Landon Donovan asks, “Who says we’re favorites?”

PRETORIA, South Africa – One of the questions bounced around Landon Donovan’s table today at the U.S. press availability concerned the United States, now making the tricky adjustment to playing as a favorite.

“Who said we’re favored,” Donovan shot back with a little grin, presumably being coy but probably a little serious, too.

Well, I’ll tell you who … the odds makers. And them dudes don’t mess around.

A quick check of online betting shops shows that the United States is a small-to-medium favorite to take all three points against Slovenia. England meanwhile is a big old’ whopper of a favorite to chew up the Algerians.

Bob Bradley’s boys are even money to win Friday, while Slovenia is +260. (Bet $100, make $260 if the Eastern Europeans win.) England in -600 to win (bet $600 to win $100), while Algeria is plus-1,200.

Who’s in?