EURO 2016 Draw Pots Were Determined after the Playoffs

UEFA confirmed the EURO 2016 draw pots for the final tournament draw that will be held in December.

After Sweden and Ukraine eventually joined Hungary and the Republic of Ireland to qualify to the EURO 2016 from the playoffs, the full list of participating teams became known for internet betting players. UEFA was quick to make the seeding for the draw that will be held in Paris on the 12th December and created the EURO 2016 draw pots.

Hosting nation France have automatically positioned in Group A, so they won’t be drawn and therefore Pot 1 only consists five teams. The 23 remaining teams were distributed to 4 EURO 2016 draw pots based on their respective UEFA coefficients. One team from each pot will be form a group, so the teams next to each other cannot be drawn into the same group.

Ukraine became the highest seeded team amongst playoff-winners, being referred to Pot 2 and therefore they will avoid Russia in the group stage. Hungary are in Pot 3, together with a list of other countries from the region: the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia plus fellow playoff-winners Sweden. Ireland is the lowest ranked team amongst the playoff-winners, they were referred to Pot 4 and will avoid playing Northern Ireland and Wales in the Group phase.

The EURO 2016 draw pots

• Pot 1: Spain (holders), Germany, England, Portugal, Belgium
• Pot 2: Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Ukraine
• Pot: Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary
• Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Wales, Albania, Northern Ireland

Teams from the EURO 2016 draw pots will be drawn into six groups (A-F) and the top two from each four-team group will qualify for the knockout stage, alongside the four best third-placed teams. The group phase will be held from 10-22 June 2016.

Germany are favourites to win EURO 2016

According to online sportsbooks in the EU, reigning World Champions Germany are the favourites to win the tournament in France next summer, together with the hosts. Bet365 Sportsbook priced both the German and the French success at 4.00 (3/1). Title holders Spain have online betting odds of 6.5 (13/2) to win the tournament.

Experts of successful sports betting strategies would also consider the likes of Belgium – 10.00 (9/1) – and England – 11.00 (10/1) – and the enlarged field will give the opportunity for some lesser sides to have a shot at the trophy. However, true outsiders like Albania (300/1) or Hungary (250/1) appearing at the later stages of the tournament would be a huge surprise.

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