LONDON - Drug scandals, head-butting, insults, stamping on someone's genitals and the appearance of Jesus Christ: these are some of the things which can be bet on at the World Cup.
British bookmakers are taking bets on all manner of bizarre events in South Africa.
Of course, bets will be placed on who will win the tournament, with Spain the favourites.
But others want to put their money on who will get sent off first, who will commit the most fouls and who volatile Argentina manager Diego Maradona will insult first.
What will be the first goal celebration? A badge kiss is the 5-2 favourite, followed by somersaults at 4-1, taking the shirt off at 9-2, a prayer to God at 7-1, then "stand there and do nothing" at 9-1.
"The Robbie Fowler: sniffing the white line" is the outsider at 150-1, according to Paddy Power.
Which team will be the first to celebrate by revealing a Jesus Christ T-shirt? Brazil are favourites at 15-2, followed by Italy and Argentina at 9-1, then Spain at 12-1. North Korea are the outsiders at 1000-1.
Spain's David Villa at 9-2 is the favourite to be the first player to bless himself after scoring a goal at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, followed by teammate Fernando Torres.
But, the bets are also on for when football gets a little more unholy.
In the stakes for who or what Maradona will insult first, a match official is 11-8, followed by South Africa at 2-1, the media at 3-1, and Fifa or its president Sepp Blatter at 8-1.
Chile are 16-1 favourites to fail a drugs test, followed by Mexico, South Africa and Argentina at 18-1, then Ivory Coast and Paraguay at 20-1.
France striker Thierry Henry is 100-1 to score with his hand.
French playmaker Zinedine Zidane was infamously sent off in the last World Cup final, and a player getting sent off for head-butting this time around is deemed more likely than not at 8-13.
Argentina's Javier Mascherano (6-1) and Gabriel Heinze (9-1) are favourites to commit the most fouls, followed by Brazil captain Lucio and England's John Terry at 10-1.
On the receiving end, Argentina's Lionel Messi is 4-6 to be fouled the most, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo at 5-2 and England's Wayne Rooney at 10-3.
Rooney is 150-1 to stamp on someone's genitals - a red card offence. - Sapa-AFP
BIZARRE BETTING
LONDON - Drug scandals, head-butting, insults, stamping on someone's genitals and the appearance of Jesus Christ: these are some of the things which can be bet on at the World Cup.
British bookmakers are taking bets on all manner of bizarre events in South Africa.
Of course, bets will be placed on who will win the tournament, with Spain the favourites.
But others want to put their money on who will get sent off first, who will commit the most fouls and who volatile Argentina manager Diego Maradona will insult first.
What will be the first goal celebration? A badge kiss is the 5-2 favourite, followed by somersaults at 4-1, taking the shirt off at 9-2, a prayer to God at 7-1, then "stand there and do nothing" at 9-1.
"The Robbie Fowler: sniffing the white line" is the outsider at 150-1, according to Paddy Power.
Which team will be the first to celebrate by revealing a Jesus Christ T-shirt? Brazil are favourites at 15-2, followed by Italy and Argentina at 9-1, then Spain at 12-1. North Korea are the outsiders at 1000-1.
Spain's David Villa at 9-2 is the favourite to be the first player to bless himself after scoring a goal at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, followed by teammate Fernando Torres.
But, the bets are also on for when football gets a little more unholy.
In the stakes for who or what Maradona will insult first, a match official is 11-8, followed by South Africa at 2-1, the media at 3-1, and Fifa or its president Sepp Blatter at 8-1.
Chile are 16-1 favourites to fail a drugs test, followed by Mexico, South Africa and Argentina at 18-1, then Ivory Coast and Paraguay at 20-1.
France striker Thierry Henry is 100-1 to score with his hand.
French playmaker Zinedine Zidane was infamously sent off in the last World Cup final, and a player getting sent off for head-butting this time around is deemed more likely than not at 8-13.
Argentina's Javier Mascherano (6-1) and Gabriel Heinze (9-1) are favourites to commit the most fouls, followed by Brazil captain Lucio and England's John Terry at 10-1.
On the receiving end, Argentina's Lionel Messi is 4-6 to be fouled the most, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo at 5-2 and England's Wayne Rooney at 10-3.
Rooney is 150-1 to stamp on someone's genitals - a red card offence. - Sapa-AFP
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