Ladbrokes shares are deemed worthy of a bet, according to The Times on Saturday. Despite results going against them at Euro 2008, which led to lower profits the company’s performance has held up well despite falling consumer spending. And with the new football season now upon us, trade is bound to pick up for the bookies over the coming months.

Ladbrokes saw profits surge 13% in May as punters were eager to have a flutter on the two English teams featuring in the champions league final. Despite the lack of a home nation featuring in the championships, the event still commands considerable TV coverage and the main pundits will be out in force to provide expert opinion and analysis on proceedings.

Add to this the presence of Torres for Spain and Ronaldo for Portugal and the fact that most UK fans will be adopting a team to support for the finals. This can only be good news for the bookies as watching such a big tournament is made more interesting when a wager is placed on your fancied team.

If you fancy a flutter, sign up at Ladbrokes.com and put a few quid on your ‘gut instinct’ to finish champions of Europe.