Red Cards
| Year | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 345 | 28 |
| 2002 | 260 | 11 |
| 1998 | 250 | 22 |
| 1994 | 221 | 8 |
| 1990 | 162 | 15 |
*Note there were 12 more matches played from 1998 onwards
With refereeing and rules changing plenty over recent years there seems little point in examining too many World Cups as far as red cards are concerned.
Consider Yellow Cards
The record of red cards seems quite erratic, yellow cards is much more consistent and although bookmakers are unlikely to be betting on number of yellow cards it is worth looking at them to compare discipline from tournament to tournament.
Bet With Caution
It only take one or two heated matches to completely change the make up of red cards in a tournament and with referees encouraged to take a more cautious approach these days it may be best to bet with a degree a caution on World Cup Red Cards.
Common Sense Refs Make Betting Easier
It would be a surprise if there are more than twenty red cards and also less than ten red cards seems unlikely. That narrows it down somewhat but still leaves a fairly large choice of possible outcomes. In Euro 2008 there were just three sendings off which proves that referees are now taking more of a common sense approach to discipline and this suggests that World Cup Red Cards are likely to be lower rather than higher.
Non European Pointer
It is interesting that the two lowest make ups of red cards in the last five World Cups have been in the two tournaments that were held outside of Europe. In USA 94 there were just eight red cards and in Japan and South Korea 2002 there were eleven. With the 2010 World Cup being held in South Africa it could be that there is another low number of red cards when the tournament is held outside of Europe.
The Bet
So what do we back? It looks as though the number of red cards is likely to be around ten. There is still time for rule changes that could affect the World Cup Red Card Betting but for the time being the safest bet is to back ten red cards.
Back 10 red cards at the 2010 World Cup
