The 2010 World Cup is very nearly upon us and with the host nation South Africa gearing up for thousands upon thousands of foreign visitors it could be the most exciting competition yet. South Africa will be the first African nation to host a FIFA World Cup tournament, just as the 2002 FIFA World Cup held between Japan and Korea was the first to have been held in Asia. The popularity of the event and the diversity of the countries now taking part has been helped significantly by the structure of FIFA's rotating decision making system. This allows specific world regions to apply for the chance to host and helps in keeping the hosting fair.

The 2006 World Cup, held in Germany, saw Italy take home the prize in a final against France that was decided by penalties after a 1-1 draw in the main match. Interestingly of the 75 countries who have taken part in the World Cup over the years only 7 have actually won it, with Brazil leading the pack with 5 wins under their belt.

If you are thinking of betting on the World Cup 2010 now, the best odds can be found online. At the moment Brazil are favourites to become the outright winners, with odds of 9/2 available. Spain shares the same bracket with odds of 9/2. England are looking good at the moment thanks to a strong performance in the qualifiers and odds of 6/1 can be had. Italy has slipped somewhat in global estimations since their victory in 2006 and now has odds of 10/1.

As the tournament nears you will be able to bet on a wider range of eventualities including group leaders, goal scorers and many more, so keep your eyes peeled.