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At press time, Argentina had scored the first goal against Nigeria and entered the second half with the lead. SBG Global was offering odds on Argentina to win the 2010 World Cup during this game.
Argentina's odds to win outright were set at an impressive +950 for a payout potential of US$95 on every US$10 bet.
"They (Argentina) has the best player in the tournament in Lionel Messi and a very solid team," says Gambling911.com's Alistair Prescott. "They should have odds closer to Spain and Brazil, 5/1."
ESPN.com writes regarding Lionel Messi:
"Lionel Messi is the best pound-for-pound soccer player in the world, and perhaps of all time. At 22, Messi has won just about everything there is to win, both individually and in club soccer. Missing is any sort of hardware with Argentina, aside from an Olympic gold medal. Messi's game relies on its unpredictability and magnificent control of the ball, which seldom demurs to anything Messi asks it to do. Listed at a charitable 5-foot-7, he's even a good header. While transcendent with his club, Barcelona, in the last few years (his 17 goals this season are tied for the most in Spain), the knock on Messi has been that he doesn't match that dominance for Argentina. For the most part, this is blamed on Argentina manager Diego Maradona's refusal to deploy him in his natural position -- on the right, allowing him to cut in -- and posting him behind a deep striker instead. Maradona, one of the best of all time as a player, has named Messi his successor as Argentina's soccer savior, a label that has proved disastrous for all others so designated previously by Maradona."
With all the hoopla over England v. USA, a game going off Saturday afternoon, trending at Gambling911.com had Nigeria v. Argentina getting the most search activity during the morning hours. This of course was the earlier game.
Here were your odds to win the 2010 World Cup at SBG Global heading into Saturday afternoon.
Spain pays US$47 for every US$10 bet.
Brazil pays US$49
England pays US$65
Argentina pays US$95
Germany pays US$115
Italy pays US$125
Netherlands pays US$125
France pays US$195
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Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
