Which bets should you place on Euro 2024 qualifiers?

With the opening two matchdays of the Euro 2024 qualifiers taking place over the coming days, which bets should you be placing during that period?

Just over three months have passed since the World Cup final and nations across Europe are now beginning their bids to qualify for Euro 2024. The process is far-less ruthless than it was ahead of the tournament in Qatar with as many as 24 nations in line to make next year's competition in Germany, but that is not to say that some of the groups could prove to be thrillers, potentially leaving some of the bigger teams needing to go through the playoff route.

When making your Football Predictions and bets over the coming days, your eyes will naturally take an interest in the mouthwatering showdown between Italy and England in Naples. As a stand-alone fixture, it is big enough, but more so because of the Azzurri beating the Three Lions in the Euro 2020 final and capturing four points from their double-header in the UEFA Nations League during 2022. That makes it all the more bizarre that betting odds of 2/1 are on offer for Italy to prevail on home territory. Although they failed to qualify for the World Cup and Roberto Mancini has insisted that not enough young talent is coming through the system, they should still be regarded as favourites to beat an England side who were not required to beat an international powerhouse en route to the World Cup quarter-finals.

Punters will be assessing the market for Football tips, and one which should get their attention is the fixture between Sweden and Belgium. On the back of a poor showing at the World Cup and appointing a new head coach in Domenico Tedesco, Belgium are going to be an unknown quantity during this campaign with only nine of the current squad having accumulated at least 10 international caps. With the talent coming into the senior crop, the future is bright for the Red Devils, but that is not to say that they will be ready to take on a Sweden side in Scandinavia. Both teams are stronger in attack than defence, and taking the draw at 12/5 looks worth the risk.

With Wales and Turkey present in their group, Croatia are aware that they potentially face a struggle to earn a top-two spot, yet that should not necessarily be the case when delving deeper into their rivals. Wales are now without Gareth Bale and Turkey remain an inconsistent team very much in transition. On Sunday, Croatia play host to the former in their first game without their greatest-ever player at their disposal, and the World Cup third-placed team should have few issues with securing three points. Meanwhile, Spain face a Norway side on home territory which does not include Erling Braut Haaland due to injury, and we expect the absence of the Manchester City forward to be enough to help Spain enjoy a routine win. Although the respective visitors deserve respect, a double at marginally below Evens should be considered.

In theory, Hungary defeating Bulgaria and France overcoming Republic of Ireland should be deemed just as likely, yet bookmakers deem it to be approximately double the odds. Hungary are playing with greater expectation after their UEFA Nations League performances, while Republic of Ireland potentially have a world-class talent available to them in the form of Evan Ferguson. Nevertheless, it is difficult to justify both nations winning well versus their respective opponents.