Euro 2020 Betting Favorites, Dark Horses and Teams to Watch

Euro 2020 betting currently has France as the bookmakers' favorite to win a first continental title in 21 years.

Les Bleus, the reigning world champions after their World Cup triumph three years ago, are joined in the so-called group of death by defending champions Portugal and Germany.

Both teams are potential dark horses for the title, with England and Belgium just marginally ahead in the eyes of the bookmakers.

Here's a breakdown of the Euro 2020 favorites for the tournament. (All odds accurate at the time of writing and courtesy of William Hill)

France

At 9-2, France arrives into the tournament as the bookmakers' favorite and for good reason. Beaten finalists at home five years ago, Les Bleus responded in style winning the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and coach Didier Deschamps has an embarrassment of riches in attack, with Karim Benzema returning to the national side after a six-year hiatus to join jet-heeled Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann in a potentially devastating front three.

When France won the World Cup three years ago, its centre-forwards failed to score a single goal and the return of the Real Madrid striker, who has scored 87 league goals in the last three seasons, should address the issue. Behind the attacking trio, N'Golo Kante, fresh from winning the Champions League with Chelsea, Paul Pogba and Adrien Rabiot offer a mix of grit and guile, while veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris remains an influential figure.

Les Bleus have won 10 of their 13 games they have played since qualifying for the Euros with the only loss coming in a friendly against Finland, but will have to hit the ground running in Group F, which contains reigning champions Portugal and Germany.

France won the Euros in 2000 after winning the World Cup two years earlier. Can history repeat itself?

England

There is plenty to be positive about England, who is looking to end a 55-year wait for a major trophy and has the second-shortest odds at 6-1. In Harry Kane, coach Gareth Southgate has arguably the best striker in the competition, while Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount are the most exciting crop of young players English soccer has had in a long time. The fact Wembley Stadium in London will host both semifinals and the final should only be an added incentive.

As ever when it comes to England and international tournaments, the positives have to be tempered by some negatives, namely doubts over the fitness of key players such as Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson. Should England top Group D—where they will face Croatia, whom they lost to in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup, Czech Republic and arch-rivals Scotland, in a repeat of their Euro 1996 meeting—their potential road to the final will include just one game away from home.

On the other hand, that would also mean face one between France, Portugal and Germany in the round of 16.

Belgium

The second-favorites alongside England at 6-1, Belgium enters the tournament as the No. 1 ranked team in the world, a position they have held for the last three years. Trophies, however, count far more than ranking positions and coach Roberto Martinez will be aware his team's "golden generation" has to deliver after finishing third at the World Cup in 2018.

In Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Dries Mertens, Axel Witsel and Youri Tielemans, Belgium has an abundance of talent in midfield and attack. However, doubts over an ageing defense—the three starting centre-backs are all 32 or older—and the fitness of De Bruyne and Hazard are a cause for concern.

Belgium, whose qualifying campaign returned 10 wins out of 10 games, with 40 goals scored and just three conceded, should comfortably win Group B which also includes Denmark, Finland and Russia. How well they will fare from then on, is anyone's guess.

Italy

Three years on from failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years, Italy arrives at Euro 2020 as one of the tournament's dark horses. Unbeaten in 27 games, under former Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini Italy won all its 10 qualifying games, scoring 37 goals and conceding just four. Somewhat unusually, the Azzurri's strengths lie up-front, where Federico Chiesa, Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile deliver pace and goals.

In midfield, the youthful exuberance of Nicolo' Barella and Manuel Locatelli provides the perfect foil for Jorginho's controlled passing style, while A.C. Milan's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has replaced the legendary Gianluigi Buffon in goal. One of the six teams to play all its group stage games at home, Italy faces Turkey, Wales and Switzerland in Group A.

The Azzurri haven't won the European Championship since 1968 but at 8-1 they are hard to ignore.

Portugal

The current champions also start the tournament at 8-1 as they aim to become only the second time in the tournament's history to win back-to-back European Championships. On paper, the additions of Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias, a Premier League winner with Manchester City in the season just ended and Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix have strengthened the squad that won the title five years ago. As ever when it comes to Portugal, however, a lot will rest on Cristiano Ronaldo's shoulders.

Ronaldo was Serie A's top scorer but Juventus finished a disappointing fourth in the table and he was criticised for not showing up consistently in big games. Expect the Portuguese to be desperate to prove his doubters wrong and show that, at 36, he remains at the peak of his powers.

Notable mentions: Spain and Germany both also start the tournament at 8-1, while the Netherlands are a 14-1 outsider.