"Football betting has exploded over the past few years. We'll also benefit from the kick-off times, a lot more favourable than four years ago. Punters are strange creatures: they don't like betting before breakfast."

Strange, perhaps, but not stupid: crazy bets are rare. However, two punters have bet 300 pounds at Coral on the highly improbable scenario of Iran winning the World Cup, quoted Wednesday at 750 to one.

Punters are coming up with all sorts of ways to gamble their money.

One increasingly popular bet is on how many times lanky England striker Peter Crouch will perform his "robot dance" goalscoring celebration -- though he has pledged to keep it on ice for the World Cup final.

If Beckham does lift the golden trophy, British bookmakers will console themselves by cashing in on the knock-on effects.

"People will be euphoric if England win the World Cup, and so will spend more money with us," said Sharpe.

"Not to mention the impact on English Premiership betting, the Champions League and even Euro 2008."

James Peppler, 27, from Nottinghamshire, said he would bet on England losing to Trinidad and Tobago in their second World Cup match, in Nuremberg on Thursday, at odds of 11 to one.

"I always bet on the other team because if we win, you've paid, say, 10 pounds for an England World Cup victory -- well worth it," he told AFP.

"But if we lose, at least there's a bundle of cash to soften the blow."