
Spain barely get past Croatia 1-0
Win €6.15 Bank: €8.00
Italy (5/6) v Republic of Ireland (4/1) Draw: 3/1
Italy win 2-0 and qualify leaving Ireland pointless.
Win €8.30 Bank: €16.30
Group D
France (6/4) v England (2/1) Draw: 2/1
France and England play out a dull 1-1 draw.
Loss €10 Bank €6.30
Ukraine (7/5) v Sweden (5/2) Draw: 2/1
Ukraine get off to a heroic start against Sweden winning 2-1.
Win €14 Bank €20.30
Sweden (7/2) v England (evens) Draw: 5/2
An exciting match that goes England’s way 3-2.
Win €10 Bank €30.30
Ukraine (5/2) v France (5/4) Draw: 5/2
France prove too good for the Ukraine 2-0.
Win €12.50 Bank €42.80
England (evens) v Ukraine (3/1) Draw: 5/2
England end Ukraine’s dreams winning 1-0.
Win €10.00 Bank €52.80
Sweden (3/1) v France (evens) Draw: 5/2
Sweden go out with a bang winning 2-0 buy France go through.
Loss €10.00 Bank €42.80
