Total Cards and Corners at Euro 2020 Odds

No European Championships saw more yellow cards than the 205 handed out at Euro 2016. An average of 4.02 bookings were given in each match, including a record 10 in the final between France and the eventual winners, Portugal. Now, with refereeing arguably even worse and the introduction of VAR, anything could happen.

Shifting from 16 teams to 24, the extra matches in the new format of the tournament gave more opportunities for bookings to be given, with more of the same expected this year. With matches at Euro 2020 expected to tight and cagey affairs, yellow cards are likely to be present in most games.

Priced at 5/6 for there to be over 181.5 yellow cards, an average of 3.5 bookings per match will be needed for this selection to land. However, in the two Euros prior to 2016, the number of yellows produced had been falling dramatically.

Compared to the 156 handed out at Euro 2004, the 2008 and 2012 editions only saw 121 and 123 respectively. If the curve is to be flattened this summer, under 181.5 yellow cards is also a 5/6 shot.

Only three nations have had a player sent off in a European Championships match and then gone onto win the competition, with the most recent being Germany in 1996.

Typically speaking, dismissals are rare at the Euros and the last three tournaments have only produced three red cards each. Amongst those to be sent off five years ago was the then Blackburn Rovers defender, Shane Duffy, who saw red in the Republic of Ireland’s round of 16 defeat to host nation France. Heading into Euro 2020, the market suggests another tournament low on reds and it is odds on for there to be under 7.5 sending offs.

Priced at 4/6, no European Championships since 2000 has seen more than seven red cards. The last Euros to see a flurry of dismissals was Euro 2000, when a record 10 players were sent off during the tournament. Remarkably, three of the red cards were handed to Yugoslavian players, with one being given in each of their group stage matches.

Should this summer’s tournament see similar feisty fixtures, money could be made in the 11/10 shot for over 7.5 red cards to be shown.

Unlikely to eclipse the 539 awarded at Euro 2016, a large number of corners are still expected to be given at this summer’s tournament.

Like the number of cards handed out, the expanded European Championships format allowed for more corners than ever before to be given out in France five years ago. A total of 12 goals were scored from corners in the tournament and one manager looking to benefit from set-pieces this year will be England boss, Gareth Southgate.

Four of the Three Lion’s 12 goals at the 2018 World Cup were scored from corners and a further three penalties awarded following fouls in the box at set-pieces. England will be looking to make the most of corners this year and it is 5/6 for over 492.5 to be taken at Euro 2020.

Whilst 5/6 is also the pricing for under 492.5 corners to be taken, the increase in set-piece goals seen at recent tournaments means we’re backing a minimum of 500 corners at this summer’s Euros.

By Amos Murphy