As a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, just what can you bet on when there’s no NFL games being played? There’s plenty of other sports and this summer sees the European soccer championships being held in Germany. It’s one of the most important soccer tournaments in the world and ideal to be placing bets on.
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Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave their Terrible Towels aggressively as Styx famous song, Renegade plays during a home game at then-Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers Fans and Gambling
Gambling is growing in popularity around the world. That’s particularly the case in the US where Steelers fans can be betting on NFL games. While sports betting has only been legal in over 30 US states in recent years, it’s been a completely different story in the United Kingdom.
Since the 1960s it has been possible for UK gamblers to head to local betting shops to place their bets. Then came the internet and online gambling has become incredibly popular and local gamblers love to bet on soccer via popular and legal betting sites in the UK.
To be able to legally operate in the UK, a license is required. These are granted by the UK Gambling Commission and once granted they keep a very close eye on how licensees behave. Recent years have seen them issue large fines to companies that have broken regulations.
Last year saw the UK Government release a White Paper outlining their plans to reform the gambling industry. This is needed due to the fact that the current legislation was passed before the arrival of online sites.
All eyes will be on Germany this June and they do have home advantage. It’s a bit like the Steelers getting to the Super Bowl and it being played at the Acrisure Stadium.
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Pittsburgh Steelers home grounds, formerly known as Heinz Field, changed to Acrisure Stadium in 2022.
It does of course pile a great deal of pressure on the hosts. The Germans haven’t been playing well in the past year. Many of their fans are hoping Jurgen Klopp will eventually be their coach now he’s leaving Liverpool at the end of this season. It’s likely that when the World Cup heads to the US in 2026, he will be in charge.
Germany have only won two of their last ten matches. There has been a win over France and they also beat the USA 3-1 last October. They are struggling for form but just like it’s not always a fantastic form guide when the Steelers play preseason friendlies, it’s a similar situation with Germany.
Just as Steelers fans love to bet on their team winning their division and hopefully the Super Bowl, those who gamble on Euro 2024 will have plenty of bets they can make. It’s possible of course to bet on just who will be crowned European Champions on July 14.
Other betting markets include top scorer with Harry Kane (England) and Kylian Mbappe (France) being leading contenders. You can bet on the individual groups, at what stage a country will be eliminated and who will be the player of the tournament.
At present, England are one of the favorites to win the title for the first time. They famously won the World Cup (which sees the USA as one of the co-hosts in 2026) but have never won the European title. The nearest they have ever come to doing so was in 2021 when losing to Italy in the final.
They’ve already beaten Italy twice in the qualifiers and are strongly fancied to finally become European Champions. They have a talented squad with star players including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Boyaka Saka and Marcus Rashford. Gareth Southgate’s squad certainly has a good chance of winning Euro 2024.
France were the losing finalists in the 2022 World Cup. They always seem to be there or thereabouts in the closing stages of major soccer competitions. Only one of their last ten games has been lost and they have a great chance of becoming European champions. They might find it a bit tougher than a recent 14-0 home win over Gibraltar!
Spain won the UEFA Nations League last year and are also strong contenders this summer. Including extra time, they’ve won their last eight matches and will be hard to beat at Euro 2024.
Other contenders include the Netherlands, defending champions Italy and Belgium. Just like with the next NFL season, picking the winner isn’t an easy task at all. If you do want to place bets on Euro 2024 it’s a good idea to check the form of participating teams and particularly the line-ups that they will choose. It’s going to be a great tournament this summer and will certainly keep you busy while waiting for the Steelers to start playing again.
