With the majority of sports having ended their respective calendars ahead of the Christmas period, there is plenty of talk about who may or may not be successful during 2020. While the usual high-profile events will be at your disposal, there is also the added attractions of Euro 2020 and Olympic Games, making it a stellar year for fans and punters alike. While some of the tournaments are still several months away, you will not be prevented from placing bets on any competitor or team who you feel may be ready to emerge victorious over the next year.
When taking a look at the sports calendar 2020, many will be eyeing the dates of the showpiece football occasions throughout May and June. As this stage, it is worth biding your time regarding the Champions League with the draw for the knockout stages taking place later this month, but now is the time to take advantage ahead of Euro 2020. England are currently seen as one of the favourites to end their 54-year wait for a major trophy, but we feel that punters should be staying away from the Three Lions due a potentially difficult route from the last 16 onwards. Instead, we like the look of Belgium and Italy. As a result of their ageing defence, the 7/1 being offered for Belgium is perhaps a little short, but there is plenty of value in the 14/1 for Italy. Providing that they top what is a favourable group and defeat a third-placed team in the last 16, the Azzurri will likely face Belgium in the quarter-finals in Bilbao. For us, that is a 50-50 match-up, so there is plenty of logic in backing Roberto Mancini's side.
As far as the tennis is concerned, there will be those who are already ready to place sentimental bets on Sir Andy Murray ahead of the Australian Open and Wimbledon. However, we feel that the three-time Grand Slam champion still needs to prove himself before betting odds of 25/1 for Melbourne and 20/1 for SW19 should be considered. Instead, taking advantage of the prices available for Stefanos Tsitsipas to win a major in 2020 should be your priority. The Greek, who won last month's ATP World Tour Finals, can be backed at 12/1 for each of the Australian Open and US Open. It is always going to be a risk while the 'big four' are around but at some stage, the torch is going to be passed to the young stars who are beginning to stamp their authority on the game, and there will not be many more occasions where you can opt for an each-way bet at 12/1 on the likes of Tsitsipas.
Keeping with the sentimental theme, Tiger Woods is always going to attract interest when it comes to the four major championships. However, given how the sport has developed over the years, you have to remain smart with your bets. Woods is priced at 9/1 for The Masters - a tournament which he famously won last year - and 8/1 for the USPGA Championship, betting odds we feel are worth a punt. However, given the difficulty of US Open courses and the unpredictable weather when it comes to the Open Championship, we would advise waiting until closer to the event before making your choices.
