Sporting odds for 1998

Fancy a New Year flutter? So what price Scotland winning the world cup, Cantona returning to England, a clean-sweep for Tiger Woods or no rain at Wimbledon?

Who will win this year's World Cup is one of the questions on every sports-lover's lips. But "Vinnie Jones to become an MP" and "David Mellor and Tony Banks to record the official England World Cup song" are just two of the bets that are perhaps less likely to succeed this year.

70% of British betting turnover comes from horse racing, but there has been a massive increase in general sport betting - and bookmakers are taking on the challenge by offering odds on almost any sporting bet you can dream up.

Give us your predictions for 1998 in Talking Point. Listed below are the main sporting odds, and some bizarre ones too: WH = William Hill L = Ladbrokes

Football

WORLD CUP

1/2 - Scotland to fail to qualify from their World Cup group (WH)
7/4 - Scotland not to win any matches during the World Cup finals (WH)
2/1 - Alan Shearer to be England's top scorer in the World Cup finals (WH)
4/1 - Ronaldo to be top scorer in the World Cup finals (WH)
6/1 - Alan Shearer to be top scorer in the World Cup finals (WH)
3/1 - Glenn Hoddle no longer to be England manager on the last day of the year (WH)
4/1 - England to fail to qualify from their World Cup group (WH)
7/1 - England to win the World Cup (WH)
8/1 - Scotland not to score in the World Cup finals (WH)
14/1 - England not to score in the World Cup finals (WH)
16/1 - Paul Gascoigne to be England's top scorer in the World Cup finals (WH)
100/1 - Scotland to win the World Cup (WH)
100/1 - Tony Adams to be England's top scorer in the World Cup finals (WH)

PREMIERSHIP

4/1 - Premiership team to change name to incorporate sponsor (WH)
10/1 - Wimbledon to play home Premier League match in Dublin (WH)
10/1 - Eric Cantona to play in the Premier League (WH)
20/1 - Vinnie Jones to become permanent manager of a Premier League side (WH)
100/1 - Any player to score six goals in Premiership match (WH)

WINNERS OF FA CUP

• 5/1 - Manchester United (L)
  
• 6/1 - Liverpool (L)
  
• 6/1 - Arsenal (L)
  
• 8/1 - Blackburn (L)
  
• 9/1 - Chelsea (L)
  
• 10/1 - Aston Villa (L)
  
• 12/1 - Newcastle United (L)
  
• 16/1 - Leeds United (L)
  
• 20/1 - Bar (L)
  

WINNER OF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE

• 9/4 - Manchester United (L)
• 11/4 - Juventus (L)
• 7/2 - Real Madrid (L)
• 6/1 - Bayern Munich (L)
• 8/1 - Borussia Dortmund (L)
• 14/1 - Dynamo Kiev (L)
• 16/1 - Bayern Leverkusen (L)
• 25/1 - Monaco (L)

WINNER OF CUP WINNERS CUP

• 5/2 - Stuttgart (L)
• 11/4 - Chelsea (L)
• 4/1 - Vincenza (L)
• 5/1 - Real Betis (L)
• 10/1 - AEK Athens (L)
• 12/1 - Roda (L)
• 20/1 - Slavia Prague (L)
• 14/1 - Lokomotiv Moscow (L)

WINNERS OF UEFA CUP

• 2/1 - Inter Milan (L)
• 4/1 - Ajax (L)
• 4/1 - Ath. Madrid (L)
• 4/1 - Lazio (L)
• 12/1 - Schalke (L)
• 14/1 - Aston Villa (L)
• 16/1 - Auxerre (L)
• 16/1 -Spartak Moscow (L)

Personalities

10/11 - Tony Banks still to be 'Minister for Sport' on last day of year (WH)
8/1 - Liam/Noel Gallagher to become Manchester City Chairman (WH)
20/1 - Spice Girls to record England's FA endorsed World Cup song (WH)
25/1 - David Mellor and Tony Banks to record the official England World Cup song (L)
100/1 - Bernie Ecclestone to become a Labour MP (WH)
100/1 - Vinnie Jones to become an MP (WH)
250/1 - Teletubbies to record England's official World Cup '98 song (WH)
1000/1 - Frankie Dettori to win Eurovision Song Contest for Italy (WH)

Golf

TO WIN A MAJOR TOURNAMENT

• 6/4 - Tiger Woods (L)
  
• 5/2 - Ernie Els (L)
  
• 3/1 - Colin Montgomerie (L)
  
• 4/1 - Greg Norman(L)
  
• 5/1 - Nick Faldo (L)
  
• 10/1 - Lee Westwood (L)
  
• 50/1 - Seve Ballesteros (L)

TIGER WOODS TO WIN...

• 5/1 - US Masters (L)
  
• 10/1 - US Open (L)
  
• 10/1 - British Open (L)
  
• 10/1 -US PGA (L)
  
• 250/1 - Grand Slam (WH)

10/1 - Tiger Woods to shoot a round of 59 or less in any USPGA Tour event (L)
6/1 - Laura Davies to win either US or British Open (L)
6/1 - Seve Ballesteros to win a European Tour event (individual not team) (L)
1/5 - US to win Solheim Cup (L)
7/2 - Europe to win Solheim Cup (L)

Tennis

WIMBLEDON WINNER

• 10/1 - Greg Rusedski (L)
  
• 16/1 - Tim Henman (L)
  
• 4/5 - Pete Sampras (L)

6/1 - A Briton to win men's title at Wimbledon (L)
100/1 - An all British final at Wimbledon (L)
50/1 - Rain to interrupt Centre Court play every day at Wimbledon (WH)
10/1 - No rain at all to fall during Wimbledon fortnight (WH)

Formula 1

25/1(WH), 20/1(L) - Damon Hill to win World Drivers Championship
10/1 - David Coulthard to win World Drivers' Championship (L)
16/1 - Damon Hill to win British Grand Prix (WH)

Rugby

WINNER OF RUGBY UNION: FIVE NATIONS

• 8/11 - England (L)
• 5/4 - France (L)
• 20/1 - Wales (L)
• 33/1 - Scotland (L)
• 50/1 - Ireland (L)

50/1 - Rugby League/Rugby Union to merge under a common set of rules (WH)

Cricket

WINNER OF WINTER TEST SERIES

• 4/6 - West Indies (L)
• 3/1 - England (L)
• 11/4 - Draw (L)

12/1 - Any English bowler to score a hat-trick during the Test Series V the West Indies (WH)
3/1 - England to beat South Africa in Summer Test Series (WH)

Cycling

6/4 - Chris Boardman to complete Tour de France (WH)
50/1 - Chris Boradman to win Tour de France (WH)

Boxing

16/1 - Frank Bruno to win IBF, WBC or WBO World Heavyweight title (WH)

Horse Racing

5/1 - Frankie Dettori to win Derby (WH)
50/1 - Woman jockey to win Aintree Grand National (WH)
50/1 - Woman jockey to win Epsom Derby (WH)

Snooker

4/5 - Stephen Hendry to win World Championship (L)
5/1 - Ronnie O Sullivan to win World Championship (L)