Every four years a multitude of different countries bid for the right to hold an Olympic Games; with the worldwide attention it gains for the host city as well as an incredible influx of tourists and spending it’s no surprise. But what exactly are the economic implications of hosting the Olympic Games? How much does it cost? Is that money every truly recovered?

It’s a fascinating subject (particularly in the wake of the UK spending billions of pounds to host the 2012 Olympics) and we’re clearly not the only ones who think so, as the team over at Confused.com have come up with this brilliant infographic, entitled ‘The Economic Impact Of The 2012 London Olympic Games’