Gambling Sports

February 9th General news ... Gambling Sports was created to assist the sports bettor in properly handicapping .

Gambling Sports was created to assist the sports bettor in properly handicapping .

In order to profit in from a complex game on gambling Sports, the bettor must be as informed as possible on the ever changing statistics and trends.

Latest News

SuperBowl Betting SuperBowl Odds Bet on Super Bowl Super Bowl Line

DIKSHIT DIVESTS REMAINING INTEREST IN PARTY GAMING
2010-01-26

One of the original founders finally bows out

PartyGaming plc founder Anurag Dikshit sold his remaining stake in the ownership of the PartyGaming.com online-gambling group this week, a company he helped start in 1997. The sale had an immediate impact of the stock, which tanked 7 percent in London trading.

Dikshit sold 38.8 million shares at a price of 270 pence per share through an accelerated book build to institutional investors, according to a Business Wire statement today. The sale of the 9.5 percent holding raised about GBP 105 million.

Dikshit had previously sold two-thirds of his stake last October (see previous InfoPowa report).

A spokesman for the Party Gaming founder said: “This is simply about moving on. “It’s been a process over four years since he first withdrew from the board. And that’s now it.”

In December 2008, Dikshit pleaded guilty to illegal Internet gambling in the U.S. and agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department in its probe of the company. He paid $300 million in fines and is scheduled to be sentenced in December 2010.

“It’s brought its fair share of issues,” Dikshit's spokesman commented. “We have the court hearing and sentencing still hanging over us. Anurag voluntarily went to America and pled guilty so that he could move on.”

IS BETFAIR GOING PUBLIC?
2010-01-26

Online gambling giant engaging with investment bank advisers

The whispers of the past few weeks that online gambling giant Betfair is planning a public listing gained momentum over the weekend on the news that the company has engaged with two investment banks to advise it on a possible GBP 1.5 billion stock-market flotation.

The Sunday Times reported that Betfair has chosen Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to weigh up options for its future, which include a possible sale or share listing.

The newspaper points out that going public could bring founders Ed Wray and Andrew Black a fortune, as the duo own 25 percent of the company between them. Another 23 percent is owned by the Japanese bank Softbank, which also stands to benefit substantially if a listing is achieved.

Betfair took two billion GBP in wagers last year and reported earnings of GBP 72 million, a 29 percent rise on sales 27 percent higher at GBP 303 million.

GAMEACCOUNT ACQUIRES MONEYGAMING.COM
2010-01-19

Liquidity-enhancing acquisition for leading skill game network

Good news for players on the recently defunct skill gaming website MoneyGaming.com; the assets have been acquired by a leading company, and players are welcome to resume playing.

GameAccount Network, a European developer and supplier of person-to-person skill-based games software to major eGaming operators, has announced the acquisition of operating assets formerly owned by Money Gaming Corporation Limited, which entered liquidation in late 2009.

Under the terms of the transaction customers of MoneyGaming.com will be able to resume their online gaming activities within the GameAccount Network from 19 January 2010. MoneyGaming.com operated since 2005 and became a popular international destination website for players of backgammon, gin rummy and solitaire.

This is the third asset acquisition undertaken by GameAccount Network following the acquisition of assets comprising backgammon website GamesGrid.com in 2008 and casual games website TreasureGames.com in 2005.

All players’ activities will be governed by the UK gaming licence held by GameAccount Network from the UK Gambling Commission.

“In acquiring the MoneyGaming.com assets we are rescuing a community of international players and giving them a safe and financially stable UK-licensed place to continue playing online skill games for real money competition,” comments Dermot Smurfit, COO GameAccount Network.

“GameAccount Network is now an established acquirer of online gaming assets with a strong tier-one operating licence in the UK and market-leading skill gaming software. We welcome all players from MoneyGaming.com as new members of the GameAccount Network.”

With his eye clearly on the future, Kevin Dale, CEO GameAccount Network added, “In publicising our third acquisition we’re reaching out to any and all small-scale gaming operators looking to find a safe home for their end-user community without having to close down and refund all individual customers’ deposits.”

OLA WILLIAM HILL!
2010-01-19

Major online gambling group launches Spanish bingo

The online division of William Hill plc has launched a new online Spanish Bingo product.

The product has been specifically developed for Spanish speakers, and carries an introductory bonus of Euro 25 for all new players.

David Hood, spokesman for Williamhill.com commented "Considered development has gone into this product to ensure our Spanish-speaking members enjoy this product as much as the British public. We are confident that our new product will position us ahead of our competitors and allow us to continue leading the online gaming and betting industry. Investment has been made to recruit Spanish-speaking customer support to ensure quality and clarity within the product and its services.'
William Hill Bingo has Spanish-speaking callers and chat moderators, and boasts chat rooms inside each bingo room. Apart from side games with jackpots of over Euro 1,000,000, members will find organised free chat games that can be played during bingo to win extra cash.

FRENCH FOOTBALL FEDERATION IN 4 YEAR SPONSORSHIP WITH P.M.U.
2010-01-07

With the liberalisation of the French market only months away, commercial arrangements continue to proliferate

The former French gambling monopoly Pari Mutuel Urbain has made a further move to safeguard its market positioning in anticipation of market liberalisation by signing a four-year sponsorship deal with the French football federation Federation Francaise De Football (FFF.

The PMU has some 10 000 retail outlets in France and a turnover of Euro 9.3 billion in 2009, and the deal with the FFF will position the giant betting organisation alongside other French sports sponsors jockeying for market position such as Adidas, bank Credit Agricole and energy giant GDF Suez.

The sponsorship agreement comes into force following the World Cup in South Africa mid-year, and leading up to the football spectacular PMU will be helping to foot the bill for World Cup coverage via the TF1 and Eurosport television channels.

The deal follows the PMU's 5 year partnership agreement signed with Irish online and land bookie Paddy Power recently (see previous InfoPowa report).

ITALIAN SPORTSBETTING GIANT REJECTS TAKEOVER BID
2009-12-30

Private equity companies offered Euro 600 million

The Italian business media are reporting an unsuccessful attempt to acquire control of the major Italian online sportsbetting firm Sindacato Nazionale Agenzie Ippiche SpA (SNAI) by private equity firms Bridgepoint and Axa Private Equity, who reportedly offered Euro 600 million.

The publicly listed sports and horseracing betting firm has a debt burden of Euro 275 million and recently reported a net loss of Euro 9.5 million for the year to September '09, although this was a definite improvement on the same period in 2008 when the company made a loss of Euro 20.1 million.

SNAI Servizi Srl, the parent company of the betting firm, received a binding offer from the two private equity firms for its gaming and betting activities in November that would have seen Bridgepoint acquire 75 percent of the Italian group while Axa would own the remaining 25 percent.

In addition to its online operations, the Italian giant also boasts 900 branded land outlets and over 2 500 smaller gambling stalls; SNAI racetrack operations in Milan were specifically excluded from the deal.

The two would-be purchasers revealed that their offer valued SNAI at around six times its 2009 pro forma EBITDA, and said that financing for the deal would have been forthcoming from a consortium of banks.

“The board of SNAI Servizi Srl has examined the offer from Bridgepoint and Axa and has believed the offer not in its own interest,” read a statement from SNAI.