The Stages of EURO 2024 Explained!!

Germany is ready. We’re ready. Are you ready? It’s time for one of the biggest sporting events in 2024

EURO 2024 begins with the first group stage match on June 14th, followed by the knockout games on June 29th, and the final on July 14th. There will be a lot of action in that time, as well as numerous EURO betting strategies to consider.

So, to help you with betting on EURO 2024, we’ll guide you through group stage odds and knockout betting tips, followed by the big one—our EURO 2024 final betting guide.

The Group Stages

There are six EURO 2024 groups, with four teams in each. The teams play each once (all games are played at neutral venues in Germany, so only the hosts have home advantage), and earn three points for a win and one for a draw. The two teams with the highest points in each group advance to the knockout stages while third-place-finishers are given an extra chance to advance based on their total points (see below).

In cases where two or more teams have the same points, goal difference separates them. Should they have the same goal difference, it goes down to the head-to-head.

View all EURO 2024 outright markets

The Third-Place-Finishers Rule

The third-place-finishers rule is one of the biggest ways that the UEFA European Championships differs from the FIFA World Cup. If you’re keeping an eye on those EURO knockout stage odds or already planning some EURO bets, it’s worth keeping this rule in mind, as it can throw a spanner in the works.

The rule takes all of the teams that finish third in their respective groups and adds them to a league table. The top four finishers in that table then advance to the knockout stages. The way the knockout stages are structured means these teams usually have a harder time in the next round than they would if they had finished first or second, so there is still a big incentive to do well.

It also gives slow starters a second chance. For instance, let’s say that Germany struggle off the blocks like they did in the last couple of World Cups. They lose a game, draw a game, and then snatch a win to finish third. Those 4 points will likely still be enough to see them into the next round.

For some historical perspective, three of the four third-place-finishers from EURO 2020 made it to the quarter-finals. In 2016, three fell in the Round of 16, but Portugal, the fourth, went on to win the tournament. So, don’t write off the slow starters when plotting your EURO betting strategies.

How Were EURO 2024 Groups Drawn?

The groups for the EURO 2024 Finals are drawn from four pots, with six teams in each pot. The goal is to create a balance that ensures all of the highest-ranked teams are not dumped into half of the groups while the lowest-ranked teams are added to the others. If this were the case, the groups would be more competitive, but the knockout rounds could be a little imbalanced.

By seeding teams in this manner, there are usually one or two clear favourites in every group, and we’re more or less guaranteed highly competitive matches with the world’s best teams by the time we reach the quarter-finals.

The draws were based on the following pot, with one team from each pot selected for every group: 

• Pot One: The hosts and the highest-ranked first-place finishers in qualifying.
• Germany
• Portugal
• France
• Spain
• Belgium
• England
• Pot Two: The 6th to 10th-ranked first-place finishers in qualifying and the highest-ranked runner-up.
• Hungary
• Turkey
• Romania
• Denmark
• Albania
• Austria
• Pot Three: The runners-up ranked 2nd to 7th.
• The Netherlands
• Scotland
• Croatia
• Slovenia
• Slovakia
• Czechia
• Pot Four: The remaining runners-up and the three play-off winners.
• Italy
• Serbia
• Switzerland
• Poland
• Ukraine
• Georgia

EURO 2024 Group Stage Odds

At the time of writing, Germany, Belgium, and England are the shortest-priced favourites to win their groups, but all groups have a clear, odds-on favourite:*

• Germany face some tough competition from a balanced group of teams (Switzerland, Hungary, Scotland) all of which could qualify for the “dark horse” moniker. However, they have home advantage and a strong squad. Bet on Group A here.
• Spain have the longest odds of all group favourites in Group B (dubbed the “Group of Death” due to its perceived difficulty), but this one’s hard to call and could also go to Italy or Croatia, with outsiders Albania no doubt having a say as well. Bet on Group B here.
• England are one of the tournament favourites and are expected to have a relatively comfortable progression against Denmark, Serbia, and Slovenia. Bet on Group C here.
• France have short group-stage odds, but the Netherlands aren’t too far behind. These two must also face challenges from Austria and Poland. Bet on Group D here.
• Belgium’s main competition comes from Ukraine, who qualified via the playoffs, and Romania, who were nearly flawless in their qualifying endeavours. Outsiders Slovakia make up the four teams. Bet on Group E here.
• Portugal are the odds-on favourite to win their group, followed by Tükiye, Czechia, and first-timers Georgia. Bet on Group F here.

*Group stage odds and final match odds are subject to change.

EURO 2024 Group Stage Betting Options

You have two main options for EURO 2024 group stage betting:

• Outright Bets: These bets are key to most football tournament betting strategies. They cover long-term wagers, whether that means betting on EURO knockout rounds or wagering on the winner. In the context of EURO 2024 group stage betting, you’re wagering on options such as Group Winner, Top 2, and Team in Bottom Place.
• Betting On EURO Group Matches: Each team plays two times, equating to six games overall for each group and 36 in total. That’s a lot of potential to grab some winning EURO bets. Final match odds can change up to the kickoff of each game, but you can bet on the first round of games before the tournament begins.

Historical Trends: When Outsiders Win and Favourites Fall

Big group stage shocks are not as common at the European Championships as they are at the World Cup, mainly because the third-place-finishers rule gives faltering giants a chance to recover. We’ve already mentioned how this rule gifted Portugal another chance and an eventual win. However, it hasn’t always been in effect, and if you go back a few tournaments, there were some huge early shocks. 

It’s worth keeping these in mind if you’re looking for some outside EURO 2024 group stage betting opportunities.

• At Euro 2012, the Netherlands failed to score a single point in a very tough group.
• Despite making it to the World Cup Final two years earlier and fielding a team that included Anelka, Benzema, Thuram, and Ribery, among others, France finished bottom of their group in 2008.
• Euro 2004 saw Italy, Spain, and Germany drop out at the group stage. Outsiders Greece eventually lifted the trophy.
• England, Germany, and Belgium all dropped out at the group stage at EURO 2000.
• Most people remember 1992 as the year of the first big European Championships shock, with Denmark claiming the title. What many have forgotten is that there were only two groups (eight teams total) and Denmark, along with hosts Sweden, did most of the damage in the group stage, knocking out France and England.

The Knockout Stages

The Knockout Stages

Unlike the Champions League and other major domestic competitions, the knockout rounds for EURO 2024 are drawn at the same time as the groups and not when the groups have finished. Organisers use a format designed to encourage competition in the group stage, as the higher-placed finishers in one group play the lower teams in another.

The Round of 16

There are many possible permutations to consider, and while we’re happy to provide some EURO football betting tips for general play, it’s too hard to predict the exact outcomes of each stage. So, instead, we will look at the schedule for each round and then use current group stage odds to give examples of which teams could face off in the Round of 16.

1. 29th June Game 1 (Match 37) = Winner of A vs Runner-Up of C
1. Example - Germany vs Denmark
2. 29th June Game 2 (Match 38) = Runner-up of A vs Runner-Up of B
1. Example – Switzerland vs Italy
3. 30th June Game 3 (Match 40) = Winner of C vs Best-3rd-Place Finisher (B3P) of D/E/F
1. Example – England vs Austria, Romania, or Czechia
4. 30th June Game 4 (Match 39) = Winner of B vs B3P of A/D/E/F
1. Example – Spain vs Hungary, Austria, Romania, or Czechia
5. 1st July Game 5 (Match 41) = Winner of F vs B3P of A/B/C
1. Example – Portugal vs Hungary, Croatia, or Serbia
6. 1st July Game 6 (Match 42) = Runner-Up of D vs Runner-Up of E
1. Example – Netherlands vs Ukraine
7. 2nd July Game 7 (Match 43) = Winner of E vs B3P of A/B/C/D
1. Example – Belgium vs Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, or Austria
8. 2nd July Game 8 (Match 44) = Winner of D vs Runner-Up of F
1. Example – France vs Turkey

As you can see, there are some potentially big matchups here, and assuming everything goes the way that the odds suggest, there is a massive incentive for those third-place-finishers to push for first. But, of course, this is football, and nothing is ever that cut and dry. It’s highly likely that we’ll see at least one favourite slip to a second or third-place finish, and that will complicate things for anyone plotting the schedule for betting on the EURO final.

The Quarter-Finals

The nature of the Round of 16 means that the teams that struggled in the group will face off against the ones that triumphed. Theoretically, that should cut the poor performers out of the competition and leave us with the teams at the top of their form for the quarter-finals:

• 5th July Quarter-Final 1 = Winner of Game 1 and 3 (Match 37 and 39)
• Example – Germany vs Spain
• 5th July Quarter-Final 2 = Winner of Game 5 and 6 (Match 41 and 42)
• Example – Portugal vs Netherlands
• 6th July Quarter-Final 3 = Winner of Game 7 and 8 (Match 43 and 44)
• Example – Belgium vs France
• 6th July Quarter-Final 4 = Winner of Game 2 and 4 (Match 38 and 40)
• Example – England vs Italy

Again, these are by no means our knockout betting tips, but as you can see from the draw, they raise some interesting possibilities. If the above occurs, every team will face a surprise challenge to progress. We’d also get a repeat of the last EURO final with England vs Italy and somewhat of a derby—or as close as you can get in international football—with Belgium vs France.

If things go a little differently, Denmark could find themselves facing off against Spain, Austria, or Romania, while England could be up against Spain, and Ukraine could play Portugal.

We have no EURO knockout stage odds because we have no knockout teams yet. It’s all speculation, and that’s what makes betting on EURO knockout rounds so interesting.

The Semi-Final

• 9th July Semi-Final 1 = Winner of Quarter-Final 1 vs Winner of Quarter-Final 2
• Example – Germany vs Portugal
• 9th July Semi-Final 2 = Winner of Quarter-Final 3 vs Winner of Quarter-Final 4
• Example – France vs England

Everything is on the line now. There is a final at stake. The early nerves are well and truly out of the way, players are warmed up and in their stride, and the managers have a good idea of their in-form best 11. It’s no wonder that the semi-finals have given us some of the best games in this tournament’s history.

It was during this stage that we saw Denmark beat the reigning champions, Netherlands, back in 1992. As noted already, there were only eight teams in that tournament, but what makes this story even more extraordinary is that Denmark hadn’t even qualified. They were drafted in when Yugoslavia dropped out. The game ended 2-2 after a later Frank Rijkaard equaliser. It was still tied in extra time, so they went to a penalty shoot-out that Denmark won 5-4.

These two semi-finals will be played in Munich and Dortmund, after which the teams will have a break of a few days before the final.

Will Team X Face Team Y?

One of the most common questions asked prior to European Championship tournaments is whether one team will face another before the final, such as whether England will encounter Germany or Germany will play the Netherlands. Fans want to know how easy or difficult their teams’ progression will be, as well as whether they will play any of their rivals.

But the answer to this is always “possibly”, as anything can happen. There is no split like there is with other tournaments, as everything is arranged prior to the group stage. 

Let’s use the above examples, for instance. It looks like England can only meet Germany in the final, and the same would be true for France/Germany, France/Portugal, and England/Portugal.

But those calculations were based on group stage odds.

If England finish second in their group and Germany win theirs, these two teams will meet in the Round of 16. If France finish in one of the third-place spots, they could get Spain in the Round of 16 and Germany in the quarter-finals, and those are just a couple of the many scenarios.

The Final

Finals can be tense and nervous affairs leading to fairly uneventful results that don’t stick long in the memory. Thankfully, there have been some fantastic finals over the years, including the 1992 final that saw Denmark complete the upset with a 2-0 win over West Germany. Spain’s 4-0 victory over Italy in 2012 was also a fantastic final and a brilliant show of footballing excellence from a team in their prime.

Fans of the cheeky Panenka penalty may also be interested to know that it made its first appearance in a EURO final. The 1976 final was contested between Czechoslovakia and West Germany. The Czechs had taken a 2-0 lead, but West Germany fought back and took the game to penalties. After a West German miss, Antonin Panenka stepped up to win the game. He did so in the most outrageous way possible, gifting his name to this cool penalty technique in the process.

The EURO 2024 final will take place at the Olympiastadion Berlin in the German capital. It is the home of Hertha BSC and is the largest stadium used by the German national team. There is no way of knowing which two teams will face off in this final—that’s the beauty of football—but the successor will get their hands on the most prestigious trophy in European football.

Does EURO 2024 Have a Third-Place Play Off?

If you follow the European Champions live on television, as we’re sure many of you do, you’ll likely hear the commentators/presenters referencing the third-place playoff, noting that it doesn’t exist and there will be no official third-place team. It’s something that most of us need to be reminded of during every tournament, as four years is a long time, and it’s easy to forget. To make things more confusing, there is a third-place playoff in the World Cup, and there has been one since the very first tournament.

The EUROs also had a third-place playoff when it first began, and this continued right up until the 1980 tournament. But there was no such game in 1984 and there hasn’t been once since.

We’re not sure why this is the case, as the game usually takes place before the final, so it could help to keep fans in the mood. But while most neutrals are interested, fans and players of participating teams may feel a little anticlimactic as their race is run, yet now they have to fight for a consolation prize.

Summary: EURO Football Betting Tips for Each Stage of the Tournament

If you’re thinking about betting on the EURO final or betting on EURO group matches, make sure you read our extensive EURO 2024 betting guide first. It contains everything you need to know about wagering on this tournament, including in-depth EURO betting strategies and guides to each group and all teams.

We also have a number of promotions available throughout the tournament, as well as some of the best final, knockout, and group stage odds on the web. So, join in watching and wagering on one of the most exciting events on the European sporting calendar!

As always, remember to stick within your budget, gamble responsibly, and utilise tools such as deposit limits and self-evaluation questionnaires if you think you may have a problem.