World Cup Betting Preview: The Three Teams to Consider

World Cup 2014 betting preview: The countdown to World Cup 2014 is now truly after the conclusion of the qualifying groups and we will be bringing you will the best build up for Brazil 2014.

Once the play-offs are complete, the draw will take place and the anticipation will really begin to build. Several have the nations have the potential of lifting the trophy? Here are three I consider to be major candidates to win the tournament.

Brazil – Best Odds 7/2 Betway

Brazil are five time winners of the World Cup and are favourites to do so again, and judging by their recent victory at the Confederations Cup, it's hard to disagree. They dismissed current World Cup and European Championship holders Spain in impressive style in the Confederations Cup Final running out 3-0 winners.  As expected their squad is chock full of talent in all areas; spearheaded by wonder-kid Neymar, he and strike partner Fred are proving doubters wrong by having a built a proflific goal-scoring partnership. 

However can Brazil defend well enough to back up their attacking talent. Led by strong pacey centre back Thiago Silva, experienced manager Luis Felipe Scolari will have to put his faith in the likes of offensively minded David Luiz, Marcelo and Dani Alves to do their defensive duties. At odds of 10/3, there's no great value in the price in a tournament as open as this, but with the feverish home support they have a good chance of going far. 

Germany – Best Odds 11/2 Sportingbet

Three time winners Germany consistently get to the latter stages of a World Cup and have to be considered for any World Cup prediction – the last time they didn't make at the least the quarter-finals was 1978 in Argentina. Despite this efficiency, will be disappointed to have only won it once during that period. Their squad is a good mixture of veterans and young exciting talent.

Captained by the ever admired Phillip Lahm, manager Joachim Lowe has several world class players available such as Mesut Özil, Mario Götze and Bastian Schweinsteiger with the fire power of Marco Reus and Thomas Muller. Certainly a side to be feared Germany possess no glaring weaknesses, although centre back Mats Hummels is recently prone to worrying mistakes. World Cup winner odds of 11/2 have some appeal, especially if you want a team you can bank on keeping in your interests into the latter stages.

Holland – Best Odds 20/1 Coral

To finish, Holland look an interesting proposition to me in the current World Cup odds. The European heavyweights reached the final in 2010 and could have run out winners had  Arjen Robben taken a key chance. They have a vast amount of attacking talent; Robin Van Persie has been the Premier League's top goalscorer two years running and Arjen Robben has been busy tearing defences apart in the Champions League and Bundesliga.

Cultured midfielders like Wesley Sneijder and Van Der Vaart can control the game from midfield plus exciting youngsters such as Kevin Strootman and Georginio Wignaldum should ensure they are stronger than last time out. They'll be determined to make amends after a disappointing European Championship campaign in 2012 where they were eliminated from a group that included Germany and Portugal, so we would expect them to bite back two years on. With no real recognised world class defenders Holland may be a bit suspect at the back, but they have the potential to score enough goals to make odds of 18/1 a price well worth looking at.

Bet on the World Cup in Brazil with a risk free £50 bet from Sportingbet, a isk free bet means you can bet up to £50 on your first bet and if it loses you get your stake back to use again.

To get your risk free £50 bet:

1. Click this link straight to Sportingbet

2. Open a new account for free

3. Place a £50 bet

4. If your bet loses you will get a free £50 bet

OPEN A NEW SPORTINGBET ACCOUNT HERE

See all the latest World Cup 2014 winner odds at Sportingbet.

By Luke Haynes