by Ryan D. Jaeger
Football fans have good reason to wager on the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, not least because it's the first time the coveted football tournament is being hosted in Africa. But host continent and country aside, due to the massive growth of online sports betting sites during the last four years, more football betting fans than ever before are expected to bet on this year's World Cup.
For instance, leading online sportsbooks such as
888 Sport (click
to visit) are attracting thousands of new football betting fans each day from all over the world. And this is not surprising considering that the popular online sports betting site is offering odds on a multitude of World Cup bets, including Player of the Tournament (Goldenball), or as we like to say,
Player of the World Cup.
This is a popular World Cup wager, because it gets to the heart of the competition: Which player can withstand the pressure of representing their country in one of the world's biggest sporting events, and yet still rise to the occasion? It is this question that World Cup betting fans will consider before laying their Player of the Tournament (Goldenball) bets at 888 Sport.
Leading the way is Argentinian 'wunderkind' Leo Messi at 6/1 odds, followed by Spain's Xavi (Xavier Hernández i Creus) at 12/1 and David Villa at 14/1, and then England's Wayne Rooney at 14/1. Australia's Tim Cahill is at the bottom of the heap at 500/1 odds.
Here is the complete Player of the Tournament (Goldenball) betting line available now at 888 Sport:
Leo Messi 6/1
Xavi 12/1
David Villa 14/1
Wayne Rooney 14/1
Kaka 16/1
Fernando Torres 20/1
Arjen Robben 20/1
Cristiano Ronaldo 20/1
Luis Fabiano 25/1
Andres Iniesta 25/1
Frank Lampard 33/1
Steven Gerrard 33/1
Robin Van Persie 33/1
Franck Ribery 33/1
Iker Casillas 40/1
Robinho 40/1
Gonzalo Higuain 40/1
Cesc Fabregas 40/1
Rafael Van Der Vaart 50/1
Wesley Sneijder 50/1
Lucio 50/1
Julio Cesar 50/1
Thierry Henry 50/1
David Silva 50/1
Carlos Tevez 50/1
Gianluigi Buffon 50/1
Andrea Pirlo 66/1
Didier Drogba 66/1
Antonio Di Natale 66/1
John Terry 66/1
Sergio Aguero 66/1
Theo Walcott 66/1
Nilmar 66/1
Rio Ferdinand 66/1
Gerard Pique 66/1
Carles Puyol 66/1
Miroslav Klose 66/1
Nicolas Anelka 66/1
Cacau 80/1
Bastian Schweinsteiger 80/1
Lukas Podolski 80/1
Xabi Alonso 80/1
Jermain Defoe 80/1
Dani Alves 100/1
Maicon 100/1
Peter Crouch 100/1
Florent Malouda 100/1
Sergio Ramos 100/1
Salomon Kalou 100/1
Alberto Gilardino 100/1
Fabio Cannavaro 100/1
Nani 150/1
Nemanja Vidic 150/1
Dirk Kuyt 150/1
Roque Santa Cruz 150/1
Diego Forlan 150/1
William Gallas 150/1
Deco 150/1
Michael Essien 150/1
Samuel Eto'o 200/1
Luis Suarez 200/1
David James 200/1
Humberto Suazo 200/1
Steven Pienaar 250/1
Liedson 250/1
Nicklas Bendtner 250/1
John Obi Mikel 250/1
Landon Donovan 250/1
Park Ji-Sung 300/1
Wilson Palacios 500/1
Harry Kewell 500/1
Tim Cahill 500/1
