Bookies fund Cheltenham Wi-Fi network
Group of bookies fund improvements to Wi-Fi access at racecourse in bid to boost mobile revenues
A group of online bookmakers, including William Hill, bet365 and Paddy Power, spent a six-figure sum on improvements to Cheltenham Racecourse’s Wi-Fi network to help boost mobile revenues during this week’s Cheltenham Festival.
The group, which also includes Coral, Ladbrokes, BetVictor, and Unibet, have all contributed around £25,000 in order to improve internet access at a course which has historically suffered from relatively poor mobile reception.
In return for the investment, customers using the network are only able to access the websites of those involved in the project, with the network blocking out all other sites in the process.
SkyBet chose not to take part in the scheme with a spokesperson for the operator confirming the fee “was not one we wanted to pay”.
When attempting to access to the internet via the network, customers are directed to landing page where links to the bookie’s websites are displayed in a randomly generated order.
Operators are hoping the move will help to attract some of the Festival goer’s custom, with yesterday’s attendance of 57,000 a record for the first day of the four-day event.
Yesterday’s results largely went in the favour of the bookies, despite Paddy Power reporting to have refunded around £5m as a result of its money-back special in the first race.
William Hill, which yesterday offered an enhanced price on the defeated Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle, said the special had attracted some 16,000 bets at an average stake of £7. The operator also said it had taken as many as 3,500 bets per minute during the day.
“Turnover levels for William Hill were outstanding today, and results made us very happy bookmakers indeed,” Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said last night.
“It’s definitely a marathon, rather than a sprint, but we head into the tricky second day with a generous cushion beneath us,” she added.
Operators have this week been aggressively marketing to gain market share with a number of incentives on offer for the Festival, prompting eGaming Review to ask what impact the event will have on bookie’s revenues.