With the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship starting tomorrow in Japan, lets take a look at who a European online betting company thinks will win the tournament and also the pools.
First we will look at the odds for winning the tournament. As always, these odds are for entertainment purposes only, and every individual is responsible for adhering to their local laws.
Explanation of odds: 3.80 to 1 means that a bet of $1 will earn the bettor their original dollar back, plus an additional $3.80. Odds of $0.25 to 1 means that a bet of $1 will earn the bettor their original dollar back, plus 25 cents of ‘profit.’

Data courtesy of Bwin.com
According to Bwin.com, they feel that the Serbian and American women have the best chances of winning the tournament with 3.00 to 1 odds. I am guessing that Bwin.com feels that the American’s win in the Volleyball Nations League gives them an advantage over the competition. The Serbian women by finishing the preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations Leagues in second place is probably the reasoning for them being tied with the USA. In third place are China at 3.50 to 1. This is mainly due to China’s performance at the Olympics and the great Zhu Ting. Brazil in fourth rounds out the teams with odds in single digits at 4.50 to 1. The hosts Japan are given long odds of winning the tournament at 40:1. Bwin.com is thinking that even having the home crowd behind them in all of their matches will help the Japanese to some degree, but there may be too many strong teams that they will have to face just to even make the third round.
The Netherlands have the best chance of winning the tournament out of Pool A at 16.00 to 1. Those are very high odds and may be attractive to some bettors. The Netherlands are missing Robin de Kruijf in the middle and that may be enough to keep the Oranje from winning.
Do not forget that in the second round, the top 3 teams advance to the third round. So if Japan lose once in the first round, it may be too much for them to make up in the second round.
For those people who are interested in really long shots look at Cameroon, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago are all at 2,000 to 1 to win the tournament.
Now moving on to the odds for winning each pool.

Data courtesy of Bwin.com
Netherlands is a prohibitive favorite to win Pool A, where you would only win 25 cents on a $1 bet. Japan is a second at 3.80 to 1. Germany is third at 11.00 before a significant drop to Argentina, Mexico and Cameroon.
In Pool B, China are the heavy favorites at 0.45 to 1. Italy and Turkey at 3.75 and 4.75 to 1 respectively could provide a lucrative upset if they can beat China to win the pool. Bulgaria is expected to be fourth in the pool with 40.00 to 1 odds.
For Pool C, USA is the favorite at 0.28 to 1. Russia is second at 3.20 to 1. These two teams are very far ahead of their opponents. If South Korea with Kim Yeon-Koung or Azerbaijan with Polina Rahimova get on a strong run, you could receive a 20.00 (South Korea) or 25.00 (Azerbaijan) to 1 return on your investment.
As for Pool D, Serbia and Brazil at 0.60 to 1 and 1.20 to 1 respectively are the prohibitive favorites to win the pool.
As part of the run-up to the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Japan, host broadcaster Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) is going all out on their home page for the World Championships. TBS has just released in the last day or two 30 second profiles on foreign stars to be playing in the tournament. The stars with videos are
The amount of information available on the TBS homepage is almost mini encyclopedia of videos alone on modern Japanese volleyball going back to 1998. There are highlight videos from past matches that Japan hosted in 1998, 2006 and 2010. For myself I am very familiar with the 2010 team with Saori Kimura, Yoshie Takeshita, Saori Sakoda and Erika Araki. Additionally each of the female announcers that TBS employs gave a quick profile on which Japanese national team player they like.
TBS has also done more short interviews with each of the players on the Japanese national team. These short interviews give a player by player view of how they would like to help the team perform in the tournament. Furthermore, TBS has created short vignette videos on many of the start players on the Japanese national team. Such as Erika Araki, who is the only mother on the Japanese women’s team or the projected new ace Ai Kurogo.
TBS even has interviewed a number of players daily after their practices at the national training center in Tokyo.
TBS has invested a great deal of time and money to make sure that the tournament performs well in front of a domestic television audience, but also to global audience as well.
(Updated Sunday morning after reviewing Serbia’s & Netherlands’s sets ratios)
With the matches on Saturday, September 22nd of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in Italy and Bulgaria, Brazil, Italy, Serbia and the USA clinched their berths in the third round.
Going into the final day of play in the second round, 7 teams still have a chance at qualifying for the second round. We will now look at each pool and also which teams have the chance at the two second place berths in the third round.
Pool E
Italy has won the pool and has nothing to play for on Sunday
Russia (5-2, 15 points)
Best 2nd Place Berth
- WIN vs. Finland
- OR LOSE IN 5 vs. Finland AND
- Poland LOSS IN 3 OR 4 SETS vs. Serbia
- AND Belgium WIN IN 5 SETS
- AND Netherlands LOSS vs. Italy
- May need a France LOSS as well
Netherlands
Best 2nd Place Berth
- WIN vs. Italy (preferably in 3 or 4 SETS)
- AND Poland LOSS IN 3 OR 4 SETS vs. Serbia
- OR Russia LOSS vs. Finland IN 3 OR 4 SETS
- IF Russia WIN, Netherlands are eliminated as they cannot beat Russia on sets ratio if tied on wins and points, Russia 2.100 (worst) and Netherlands 1.500 (best)
Finland has been eliminated
Pool F
Brazil has won the pool and has nothing to play for on Sunday
Belgium
Best 2nd Place Berth
- 1st Way
- WIN vs. Brazil in 3 SETS
- AND Poland LOSS vs. Serbia in 3 SETS
- AND Russia LOSS vs. Finland in 3 OR 4 SETS
- AND Netherlands LOSS vs. Italy in 3 OR 4 SETS
- AND France LOSS vs. Argentina IN 3 OR 4 SETS
- Belgium would have 5 wins, 16 points, Poland tied on wins and points, but Belgium would take sets ratio tiebreaker 1.545 to 1.500
- Russia also tied on wins but 15 points and Netherlands tied on wins but 14 points
- 2nd Way
- WIN vs. Brazil in 3 SETS
- AND Poland WINS vs. Serbia
- AND Russia LOSS vs. Finland in 3 OR 4 SETS
- AND Netherlands LOSS vs. Italy in 3 OR 4 SETS
- AND France LOSS vs. Argentina in 3 OR 4 SETS
- Belgium would have 5 wins, 16 points, France tied on wins but 15 points,
- Russia also tied on wins but 15 points and Netherlands tied on wins but 14 points
Slovenia has been eliminated as it cannot surpass Russia’s sets ratio if tied on win and points.
Australia has been eliminated
Pool G
USA has won the pool and has nothing to play for on Sunday.
Bulgaria
- WIN vs. Canada IN 3 OR 4 SETS
- AND Russia LOSS vs. Finland IN 3 or 4 SETS (if Bulgaria win in 4, then Russia must lose in 3)
- AND Netherlands LOSS vs. Italy
- AND France LOSS vs. Argentina
- AND Poland LOSS vs. Serbia
- AND Belgium LOSS vs. Brazil
- Bulgaria would be tied with Russia on 5 wins and 15 points, Bulgaria would have a better sets ratio, Netherlands also tied on wins but at 14 points
Iran has been eliminated as it cannot surpass Russia’s sets ratio if tied on win and points.
Canada has been eliminated as it cannot surpass Russia’s points if tied on wins
Pool H
Serbia (6-1, 17 points) has clinched at least one of the two best second place berths
1st Place in the Pool
Best 2nd Place Berth
Poland
1st Place in the Pool
- WIN vs. Serbia
- If Poland WIN IN 5 SETS, Poland and Serbia are tied on 6 wins and 18 points, Poland would take sets ratio 1.909 to Serbia’s 1.833
Best 2nd Place Berth
- 1st Way
- WIN 2 SETS vs. Serbia
- AND France WIN vs. Argentina in 5 SETS
- AND Netherlands LOSS vs. Italy
- Netherlands cannot match on points to Poland’s 17 and France cannot surpass Poland’s sets ratio if tied on 5 wins and 17 points, Poland 1.667 to France’s 1.615
- 2nd Way
- WIN 2 SETS vs. Serbia
- AND France WIN vs. Argentina in 5 SETS
- AND Russia LOSS vs. Finland
- Russia cannot match on points to Poland’s 17 and France cannot surpass Poland’s sets ratio if tied on 5 wins and 17 points, Poland 1.667 to France’s 1.615
- 3rd Way
- France LOSS vs. Argentina
- AND Netherlands LOSS vs. Italy
- AND Belgium WIN vs. Brazil in 4 SETS OR LOSS vs. Brazil
- Teams cannot match Poland on 5 wins and 16 points
- 4th Way
- France LOSS vs. Argentina
- AND Russia LOSS vs. Finland
- AND Belgium WIN vs. Brazil in 4 SETS OR LOSS vs. Brazil
- Teams cannot match Poland on 5 wins and 16 points
France
Best 2nd Place Berth
- 1st Way
- WIN vs. Argentina IN 3 OR 4 SETS
- AND Netherlands LOSS vs. Italy
- Netherlands could not match France’s points 18 if tied on 5 wins
- 2nd Way
- WIN vs. Argentina IN 3 OR 4 SETS
- AND Russia LOSS vs. Finland
- Russia could not match France’s points 18 if tied on 5 wins
Argentina has been eliminated