“Better are well backed and provided there is a tender process, we will be looking at the Tote betting shops in conjunction with a highly credible partner,” Ian Hogg, Managing Director of Better, told eGaming Review.
Hogg said Better, which launched earlier this year with a number of new shops in the London area, would only be interested in running some Tote shops under the Better brand banner. Other less attractive properties it would consider running under a different brand name.
Hogg added that he hoped Gala Coral didn’t acquire the Tote as it would lessen the choice for consumers.
“There is already too little choice for punters on the high street, if Coral does acquire the Tote then we will be in a position where the fifth largest bookmaker in the UK will have less than 100 shops and yet there are more than 8,500 shops out there. The big three would have 75% or so between them. That can’t be good for the independent sector and that can’t be good for consumers.”
Elsewhere, Ladbrokes announced a major change to their policy of pricing up Irish races with reserves. Having previously priced up races with all possible runners including the reserves, Ladbrokes will now price up all Irish races according to confirmed runners only and offer all reserves on the list at SP only. Punters wishing to back a reserve in the morning can still opt for the SP and get their money back if their selection does not race. Under the new policy, should reserves be confirmed as runners, Ladbrokes will now form a new market and punters will still be able to take an early price.
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