British Bookmakers
Virtually all of the business of the early bookmakers involved bets on horseraces. The early bookmakers were also kept unattractive by strict regulations. Over the years, bookmakers have expanded into other sports and, as they have gained the trust of successive governments, have been able to develop their premises to be attractive and welcoming to punters. Some of the latest bookmakers shops look like up-market coffee shops, a world away from the dingy bookmakers shops of the 1960s.
The traditional area of betting on horses, whilst still the most important single betting activity, has been supplemented by betting on greyhound racing (with the provision of a bespoke service during shop opening hours). Also football and sports betting and the opportunity to bet on numbers events ranging from the Irish Lottery to specially created virtual horse and dog races. On each of these products, a price is offered about a particular outcome and the customer is paid irrespective of how many other winners there are .
There are many different bet types available including win singles, where you have to predict the winner of one event (e.g. in a horse race), accumulators where you need to forecast the winner of several events (more difficult but potentially bigger winnings) and correct scores/first goalscorer where you predict the score/first player to score in a football match.
Each day there are hundreds of opportunities to bet, not forgetting the high profile events such as the Grand National, Derby, FA Cup, and Cricket Test matches that span the calendar.
Internet betting provides the opportunity to place bets online and this channel, in particular, serves a worldwide audience and is becoming increasingly popular.
Resources: British Sports News | Odds Conversion Chart | Bet Help | Links
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