Hilarious Sportsbook Campaigns for the World Cup

Aside from a worldwide celebration of sports and some escape from the stress of day-to-day life, FIFA World Cups have always been a golden opportunity for creative marketing campaigns, and Brazil 2014 is no different. This time, even the very ball which is used for the matches, Adidas' "Brazuca", is bound to a huge marketing campaign, having amassed around a million followers on Twitter. Joining the marketing celebration, some of the world's leading online sportsbooks have come up with hilarious ads and TV spots, incorporating world-famous personalities and traditional jokes associated with the World Cup. Let's look at a select few.

Stephen Hawking Talks England's Odds at Paddy Power

Paddy Power has upped the ante when they enlisted the famous Nobel prize-winning theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking for use in their World Cup campaign. In the hilarious TV spot, Professor Hawking presents his findings from a pseudo-scientific research aimed to determine England's optimal conditions for success and for scoring the perfect penalty. According to the professor, England plays better in temperate climates and at low altitudes, when the kick-off is exactly at 3 o'clock. For penalties, Hawking suggests that England will use its strikers exclusively who will aim for the top corners.

Betfair's Octopus

Earlier this month, bypassers in London's Oxford Circus, one of the city's busiest intersections, got to see an interesting image: a giant octopus stranded on a truck. Quickly it was revealed that the octopus is part of Betfair's World Cup campaign, following the tagline "This Is Play". The campaign features a TV spot where said giant octopus plays ping-pong against four professional Asian players simultaneously, proceeding to beat them all. While his name is not mentioned, the ad is obviously and ode to Paul the German Octopus, one of the world's most famous oracles who predicted many correct results in the 2010 World Cup from his tank.

Betting Brought to life in William Hill's Campaign

William Hill is aiming high for this World Cup's revenues, something which can be demonstrated by its original and impressive campaign based around the motto "Make Every Moment Count". In a series of TV spots, Hill shows a football pitch tactically represented via a football punter's view with the different betting markets coming to life instead of remaining just words, showing the function of every wager in making every minute in a match matter.

Butt Implants for Sportingbet Australia

Shane Warne is one of Australia's greatest cricketers. Already retired from the game, Warne remains a popular figure in the land down under. Known for his colorful personality, Warne also serves as Sportingbet Australia's ambassador who gets wagered to do freaky things. Some rumors around alleged cosmetic work he went through in the past have been used for Sportingbet Australia's World Cup campaign. In a funny TV spot, the announcer presents Warne who is getting $5,000 worth butt implants which he bet with the sportsbook, in order to "get behind our boys in Brazil" – a country which is associated with big bottoms.