Suspicious Betting pattern reported to the FA by William Hill and Blue SQ
April 27, 2009 by mbates
UK bookmakers William Hill and Blue SQ have reported some betting irregularities on the Blue Square Premier game between Grays Athletic and Forest Green Rovers. Grays won the game 2-1 after being 1-0 down and then scored twice in 50 seconds to win the game.
Both of the companies reported that they had seen large wagers on prior to kick off, “We saw a most unusual betting pattern on this match involving a large number of requests for bets on Grays to be losing at half time and winning at full time. The odds for that eventuality were cut from 22/1 to under half of that price yet still people wanted to back that outcome,” said William Hill spokesman, Graham Sharpe.
Both companies closed the book on the game and have chosen not to payout on the match until they have heard back from the Football Association.
William Hill to sponsor the Winter Festival
April 13, 2009 by mbates
UK based bookmaker William Hill has revealed that they are to be the new sponsors of the Winter Festival at Kempton Park racecourse with a four year deal which will include sponsorship of the of King George VI Chase.
The event will now be know as the William Hill Winter Festival and William Hill will feature on all the naming rights to the 2 day event as well as sponsorship of the most famous events in the National Hunt calendar, including the Christmas Hurdle, Desert Orchid Chase, and Feltham Chase. The deal is thought to be in region of £5 million and will last until 2012.
Kempton Park’s Managing Director Amy Starkey, said: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement on a four-year sponsorship for Kempton Park’s flagship jumps meeting of the year. The William Hill Winter Festival will further strengthen the racecourse, and we will now work with Hills to enhance what is a superb advertisement for our sport.”
Bookmakers issue job loss warning to UK government
March 26, 2009 by mbates
Representives from the leading UK bookmakers William Hill and Ladbrokes have issued a warning to the Chancellor that any attempt to increase taxes and regulations in the April budget will lead to job losses and shop closures amid fears that the government is considering a raise of gross profits tax from 15pc to 17pc.
An industry insider said “Analysis by London Economics indicates that an increase in GPT from 15pc to 17pc would result in the closure of 845 betting shops and see the loss of 3,190 full time jobs,”. The gaming industry currently employs 40,000 people and operates over 8500 shops.
They have also indicated that an increase in taxes would see UK based operators relocate certain aspects of their business to offshore locations such as the Isle of Man and Gibraltar where taxes are set at around the 1pc mark.
The UK gaming industry currently contributes at least £1 billion in national and local taxes. This is on top of levies paid to the horse and greyhound industries which are thought to be in the region of £130 million per year.
William Hill to cease sponsorship at Ascot
March 16, 2009 by mbates
Following the news from December 2008 that the BBC will only be covering 14 days worth of live racing for each of the next the years it appears the first high profile casualty has appeared. The UK based operator William Hill who have sponsored key events at Ascot racecourse in previous years have confirmed they will not be continuing their sponsorship of jump racing at Ascot.
In 2008 the BBC which is funded by license payers covered five days of jumping from Ascot but these will now be absent from future television schedules, the move has been described by industry insiders as the “the first nail in racing’s coffin.”
William Hill suspend betting on Benitez
February 25, 2009 by mbates
One of the UK’s largest bookmakers, William Hill have today reported that they have suspended betting on the next Premiership manager to go after an unprecedented number of bets being place on Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.
On Tuesday evening Rafa Benitez was showing at odds of 20/1 and was classed as an outside to be named as the next manager booted out of the Premiership but by Wednesday morning he was down to evens and all betting was suspended at 9:30 this morning.
A spokesman for William Hill said “We are slightly jumpy after being turned over by the recent ‘Weymouth coup’ but the level of interest on Rafa getting the sack is unprecedented with over 300 calls logged today alone. We would be very surprised if Rafa is still the Liverpool boss by midnight on Sunday.”
William Hill payout early on Tiger Woods
February 23, 2009 by mbates
William Hill the UK based bookmaker has decided to pay out early on the World Matchplay golf tournament next week by declaring Tiger Woods the winner. They will pay out on anyone who placed Tiger Woods to win as a single bet on the tournament before Friday 20th February. They will not however be pay out on him winning the Grand Slam.
A spokesman for William Hill said “Paying out on Tiger will cost us a hefty five figure sum, but it is a just reward for his hordes of loyal supporters - and from our point of view, although he costs us huge amounts of money every time he wins a tournament, he also boosts the level of betting interest enormously, so we benefit from that, too”
William Hill: Tiger Woods Specials :
- 4/1 To Win The World Matchplay
- 1/4 To Win First Round Match (11/4 To Lose)
Betting on Dancing on Ice evaporates as Todd Carty departs
February 13, 2009 by mbates
Following the peoples favourite Todd Carty being booted off ITV1’s reality television show Dancing on Ice bookies across the country have noticed a severe downtown in punters betting on Dancing on Ice. A spokeman for one of the UK’s largest bettting companies William Hill said “”We have taken just under half as much as we did last week and we would not be surprised if the viewing figures take a hit.”
Now Carty has left the show the favoruite nominated by bookies to win the contest is now Ray Quinn who was formlery a contenstant from the X Factor television show in 2006.
Dancing On Ice Winner (odds supplied by William Hill)
- 2/5 - Ray Quinn
- 5/1 - Jessica Taylor
- 5/1 - Zoe Salmon
- 16/1 - Coleen Nolan
- 20/1 - Roxanne Pallett
- 33/1 - Donal MacIntyre
- 50/1 - Melinda Messenger
- 50/1 - Ellery Hanley
William Hill sponsor ITV1 daytime show
January 6, 2009 by mbates
The UK Company William Hill has announced a sponsorship deal for its online Bingo with the ITV1 daytime show “The Real Deal”. The deal will initially start from the Monday 5th January for four months in what William Hill hopes will raise brand awareness of its Bingo division.
Lili Huang speaking on behalf of William Hill said “For an initial foray in to actual programme sponsorship, we were very pleased with the response from the Spin Star association. We’re delighted to have this opportunity of sponsoring the Real Deal, because the programme has the potential for a far bigger audience with its current scheduling.”
The Real Deal is hosted by David Dickinson who made his name on the BBC1 show Bargain Hunt. The programme will air on ITV1 Monday to Friday from 2pm – 3pm and features members of the public taking items for auction assisted by Dickinson.
William Hill sponsor key events at Kempton Park
December 22, 2008 by mbates
The UK bookmakers William Hill have today announced a new sponsorship deal at Kempton Park Racecourse. The new deal will see William Hill sponsor the williamhill.com Lanzarote Hurdle in January and the Williamhill.com Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle on Saturday 21st of February, which will form part of the gala Racing Post Chase day card
Hills will also sponsor the Williamhill.com Roseberry Stakes and williamhill.com Masaka Stakes on the 28th March which will team up with the £150,000 William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster the same day ensuring that Hills feature prominently during the flat season.
The managing director of Kempton Park Racecourse Amy Starkey said: “I am thrilled with this enhanced association for the racecourse with William Hill. We are looking forward to an excellent year in 2009, and this gets us off to a flying start.”
William Hill Sports Book of the Year Winner
November 25, 2008 by mbates
Marcus Trescothick has been awarded the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, for his autobiography, ‘Coming Back To Me’, winning the £20,000 prize from William Hill (along with his co writer, Peter Hayter) along with a £2000 William Hill bet and a hand-bound copy of the book by master binder David Sellars.
The former England batsman was announced as the winner at Waterstones bookstore in Piccadilly by panel judge John Inverdale, the award was present by the Olympic Gold medal winning athlete, Michael Johnson.
The founder of the event Graham Sharpe and also William Hill spokesman said “This is only the second autobiography to win the Award. The judges felt it fearlessly tackled one of the great taboos of elite sport.‘ The other five finalists for award all collected £2000 cash, a £1000 William Hill bet and a leather-bound copy of their books.
