Saturday's Euro 2024 action gets started bright and early as Hungary and Switzerland square off at 9:00 a.m. ET. There are a trio of matches on the docket, and I'll dive into each contest from a betting perspective. Here are my three favorite Euro 2024 bets for Saturday's slate. Check out my top 2024 Euro Picks for Saturday’s game Italy vs. Albania.
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Saturday's Best Euro 2024 Bets: Italy vs. Albania
(2024 Euro odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Italy vs. Albania
The reigning champion Italians have the nightcap on Saturday, and they'll take on Albania in their tournament opener. Italy's +1600 to repeat this year, while Albania's +25000, the third-longest price in the market. This Group B match is set for 3:00 p.m. ET from BVB Stadion Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany.
I'm looking to back the champs in this match, but I'm not trying to lay -260 vig on the full-game Moneyline. Instead, I think this sets up as a match where the Italians can win the first half outright. It's odd to say the first match of a tournament is a must-win, but with Spain and Croatia on the horizon, these are much-needed points for the Blues.
Italy has covered this first-half line in two of their last three friendlies, taking 1-0 leads into the break against Ecuador and Bosnia Herzegovina, more recently. On the flip side, Albania is just 2-2-2 in their last six matches across all competitions. The lone wins came in friendlies against Liechtenstein (3-0) and Azerbaijan (3-1), and with all due respect to those nations, they're not exactly soccer powerhouses. I think we'll see Italy outclass their opponent in this one, securing an early lead before shifting to a defensive-minded scheme to hang onto the victory.
Bet: Italy 1st Half -0.5 (-105)
