The first full slate of Euro 2024 arrives on Saturday.
The pregame narrative: All four teams from the Group of Death are in action and I expect a low-scoring affair between Italy and Albania. Before that, I'm backing Granit Xhaka to record a shot on target at plus money.
Check out these Euro 2024 best bets for June 15.
Euro 2024 best bets
Click link to add selection to betslip. Note: Lines have changed/market no longer available if grey.
Picks | Odds | Bet now ⬇️ |
Italy/Albania under 2.5 goals | -134 | Add to betslip |
Xhaka over 0.5 shots on target | +220 | Add to betslip |
Go to full Euro 2024 betting markets.
Euro 2024 best bet
Best Bet: Italy/Albania under 2.5 goals (-134)
Italy's calling card during its Euro 2020 run was possession and strong defence.
The Azzurri didn't concede a goal in the group stage and only gave up one in each of their four knockout round games. They held the possession advantage in all but one of those contests.
The team's defence has taken a hit this year with injuries to key players like Giorgio Scalvini and Francesco Acerbi. But Italy's midfield is still potent and Albania doesn't pose enough of a threat on offence for me to be worried.
I considered backing Albania under 0.5 goals at -141 but think this is a better option.
Italy didn't fill the net much when it won the European Championship or in qualifying this year.
Federico Chiesa is the Azzurri's best offensive talent but he plays on the wing. The team lacks a true striker and has been held to one goal or fewer in three of its last five games.
Four of those games went under this 2.5 goal total with three featuring one or fewer total goals.
Albania isn't a pushover defensively, either. It conceded just four goals in eight Euro 2024 qualifying matches and gave up one combined goal in its two pre-tournament friendlies.
Key stat: Italy has gone under this mark in three straight games.
Quick pick
Xhaka over 0.5 shots on target (+220): Xhaka is coming off a career year, helping Bayern Leverkusen to its first-ever Bundesliga title alongside a DFB-Pokal championship.
The defensive midfielder scored the deciding goal in the final of the DFB-Pokal and registered a shot on target in four of his final six games for the club.
Xhaka only factored in on three goals all season for Leverkusen. But he started the most games (32) of any non-goalkeeper on the team.
He wasn't asked to provide offence for Xabi Alonso's squad but will be playing higher up for Switzerland and I expect him to get his chances against Hungary.
Picks made at 11:31 a.m. on 06/14/24.