Verizon is new to the iPhone game, but it has clearly learned a thing or two from Apple.

The wireless carrier is handling the launch of the iPhone 4 like an old pro, stoking demand ahead of next week’s full rollout, analysts said.

Verizon gave customers just a taste of the iPhone with a limited online sale Thursday before declaring it the best debut in the company’s history. The phone was offered only to existing Verizon customers.

The limited inventory for that run sold out within 24 hours, surprising even Verizon, which expected to keep taking orders through next week, spokesman David Samberg said.

The quick sell-out has analysts expecting the kind of rush fit for an Apple product launch when the iPhone 4 goes on sale to the general public Thursday.

Verizon did not release sales figures, but Brian Marshall, an analyst with Gleacher & Co., estimated that “several hundred thousand” pre-order iPhones were sold, and predicted that the company would easily sell a million after its first weekend.

That compares to other launches for popular phones like the BlackBerry Storm and Google Droid, which sold a million after 60 and 75 days, respectively.