Millions bet on England-Argentina

UP TO 20,000 spread bets are likely to be made on today's England-Argentina World Cup match, as punters take financial exposures totalling several million pounds. The busiest market on the game is likely to be bookings, because of the history between the two teams including Diego Maradona's 'hand of God' goal in 1986 and David Beckham's sending-off in 1998.

Bookmakers on Thursday were quoting a spread of 42-46 points for bookings, with each yellow card in the match worth 10 points and each red card worth 25. So the spread was implying four or five bookings, or one sending off and two bookings.

Sporting Index and IG Index, the largest bookmakers, expect the match to be several times busier than an FA Cup Final, thanks to the importance of today's encounter and the needle between the two teams. Bookies are likely to make profits if the numbers of goals and bookings in the match are low, since punters usually make more up-bets than down-bets. Last week's 8-0 win for Germany over Saudi Arabia cost Sporting Index £300,000, the most it has lost on a football match.

Dealers at Sporting Index will be dressed in England shirts as they take bets on everything from the margin of victory to the number of England players singing the national anthem.