Following a deal between the betting exchange and software provider Orbis which allows bookmakers to access Betfair markets and prices through a data feed based on the exchange\’s API, Skybet\’s PR Director Dale Tempest has confirmed his firm\’s interest in using the new technology.
“We have it under consideration. If it suited our business, we\’d do it, no problem. We\’ve never been anti-exchanges and are looking into it. We have our own teams of racing and football odds compilers, but for minor sports we could use the new technology. There is no point tieing one arm behind your back and dismissing it,” said Tempest.
In separate news, Skybet announced a deal which will allow their customers the option of betting on the full range of Tote pool products by pressing the interactive red button on the Sky remote control. In addition to Skybet\’s existing fixed odds betting on interactive TV, punters will now be able to bet directly into Tote pools for win, place, exacta, trifecta, jackpot, placepot, quadpot and scoop6 bets.
Dale Tempest, Skybet’s PR Director said: “We are proud to be the first bookmaker offering Tote betting via the red button. The option of Tote betting will perfectly complement our existing fixed-odds service and offers customers a one-stop shop integrated service for all their betting needs.”
Tote spokesman Paul Petrie welcomed the deal saying: “The more different channels offering Tote bets, the better it is for customers as it adds liquidity to the pool and therefore bigger dividends and more money in customers pockets.”
Petrie also said to be very pleased with the Tote’s Textbet service which was launched prior to the World Cup and allows account holders to bet via a text message on their mobile phones. “There was a good start with about 2000 people signing up to bet on both the World Cup and horseracing and a lot of them are using the system regularly,” he said.