Red Cards

Yellow cards have been on a sharp increase in recent tournaments, with almost 100 more cards awarded at World Cup 2006 comapred to 1998, despite the same number of games.

Referees are often asked to clamp down on certain things prior to a World Cup, but with no such announcements this year, and just three reds awarded at Euro 08, it appears that the powers are wanting less sending offs these days.

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World Cup Red Cards and Bookings Stats

*Note there were 12 more matches played from 1998 onwards

Consider Yellow Cards

The record of red cards seems quite erratic, yellow cards is much more consistent and they allow us to  compare discipline and the strictness of referees from tournament to tournament.

Bet With Caution

It seems that referees have been 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. The upward trend on yellows could also stop as referees prefer to calm situations down rather than waive cards around.

Common Sense Refs Make Betting Easier

It would be a surprise if there are more than twenty red cards at World Cup 2010.  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 than 2006 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 much lower than the 28 we saw at World Cup 2006. 

BACK UNDER 19.5 RED CARDS 5/6 (advised 3 June)

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