Host nation Russia kicks off the 2018 World Cup on Thursday, June 14, against Saudi Arabia. Germany is a 7-2 favorite to defend its title as world champions, followed closely by Brazil at 4-1 and Spain, Argentina and France at 6-1. Before you make your selections on which country will win the 2018 World Cup, you need to see what European football expert David Sumpter has to say.

Sumpter is an applied mathematician who wrote "Soccermatics," the book that shows how math works inside the game. Together with experienced analysts, Sumpter developed the powerful Soccerbot model. 

The Soccerbot reads current odds and all team performance data, calculates key metrics and predicts upcoming matches. In the 2½ seasons since it was born, the Soccerbot is up 1,800 percent on bookmakers' closing odds. That's right -- 1,800 percent. 

Now, with sportsbooks releasing odds to win the 2018 World Cup, Sumpter's model has revealed the top 10 teams with the highest probability to win the title. And you can find out who they are only over at SportsLine. 

One huge surprise the model is calling for at the 2018 World Cup: Reigning European champions Portugal, a team currently ranked No. 4 in the FIFA World Rankings, has the eighth best chance to win the World Cup at just 3.8 percent.

Portugal enters the 2018 World Cup as the European champions. Since defeating France 1-0 in the final of Euro 2016, Portugal has played 22 matches and lost just three times in 90 minutes, and finished third in the Confederations Cup last year.

Cristiano Ronaldo, 33, remains the focal point in Portugal's success. Portugal's only defeat in its qualifying matches leading up to the 2018 World Cup took place while he was injured, a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland.

Ronaldo's last gasp to lead his country to a World Cup title will begin with a heavyweight matchup against Spain. The result of Portugal's opening match will most likely go a long way in deciding who will top Group B.

Also, the model says two teams with odds of 30-1 or longer have a shot to win the World Cup title. Anyone who bets on these underdogs could hit it big.

So which team has the best chance to win the 2018 World Cup? And which massive long shots can go all the way? Check out the odds below and then visit SportsLine now to see which teams have the best chance to win the 2018 World Cup, all from a European football expert whose model returned an 1,800 percent profit on the bookmakers' closing odds.

Germany 7-2
Brazil 4-1
France 6-1
Spain 6-1
Argentina 6-1
Belgium 10-1
England 20-1
Portugal 25-1
Uruguay 30-1
Colombia 40-1
Russia 50-1
Croatia 30-1
Poland 40-1
Mexico 50-1
Denmark 100-1
Switzerland 125-1
Sweden 150-1
Serbia 200-1
Senegal 200-1
Egypt 200-1
Iceland 200-1
Peru 200-1
Nigeria 250-1
Japan 300-1
Costa Rica 300-1
Australia 500-1
Morocco 500-1
Iran 500-1
South Korea 500-1
Tunisia 500-1
Panama 1000-1
Saudi Arabia 1000-1