The United States has won the last two titles at the FIBA World Cup of Basketball, but the international gap is closing. And the U.S. has seen a number of its best players decline an invitation to the 2019 FIBA World Cup. The country that invented the game still has the biggest talent pool to pick from and thus the U.S. is a negative odds favorite at online sportsbooks to add to its record number of gold medals at the games.
A record 32 countries will participate in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, which starts on Saturday, August 31, with pool play and concludes on Sunday, September 15, with the gold and bronze medal games. The favorite to win a third straight gold medal, Team USA isn’t the can’t-miss pick it often is in international tournaments.
With 92 games played over 16 days, the FIBA World Cup offers plenty of betting options. And BookMaker.eu has you covered when you’re ready to make that wager.
2019 FIBA World Cup Odds at BookMaker.eu
USA -255
Serbia +325
Spain +1802
Greece +1802
France +3005
Australia +3858
Canada +5000
Lithuania +6000
Argentina +8000
Russia +10000
Italy +12500
Turkey +15000
Germany +15000
Brazil +15000
Poland +20000
Puerto Rico +25000
Montenegro +25000
New Zealand +30000
Czech Republic +40000
China +50000
Nigeria +50000
Dominican Republic +50000
Philippines +75000
Jordan +75000
South Korea +75000
Venezuela +75000
Japan +75000
Angola +75000
Iran +75000
Tunisia +75000
Ivory Coast +85000
Senegal +85000
Team USA -255
Let’s face it the guys make too much money playing in the NBA to risk injury in a tournament that’s not very highly regarded by U.S. standards. In addition to a number of NBA starts declining an invitation, the team recently saw James Harden, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal withdraw their names. This isn’t the star-studded group we’ve seen in past competitions and the odds are likely to increase over the coming weeks as roster movement is fluid.
Of the players currently on the roster, only one – Kemba Walker – was an All-NBA pick last season. Walker and Khris Middleton were the only All-Stars, and only Walker, Julius Randle and Donovan Mitchell scored more than 20 points per game last NBA season. One area this group can be special is on defense. With Gregg Popovich coaching, you know Team USA is going to be strong, but can it topple the field for a third straight time?
Serbia +325
They are the second favorite for a reason. With an abundance of NBA talent and fiery national team stars, the Serbs might have the best chance of upsetting the Americans if and when they play. Nikola Jokic is the centerpiece of the squad, but Bogdan Bogdanovich, Nemanja Bjelica and Milos Teodosic can all fill it up. Playing in a group with Angola, the Phillippines and Italy, shouldn’t offer much resistance, but there are few easy outs in this tournament.
Spain +1802
The Spaniards aren’t as deep as Team USA and Serbia, but they have a strong cast of starters. Pau Gasol, a mainstay on the national team, is out with an injury, but toss in his brother Marc, Ricky Rubio and the Hernangomez brothers, and you have a potent group. A few big names won’t be playing when Serge Ibaka and Nikola Mirotic backed out of the games, and that’s a huge loss for a team without much depth.
France +3005
Much like Spain, France has a definite NBA feel at the top of the roster but lacks depth the deeper you go. Rudy Gobert is the biggest name on the national team and he’s been the team’s ambassador leading up to the games. Gobert made a name for himself at the last FIBA World Cup with his defensive prowess helping France win its only medal in the history of the tournament. Now an established NBA veteran, he’ll be flanked by Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier to give the French balance in the starting five.
Greece +1802
Basketball is a team sport, but it certainly helps when the best player in the NBA is on your side. If you’re looking for a team to back why not throw down on Greece, which has the best all-around player in the tournament on its side. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to the best record in the NBA last season, claiming league MVP honors along the way. They were stopped short of a Finals appearance making this another chance for Antetokounmpo to come out a winner. The hill is much tougher to climb than Spain or France, but this is a rare opportunity for
Giannis to play with his brothers Thanasis and Kostas, and that’s pretty frightening.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
