Goal.com

22/05/2012 5:20:00 PM

Spain and Germany are shaping up as the big players when Euro 2012 starts on June 9.

Spain and Germany have been the best backed to win the European Football Championships in Ukraine and Poland.

Euro 2012 kicks off on June 8 with the build-up getting underway this week as the 16 competing nations begin their preparations with a host of friendlies scheduled.

However Luxbet's Andy Scott says the punters are not expecting any change to the pecking order in European football from the last tournament four years ago when Spain beat Germany 1-0 in the final in Austria.

Since then Spain have gone on to win their first World Cup in South Africa in 2010 when they beat Germany in the semi-final 1-0 before going on to beat the Netherlands 1-0 in an all-European final.

And the bookies expect Spain and Germany to again be the teams to beat next month.

Luxbet currently has Spain favourites at $3.50 to win Euro 2012 with Germany second favourites at $3.85 with the Dutch the only other team under double figure odds at $7.50.

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However the punters have been more than willing to snap up the short odds on Spain and Germany.

"Since we opened the betting Spain have been backed in from $4.40 to $3.35 while Germany have also been heavily backed in from $5.50 to $4.45 and after we took some big money for them at that price they have since firmed even further into $4 and now $3.85," Scott said.

Scott said besides the big two, the only other support has been for France at odds with the French having firmed from $14 into $11 since markets opened.

In contrast there is little support for England despite the Poms usually been one of the most hyped teams heading into major championships.

With new manager Roy Hodgson only just having taken charge of the national team and with star striker Wayne Rooney suspended for the first two games, this time around England are unwanted in betting.

Scott said England opened at $9 before briefly firming into $8.

But once West Brom manager Hodgson was announced as the new England boss - ahead of the hot favourite in Spurs' boss Harry Redknapp   England's price immediately began to drift with the Three Lions now out to $11.

With all nations now having named either their final 23 man squads or at least provisional squads, which must be finalised by May 29, Spain and Germany's squads do look a class above the rest.

But we are leaning slightly towards Germany, which will be backed by massive support with the tournament being held in neighbouring Poland and Ukraine, and we suggest punters snap up the $3.85 before the Germans continue to shorten.

And while it's hard to imagine any other team triumphing other than Spain and Germany, the best team to back at odds is France, who have been drawn in a weak group alongside modest host nation Ukraine and what appears to be the weakest England and Sweden teams for many years.