£60m TV bonanza as millions stay up late to see Hatton fight Merryweather in Vegas

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Global television revenue is set to top £60million, smashing the £48 million record set when Lennox Lewis beat Mike Tyson in 2002.

And although the bout will be shown here at 4am tomorrow, £30million of that figure will be generated in this country alone.

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Close contest: Hatton and Mayweather at the weigh-in

But it is not just the TV companies who are making a killing - the popularity of the boxing match has triggered a £16 million gambling frenzy among UK sports fans.

Bookmakers say Stockport-born Hatton - who is the 13-8 underdog - is the heaviest backed individual British sportsman ever.

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "The amount of money being staked on Hatton to win this contest dwarfs the gamble on Lewis Hamilton to win the F1 title, Frank Bruno, Lennox Lewis or Joe Calzaghe winning world titles, Tim Henman to win Wimbledon, Colin Montgomerie to win a major, or Paula Radcliffe to win Olympic gold."

Hatton, 29, who is unbeaten in 43 fights, has a huge following because of his toe-to-toe style and ferocious body shots. If he beats current WBC champion Mayweather, who is undefeated in 38 contests and is lauded as one of the greatest ever fighters in the welterweight division, he stands to win more than £5 million.

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Ricky Hatton is the most heavily backed British sportsman of all time, bookmakers say

Among the 3,900 ticket-holders for the event at the MGM Arena are expected to be David Beckham, actors Jude Law and Jason Statham, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and former boxing champion Mike Tyson.

More than 25,000 British fans are thought to have travelled to the U.S. to watch the fight on TV in bars.

Gordon Brown said he would be watching the bout at Number 10. "It's going to be a tough fight, but I know Ricky can beat anyone," he added.

Sky Box Office, which is showing the fight for £14.95, said it would not have accurate audience figures until at least five weeks after the event.