Punters Rush To Back Robot Crouch

Bookies William Hill have opened a book on how many times Peter Crouch will celebrate his World Cup goals with the 'Robot Dance', and make him a 4/1 shot to perform it 3 or more times during the tournament after scoring; 3/1 twice; 2/1 once and none at all 13/8.

William Hill also offer him at 2/1 to celebrate his first World Cup goal with the dance, while he is 7/4 to get on the scoresheet in Germany, and 2/5 not to. He is 11/2 to score England's first goal in their first game against Paraguay, 40/1 to score a hat trick in that game, 25/1 to get one at any time in the tournament - and 3/1 to miss his next England penalty.

"Crouch's dancing abilities - or lack of them - have sparked a great interest in him as a betting subject for the World Cup. We have already paid out on him Robo-dancing to celebrate scoring against Jamaica, and there will be hundreds of thousands of pounds riding on his scoring and dancing records at the tournament" said William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"He has even been backed to win tv's Strictly Come Dancing at 50/1, and to score the Christmas Number One - with a song and video featuring the dance - at 100/1!"

Crouch is now 5/1 to be England's top scorer at the World Cup with William Hill and 40/1 to win the tournament's Golden Boot by scoring the greatest number of goals at the competition.