The 2002 World Cup has been the biggest betting event of all-time, according to leading bookmaker Ladbrokes.The World Cup finals was the first major football tournament to be staged since betting tax was abolished in the UK.
And Ladbrokes claim a turnover of around £200m will have been taken by bookmakers in the UK.
England's defeat of Argentina resulted in a big payout for UK bookmakers, but an unprecedented number of upsets mean it has been a very successful tournament for bookies.
Ladbrokes chief executive Chris Bell said: "Euro 2000 was a winner for the punters, but results have been kinder to us during this World Cup.
World interest
"Now the challenge is to continue to build our customer base on a global basis."
Ladbrokes received several bets in excess of £100,000, with one punter staking £150,000 on Ireland to beat Saudi Arabia at odds of 1/3.
The England-Brazil match attracted the most bets, despite the 0730 BST kick-off, with £10 million placed on the quarter-final game.
Ladbrokes received bets from more than 60 different countries via the telephone or through their internet site.
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