Last week Paddy Power began offering odds on this years Womens and Mens World Championships, shortly followed by Skybet. I think that we're now only waiting for one team to be confirmed (Stoughton or Martin for Canadian men), so who do you think is good value?

Women                                              Men
Canada                4/6                          Canada              2/7
Switzerland          4/1                          Scotland            5/1
Sweden               5/1                          Norway              11/1
China                  8/1                          Germany            16/1
Denmark             12/1                         China                16/1
South Korea        16/1                         USA                  20/1
Germany             25/1                         Switzerland        25/1
Scotland             25/1                         Japan                 33/1
USA                   20/1                         Denmark            50/1
Italy                   66/1                         France               66/1
Norway              100/1                        Czech Rep         100/1
Russia               100/1                        Finland              100/1

I placed an early bet on Sweden to win the womens event at 8/1, but the odds dropped soon afterwards.
If Martin doesn't win the Brier then I think 5/1 will be a good price for Scotland in the mens event.

I bet with my heart last year - expensively!

I don't think I'll bet this year but if I do China men and women must be a good each way double.

decent odds for China in the womens anyway. especially e/w.

Scotland, Norway and Germany are pretty good odds as well.

In some respects I think 25/1 for eve's team is a bit harsh but then again it is her first WC ( at this level ). I think someone in another topic ( jnr's in vancouver ) thinks Scotland ladies will come last. I don't think they will and in fact may be a surprise package this year. I would be happy for Scotland to use this for experience and just try to collect as many Olympic ranking points as possible.I don't think they can win but they will give a few surprises along the way. I would be surprised if they came last.

Well for this year I think the Men's competition will be pretty interesting to watch. Kevin Martin and Dave Murdoch are more or less set to reach the Playoffs, at least in my books.

Behind them is a trio consisting of Thomas Ulsrud of Norway, Andy Kapp of Germany and Ralph Stöckli of Switzerland and all three of them certainly also want to have a say in the page-playoffs.
Denmark and France spot a lot of experience, so they may be in for a surprise and upset one or the other of the favourites.

Once it gets to the playoffs, everything is possible. I expect Kevin Martin to be in the final, but even a Kevin Martin can have an average game in a semi-final and be beaten by somebody else...


In the women's I see Annette Norberg of Sweden, Jennifer Jones of Canada, Debbie McCormick from the USA and Mirjam Ott of Switzerland as the hottest contenders for a page-playoff spot. But then again, Denmark (Jensen), Germany (Schöpp) and Wang (China) have all been there, done that, so they can always turn up at the front of the field suddenly. Same goes for Russia which has after all been the 2006 European champion. And Scotland will be interesting to watch as well, that team really is an unkown quantity outside of Scotland but you can be sure that the respect will be there I reckon.
So all in all, I really see the women's competition as being wide open. Jones, Norberg and Ott seem to have the best cards for the title, but with the field being so even, they may also very well not even make the playoffs...

i wonder if anette will have gotten over those 3 losses in 3 days to mirjam ott at the europeans last year

The Mens game is a closed book - Martin will win easily - they are not just the best shotmakers in the game they are tatically on a different planet to everyone else. You do not win 26 games in a row in the Brier if you are not !!

He picks up twos for fun when he has last stone and will go for the jugular from end 1.

The womens is more interesting - Jones is favourite but only because she is from Canada if she was from another nation that would not be the case.

IMO - Sweden has the best chance but it is wide open and if China play like last year will again be in the mix.

Swedish women now cut to 3/1 so get on them soon. Getting them at 8/1 was a steal !!