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Vendors bet on England World Cup fail

Offer money back if team wins

Firms are falling over themselves to cash in on the Fifa World Cup. TomTom today was the latest manufacturer to pledge to refund the purchase price on one of its offerings if England wins the international soccer tournament.

By a TomTom Go 550 satnav between now and 8 June, and you'll get your money back if Rooney and Co. carry off the trophy.

Toshiba has already made the same claim, promising to give anyone who buys one of its laptops or tellies the kit for free if England is victorious.

And Elgato, supplier of quality TV tuners to Mac users, has pledged to do likewise for buyers of its EyeTV Deluxe - reviewed here, by the way.

It's ironic, perhaps, that none of these companies are English, but then who are we to turn down the offer of free - sort of; you still have to pay for it in the first instance - kit?

Well if not us, how about bookie William Hill. It's offering odds of five to one on an England win, the same odds it's offering Brazil. The favourite is Spain, with odds of four to one. The winner in 2006, Italy, is on 12 to one. ®

Latest Comments

the manufacturers' money is safe

who gives a shit? it doesn't matter how complicated the forms are or aren't. fabio's bunch of overhyped duffers and donkeys are not going to win. they never have - dodgy penalties and rule bending in 1966 aside - and never will. they'll be back from south africa before their postcards.

paris icon because she's sure to score at the world cup.

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wot he said

The English national team always plays below its potential so this is just a good way to get the knuckledraggers to buy some gear.

Club before country!

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Hmm

So if you have the funds you could buy the kit and lay the England win for the same price on a betting exchange.

Free stuff _unless_ England wins seems like a better option.

Must be possible to finesse this further.

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Anyone remeber Hoover's free holiday promotion?

Are these "free stuff if England wins" offers going to require a tortuous amount of form-filling, in the hope that people will forget or get bored or fail to jump through the correct sequence of hoops before any money is refunded?

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Since when has a win

Been a fail.

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