Euro 2024 predictions: Group F winner and best prop bet

The World Cup is great, but nothing compares to the UEFA European Championship, aka the Euros. Almost every match is very competitive, and many of the countries are rivals from a historical and/or sporting perspective.

Euro 2024 will be played in Germany with matches held in 10 cities. Twenty-four countries will compete in six four-team groups with each side playing three matches against its group foes. The top two finishers in each group and the four-best third-place squads advance to the knockout phase, which is a bracket-style tournament to determine the champion. The final will take place July 14 in Berlin.

This group preview includes a predicted order of finish and the best prop bet involving a team or player. Throughout the Euros, I will tweet out my individual match bets and any additional futures.

Group F predicted finish1. Portugal, 2. Czechia, 3. Turkey, 4. Georgia

Team

To qualify

To win group

To win Euros

1. POR

-3000

-250

+320

2. CZE

-175

+600

+5000

3. TUR

-350

+400

+2500

4. GEO

+160

+1400

+25000

Portugal is the clear favorite in this group and I fully expect them to finish in the top spot. They are managed by former Premier League manager Roberto Martinez, who happened to be the manager of Belgium when they failed to reach the knockout stage at the 2022 World Cup. Even though I have some doubts about Martinez, this Portuguese outfit oozes talent all over the roster.

Even if 39-year-old Cristian Ronaldo isn’t at his best or gets benched like he did at the last World Cup, plenty of players can do their job well, including Premier League stars Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandez, Bernardo Silva and Diogo Jota.

I’ll give Czechia the slight edge over Turkey for second place, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the other way around. Georgia, led by Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, are making their first appearance at a major tournament.

Best bet — Portugal to reach semifinals

The group is very favorable for Portugal.

If they win Group F, Portugal would play a third-place team in the round of 16, and if they reach the quarterfinals, they would play the runner-up from Group D or Group E. That is most likely to be the Netherlands, but it could be Austria or Ukraine.

That would make the Portuguese a bigger favorite in that potential quarterfinal. The path sets up very well for them to make noise in Germany.