LONDON - Bookmakers in Britain and Ireland are fearful of a huge payout should England beat South Africa in Sunday's World Cup final in Paris.
England are the 2/1 outsiders to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy but, according to Ladbrokes, 95 per cent of all bets in theUK and Ireland have been on England.
However, the leading British firm do face having to pay out to one customer on a 150,000 pounds ($412,000) bet at odds of 5/1 if South Africa are victorious at the Stade de France.
"A victory for Brian Ashton's side will send the bookies into meltdown," Adele Thompson of Ladbrokes in Ireland said in a statement.
"Across the water (in the UK) punters are queuing up to back England for the title so the losses would run into the multi-millions if the English manage a second World Cup in four years."
Meanwhile Ladbrokes are offering odds of 20/1 on a statue of Jonny Wilkinson permanently occupying the empty plinth in London's Trafalgar Square.
First five-eighths Wilkinson, whose drop-goal with just seconds of extra-time remaining saw England beat Australia 20-17 in the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney, is widely expected to have to again play a key role if the champions are to retain their title.
No team has yet won the World Cup at two consecutive tournaments.
