Bookmakers Revises World Cup Bid Odds

Posted By Grant Nelson | Monday, May 17, 2010 - 15:23
Categories: Sports

A bookmakers believes England's chances of hosting the World Cup have slimmed

England's odds of winning its World Cup 2018 bid have been tarnished.

The odds that England will be successful in its bid to host the 2018 Fifa World Cup has been altered by bookmakers William Hill.

Following controversial comments from former bid chairman Lord Triesman - who resigned yesterday (May 16th) after claiming Spanish officials were planning to bribe World Cup referees - the betting firm has lengthened its odds from 10/11 to 11/10.

However, sports minister Hugh Robertson said: "I don't believe this will fatally undermine the bid, because the fundamental strengths of England's bid are still there long after this unfortunate chapter has been forgotten."

However, England is still the favourite to host the competition in eight years' time at the bookmakers, with Spain and Portugal's joint bid at 3/1 and both the joint bid by Holland and Belgium and the campaign for Australia at 9/1.

Before leaving the bid, Lord Triesman joined David Beckham at the Fifa headquarters in Zurich to officially present the book to president Sepp Blatter.