Patriotic Punters Jump Gun In England World Cup Plunger

Patriotic fans are jumping the gun and backing England to win the World Cup in the belief that Wayne Rooney will be declared fit following his scan on Thursday and that Michael Owen will show that he is back to his best in the friendly against Belarus, also on Thursday.

And after taking a rush of bets for England to win the World Cup at 7/1, William Hill have been forced to trim their odds to 13/2 second favourites, as they face possibly their biggest ever football payout should England go all the way to victory.

"It would be the footballing equivalent of the worst day in bookmaking history - when Frankie Dettori rode all seven winners in a single day at Ascot and virtually demolished the industry on his own. A World Cup triumph for England would hammer the bookies - our ideal outcome would be for England to reach the final and lose on a penalty shoot-out" said William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"Punters have been anticipating a cut in England's odds once Owen and Rooney prove their fitness and have decided to take a chance and get their bets on before the odds shrink dramatically.If the pair are both certain starters in the tournament then England will start at the shortest odds they have been since 1970 when they were defending champions and 4/1 shots to retain the title."

With the crucial scan on the Rooney foot due on Thursday, William Hill - who were at one time offering 13/8 that the Man U striker would play a part in the World Cup - are now down to 1/5 that he will play and out to 100/30 that he will miss out entirely.

"We are the ones who will be footing the bill if Wayne is fit, after punters thought he was a shoe-in to make it, leaving us potentially down-at-heel." said William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.