England fans taking the England World Cup odds will be crossing their fingers and their toes this summer in the hope that England can end the years of hurt for fans by winning the World Cup for the first time in 44 years. There is one obvious advantage that England had back then in 1966 and they are not going to enjoy that advantage for another eight years at least.

That advantage England had in 1966 is of course home advantage. In 1966 England hosted the World Cup and England are the current favourites to host the 2018 World Cup. This week David Beckham has submitted England’s bid to the FIFA president Sepp Blatter and all of the bookies now make England favourites to be handed the World Cup 2018, some even make England odds on favourites.

Home advantage shouldn’t be underestimated, one third of the previous World Cup winners have won the World Cup on their own soil. No European nation has ever managed to win the World Cup outside of Europe which would appear to be a negative for England’s chance this year in South Africa, if England do not host the World Cup in 2018 they will have to hope that another European nation is given the World Cup, luckily for England the joint second favourites are Russia and also a joint bid from Spain and Portugal.

The 2014 World Cup will be hosted by Brazil and surprisingly they didn’t win the World Cup the last time they hosted it back in 1950. In 2014 you would expect them to go one better than they did in 1950 when runners up to Uruguay, although the Brazil World Cup odds are likely to be the shortest ante post World Cup betting odds ever seen.

For those who are taking the England World Cup odds this year good luck to you, but you may be better of keeping hold of your money for another eight years when hopefully, England will be hosting the World Cup.