The countdown is on. All of London is abuzz with excitement at the imminent birth of the child of Britain's Kate Middleton and Prince William.

"It's uplifting," one woman said, adding that the birth of the couple's first child was "something to look forward to."

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Added one man: "We look for any excuse to raise a pint. Any excuse. Cheers to the royal baby!"

But the excitement isn't limited just to London. The rest of the world is watching and waiting.

In Canada, the government has announced plans to cast a pink or blue light onto Niagara Falls when the baby's gender is announced.

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The falls' keepers may be in for a wait. William is scheduled to play in a charity polo match on Sunday in Gloucestershire, which is situated about hour's drive outside of London, where his wife will give birth at St. Mary's Hospital.

The Duke of Cambridge's polo plans have fueled speculation that the baby won't arrive until next week, but that hasn't stopped people from placing their bets on the baby's birth date and name at William Hill, a prominent British betting establishment.

From Kate's pregnancy fashion to the odds on the name, click here for full coverage of the royal baby.

Bettors are going with Alexandra, Charlotte and Victoria as the most popular girls' names, and have picked George as the most popular name for a future king.

Coming in at the bottom the baby name betting list are names such as Chardonnay and Peaches, which are both long shots with odds of 1,000 to 1.