Showing posts with label bookmaker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bookmaker. Show all posts

Monday, March 23, 2009

Safe stolen in bookmaker robbery

Safe stolen in bookmaker robbery

BBC NEWS
2009/03/23

Police are searching for four men after a robbery at a Derbyshire betting shop.

The men escaped with what police have described as a "significant" amount of cash from Coral Bookmakers in Nottingham Road, Ilkeston.

The gang of four forced the side door of the premises at about 0400 GMT and stole the safe, police said.

One of the men escaped in a dark-coloured jeep-style vehicle in the direction of Stapleford. The other three ran off along Little Hallam Lane.

Police have asked for witnesses to contact them.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Horse race named after bookmaker

Horse race named after bookmaker

BBC NEWS:
2009/02/23

Online Sportsbooks

A race at Cheltenham's National Hunt Festival is to be named in honour of popular bookmaker 'Fearless' Freddie Williams who died in 2008.

The Freddie Williams Festival Plate will offer £90,000 in prize money.

It will be run as the fifth race on Thursday 12 March. The festival runs from 10 to 13 March.

Julie Williams, Freddie's daughter, said: "This is a special honour for a very special man and the whole family is touched by Cheltenham's gesture."

Making memories

Cheltenham's Managing Director Edward Gillespie said: "Freddie was one of the people who helped define the Festival in modern times.

"His friendly battle with JP McManus was the highlight of the betting ring action each year and he certainly earned his nickname 'Fearless' by being prepared to back his own opinion against those of people with bulging pockets.

"The Festival will be a poorer place without him this year and we are delighted to be renaming the Festival Plate in his honour."

Julie Williams, who will be standing in the betting ring in her own right for the first time this year, added: "Dad loved the Festival and everything it stood for and this will give us some more great memories of his favourite meeting."



Thursday, February 19, 2009

Ladbrokes says betting holding up

Ladbrokes says betting holding up
2009/02/19

Ladbrokes SportsBook

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has seen its annual profits edge up, despite the wider economic slowdown.

Operating profits for the group reached £243.8m in the twelve months to 31 December 2008 - an increase of 0.9% on the previous year.

The firm's chief executive Christopher Bell said a rise in internet gaming had contributed to the company's success.

The results were slightly ahead of market forecasts, sending shares in the firm up 5.7% in early afternoon trade.

Betting is often considered to be more resilient to recessions than other leisure activities, because of the habitual nature of gambling and the fact that most bets are quite small, with the average bet below £10.

"People still like going to have a few pounds on a bet," said Mr Bell.

The amount bet by so called high rollers - those who place five figure sums on individual bets - contributed £80.1m of operating profit to the group.

However, Ladbrokes added that trade in the first six weeks of this year had been adversely affected by bad weather.

Snow caused numerous race cancellations and between two and three hundred shops had to be closed as staff struggled to get to work.