News in Brief
Another Spanish W1nner for the Racing Post
THE FIRST DEPLOYMENT of the Racing Post digital display screens went into the Grand Casino in Madrid during May. The screens are there to support the W1nners retail points in the Casino and they will contain translated elements of the Racing Post editorial focusing on football, greyhound and horseracing content. The collaboration between the Grand
Coral’s command centre at SIS’ Milton Keynes facility.
He continues: “It started about 10 years ago at a Leopardstown meeting when the bookmakers decided to strike. We had to put something together so we got a half- dozen bookmakers to phone in with their prices. It’s evolved from how we do it on the racecourse.” A separate control room for SIS+, which complements the main FACTS service, was purpose built three years ago. SIS+ shows any additional content, such as the dogs parading before a greyhound race. “We will develop it further,” assures Brent. A new gallery was recently built which can be used for bespoke services for anyone who wants to come in and use it for a day or two. Another large gallery and studio houses the Corals operation. Similar to the SIS+ setup, three services are sent out from Coral’s command centre. Brent indicates there is room for three or four more similar types of operation. Betfred have taken a virtual channel which is run from there.
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service on a dedicated channel from its own studio and gallery, with commentary and graphics in Spanish and localised off times. At present, the service is only going out to Spain, but SIS is talking to other interested organisations elsewhere in the world.
SIS also provides a Spanish language Picture: Mary Pitt
be Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Listening to Bookmakers
SIS began hosting a series of forums for independent bookmakers at sites around Britain and Ireland in 2007. Three more are scheduled for this year, at Leopardstown, Perth and Ascot. “One thing we’ve found from the
Casino in Madrid and W1nners sees the opening of the first sports betting operation to be launched within a Spanish casino. The Casino opened in 1981, received 566,000 visitors in 2009, and is one of the most distinctive entertainment centres in Europe.
to become the premium brand of sports betting in Spain. It also has the biggest range of sports betting in the Spanish market, offering more than 20 different sports.n
forums is that we’ll get ten different opinions on one particular subject,” Brent points out.
PA Sport signs deal with REL
On the subject of the timing and spacing of races, live and virtual, and other content, Brent stresses: “What we have done in the last six months is to try to leave four minutes where we don’t put any virtual racing on before each greyhound race, to try to give some lead-up time. For the past year we’ve tried to take into consideration what Turf TV is showing. We try to make sure there’s nothing to interfere with live UK horse racing.” He adds: “The betting shop is becoming
a centre of entertainment. It’s not just a betting shop anymore.” Asked what has been the biggest technological innovation at SIS since back when TVs were put into shops, Brent replies: “The way we put the betting shows together to go into shops.” There have been many pluses over the
The latest addition to the line-up is Fantastic League football, with its own dedicated commentaries and this is being offered Monday through Saturday from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on a two-month trial. “We wanted it to be up in time for the World Cup,” says Brent. From the beginning of August SIS+ will be offering one US meeting a day, except Sunday, with co-mingled wagering pools. Next to join with co-mingled pools will
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PRESS ASSOCIATION SPORT has concluded a three year racecard distribution deal with Racing Enterprises Limited (REL), the commercial arm of British Horseracing. The agreement sanctions the production and distribution of racecards for websites, mobile platforms, newspapers and to electronic betting companies. Ian Campbell, managing director of Press Association Sport and Rod Street, COE of REL, confirmed their shared objective of maximising the value of official data and creating new product opportunities.n
England exit saves bookmakers
years, but, Brent says, “One thing that disappoints me is that we prided ourselves on being able to get the SPs out. We aren’t allowed to take the SP directly from the racecourse at Turf TV tracks. That comes via the Press Association. Everybody loses out there.” Brent is clear to emphasise that, although SIS has been a steady presence for almost a quarter of a century, the focus is clearly on the future: “We don’t always remind the industry of what we’ve done, but then you want to keep looking forward.”n
ENGLAND’S EARLY EXIT from the World Cup has reportedly saved bookmakers a potential payout of £50m. David Williams of Ladbrokes confirmed that if England had won the tournament it would have would have been “…the darkest day in history for the betting industry.” Jenningsbet/Better joint MDs Greg and
Julian Knight were celebrating after taking the risk of offering and holding a standout 2-1 England to beat Germany in all 75 of their shops.n
W1inners, established in 2007, aims
BOS Magazine July/August 2010 25
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