England vs Australia - World Cup 2010 betting

When talking about any sport, if you put the words ‘England’ and ‘Australia’ in the same sentence, it can only mean one thing: a battle royal between two of the world’s fiercest sporting rivals. Online bookmakers are mindful of how much interest there is in any duel involving the pair and, as some predictions suggest they could meet in the first knock-out round of the World Cup, so interest levels could potentially soar.

“We’re more used to attracting punters with free bets and other offers when the Aussies play England at cricket,” says one online bookmaker, “but if they meet during the tournament, we expect World Cup betting levels in Oz and the UK to soar.”

Ignore cricket for a minute – although this being an Ashes year, it’s difficult to do that – and focus on the football pitch. As anyone familiar with internet access will already know, the duo have met six times in the ‘other’ eleven-a-side game, with England winning three and Australia claiming one impressive victory in London seven years ago.

Will this performance have any bearing on the World Cup betting odds should the pair meet in the last sixteen? Not according to Adam Hodgson, a football betting writer: “World Cup odds fluctuate during the tournament depending upon individual team performances,” he muses. “From a punter’s perspective, the free bet is always likely to be on offer as there are so many big games. However, when we reach the knock-out stages, the free bets could become even more attractive as World Cup betting reaches fever pitch.

“The fact that Australia beat England 3-1 at Upton Park in December 2003 will have little impact upon the World Cup odds, should they meet in Rustenburg on 26 June though.”

That match in London in 2003 was the only time the sides have met on a football pitch in the UK and featured several members of England’s current World Cup squad, including a youthful Wayne Rooney.

It’s entirely possible that they could meet in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium should, as current World Cup betting trends suggest, England win Group C and Australia finish second behind Germany in Group D, although the latter outcome is something of an outside wager according to most online bookmakers.

Australia are 7/1 to make it out of a tough group – the type of World Cup betting odds they relish taking on, especially as one online bookmaker prices them at 11/8 not to qualify from Group D.

“Should the Aussies qualify, it could be a timely predictor of a shift in football power,” says Adam Hodgson, “and you just know that they would love the opportunity to face England – assuming, of course, that Fabio Capello’s troops win their group.”

The World Cup odds suggest they should, but would they then fancy taking on Australia for a place in the quarter finals? The World Cup betting odds would undoubtedly favour an English victory, but it’s worth recalling that England last beat Australia in January 1991 – a 1-0 win in Sydney. They’ll believe it’s time to add to their tally of three victories, but the Aussies are hardly likely to lie down and usher them into the tournament’s last eight…