Ashley Highfield joins William Hill
November 10, 2008 by mbates
William Hill PLC the UK based betting company has announced that Ashley Highfield will be joining their Board as a non-executive director with effect from 17th November 2008.
Highfield is the current CEO of Project Kangaroo, the proposed three way joint venture between the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 which is set to offer a commercial on-demand service available over the web and to digital set-top boxes.
The chairman of William Hill Charles Scott said: “I am delighted that Ashley has agreed to join the board of William Hill PLC as a non-executive director. His wide-ranging experience and knowledge of the digital world will be a real asset to the company and our online platforms, bringing an even deeper understanding of existing and emerging technologies, and an expert and realistic sense of what can be achieved in this area.”
William Hill currently operates over 2,250 betting shops across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, employing over 16,000 staff as well as operating an online sports book and casino sites which are available to over 150 countries worldwide.
BBC Racing Presenter Statto Brankrupt
February 16, 2008 by Robert
BBC’s gambling expert and TV pundit Angus Loughran, better known as Statto thanks to his appearance on 90’s cult TV show, Fantasy Football, has been declared bankrupt.
It has emerged that Loughran has been unable to pay his creditors and was declared insolvent at a hearing at Manchester County Court on February 4. Details of how much he owes, and to whom, were not disclosed and it remains unknown whether he declared himself bankrupt or if it followed a petition from someone he owes money to.
Loughran’s work includes being a racing correspondent at BBC’s coverage of race meetings, which include the Grand National and Epsom Derby. He also writes a weekly betting column in the Daily Telegraph and commentates regularly on football matches covered on Eurosport.
Record Number of Bets Placed on Superbowl
February 7, 2008 by Robert
A record $10 billion was wagered on this year’s Superbowl, which took place in Glendale Arizona on Sunday 3rd February 2008. The game, which was between the unbeaten favourites the New England Patriots and New York Giants attracted the interest of people all over the world, with a record 107 million viewers watching the game in America alone.
The 42nd Superbowl, played once a year, is always a big betting event, but the estimated $10 Billion wagered on the game this year is a record amount, the majority of which was wagered online. Interest in the betting on the game was thought to have been increased by the fact that the New England Patriots were so stongly fancied, so when the 9/2 New York Giants upset the odds, it was a winning day for bookmakers around the world.
British bookmakers also reported record figures on this year’s Grid Iron showcase, much of which is thought to have been down to the game being shown on both BBC 2 and Skysports. Viewing figures in the UK stood at over 1 million people for the first time ever.
Corals BBC Personality of the Year Betting
October 16, 2007 by mcohen
The UK bookmakers Corals in their BBC personality of the year betting have shortened Jonny Wilkinson folowing further heroics at the weekend against France and the prediction is he will be a certainty for the award should he do it again against South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final in Paris.
Wilko is as short as 4/1 for the BBC title and so much will depend on Lewis Hamilton who needs to win in the Brazil Grand Prix to become Formula One champion and if he does so will be the long odds on favourite and is currently the 1/5 favourite.
Wilkinson is the only rugby player ever to win the award after he kicked England to glory in Australia in the last World Cup four years ago.
The prospect of England regaining the trophy next weekend has also seen bookmakers cut the odds on the fly half becoming Sir Jonny.
Simon Clare, spokesman for Coral bookmakers, said: “If Jonny Wilkinson kicks England to a second World Cup victory there must be a major chance that his immense contribution to sport will be recognised with a knighthood.”
Source: Telegraph.co.uk
