WE TAKE BETS ON? - William Hill Home

The magazine for William Hill people
KNOW HOW MANY
WE TAKE BETS ON?
FIND OUT IN SPOTLIGHT ON TRADING ON PAGE 8
June/July 2013
Hungry for Success
Andy Lidbetter is passionate about our industry and enthusiastic about its
opportunities. Shop Manager and HOME Champion Monica Rahman chatted
to him about his time with William Hill and his hopes for the future
Andy Lidbetter is a name that many of our Retail
colleagues will know already. Although he moved to
Gibraltar to take up the role of Sportsbook Operations
Manager in January, Andy worked for many years as an
Area Manager in London, following the acquisition of
Stanleybet in 2006. “The best thing that ever happened
to Stanley,” says Andy.
Before that, he’d already put in more than 15 years
working in the industry, starting off as a temporary
worker in a betting shop in Brighton, near where he
lived. Says Andy: “I couldn’t believe that someone was
actually willing to pay me to talk to people about sport
and betting – two things that I loved.”
Many years later, Andy is still passionate about the
industry he works in and still 100% focused on the
customer journey. In his current role, he ensures that all
day-to-day operational management and online content
is always carried out with the customer in mind.
Gib – dynamic and fast-paced
Andy took up his new role in Gibraltar after witnessing
the innovative way the company was developing and
wanting to be a part of it. He finds life and work in
Gibraltar “exciting as it’s so fast-paced and dynamic”.
He adds: “With mobile betting still a relatively new
concept in the industry, my amazing, hard-working
team are constantly improving and making it happen.”
When asked about the comparison between working in
Retail and Online, Andy has high praise for both parts of
the company, especially the great people he’s worked
alongside. He explains: “I thoroughly enjoyed the faceto-face interaction in Retail. Yet, regardless of where we
work, it’s still one company. We should try and ensure
the best level of service to the customer whether that’s
face to face, over the phone or through a keyboard.”
He adds: “I really want to strengthen the relationship
between Retail and Online as I think if we can make it
easy for customers to bet with William Hill, whenever
they want and wherever they are, we’ll have an
incredible success on our hands.”
Andy was “over the moon” when he won the HOME
Hero award and considers it a privilege to be chosen
out of 17,000 employees for the role. However, when
it comes to naming some of his own heroes, he’s not
giving much away. “I’m inspired by so many people,
from CSAs to senior directors in the company. We have
so many fantastic colleagues here at William Hill and
over the years I’ve taken a little from many people
along the way. There are people around who have
done exceptional things at work and in the wider
community.”
More visible HOME Champions
Away from work, Andy likes to socialise and, with
Gibraltar being such a family-orientated place,
he says his young family fit right in. “I’ve been
lucky enough to find a wide circle of friends in a
short period of time. Life in Gibraltar is genuinely
nothing short of excellent. I have no complaints,
and taking this new step in my career really
underlines my commitment to the company.”
Despite taking up the HOME Hero role just last
month, Andy already has some firm plans in
place: “I want the HOME Champions to become
more visible and I think as a group we need to be
bigger, so recruiting more Champions is definitely
on my list. I want to instill HOME as a culture and
engage all colleagues in the HOME behaviours so
it becomes a key part of our business and a way
of life. I’ve been a HOME Champion since near
enough the beginning. Although it’s the early
stages of my role as HOME Hero, ultimately
all I want is for us to have a better business
and to be a better place to work.”
“Andy has been a strong supporter of HOME right from the very start. He believes in it and sees the ways it can improve
our business. He is great at encouraging others to buy into HOME and leads HOME Champions in an authoritative and
decisive way. He takes the view that if you want to make something happen, you have the power to do it. Andy has a
down-to-earth approach to leading change and knows our business and customers really really well.”
David Russell, Group Director, HR
10 | June/July 2013
Sporting lives
FAST &
FURIOUS
Former West Indian cricketer Michael
Holding was known for his feisty delivery
on the pitch yet easy-going nature off it.
He now shares his expertise with
cricket fans everywhere
as a commentator for
William Hill. Will2win
talked to him
What was the proudest moment of your
cricket career?
That was winning the 1979/80 test series.
It was the first time the West Indies had
defeated the Australians in Australia and
it was great to be part of that. It was a
fantastic team achievement.
Which cricket teams and individuals do
you rate these days?
South Africa is certainly the team to beat at
the moment. Dale Steyn is a top bowler and
a man I’d pay to watch. The Indian batsman,
Virat Kohli, is a fine player too. I enjoy
watching Kevin Pietersen, a highly skilled,
entertaining batsman. He could do with a
back-foot game though!
How did you first get involved with
William Hill Radio?
I’ve listened to William Hill Radio for around
10 years now and my association with
William Hill developed as a result of my
interaction with the programme. Wherever in
the world I am, be that Jamaica, Florida or
the UK, I’m never without it.
You’re known for being a huge flat racing
fan – what appeals to you about horse
racing?
I’ve always loved animals and owned and
bred horses in Jamaica. As a fast bowler, I
adore speed. The grace of an equine athlete
cannot be matched.
Do you ever have a flutter?
I love to bet on horse racing but I never bet
on anything that talks.
Who would you put money on to win the
Ashes?
England. It would be difficult to back against
them.
During your career you were called the
‘Rolls-Royce’ of fast bowlers. What cars
do you drive and why?
I drive different vehicles in different parts
of the world. In Jamaica, I drive a Toyota
Tacoma, which is a pick-up truck. I’ve had
that fella 19 years and he’s still going strong!
In Florida, I have a Toyota Highlander and
when I am in the UK, I drive a Mercedes.
Who would be your three dream dinner
companions?
I’d go for Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali,
Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Four for the
price of 3! A great man, a sporting icon and
two politicians who have been good for the
world.
• The Ashes Test matches between
England and Australia run from July 10
to August 25. Listen to Michael’s
previews in shops or online via
www.williamhillradio.com
EVER WONDERED
WHY IT’S CALLED
THE ASHES?
In 1886, England lost to Australia at a cricket match at
the Oval. It was the first time in the history of cricket
that England had lost to a team on its own soil. A mock
obituary appeared in the Sporting Times, stating that
English cricket had died. An excerpt said: ‘English
cricket. RIP. The body will be cremated and the ashes
taken to Australia.’ The name stuck.
June/July 2013 | 11
It’s all about you
Thank
you very
much
Joan Johnston from Castlereagh
LBO in Northern Ireland says: “A big
thank you to Eddie Thompson (acting
Operations Controller) for Making
it Happen for my husband’s 50th
birthday. Sam, my husband, and his
brother, who has cerebral palsy, got to
see their childhood heroes at Arsenal.
A result of 4-1 against Reading was
the icing on the cake... Paul and Tez
from Town Clock LBO in Bangor,
North Wales, say thanks to all their
colleagues who worked so hard on
Grand National Day when they had
a problem with the betting slips. All
colleagues stayed late to ensure all
customers’ bets were translated...
THEY’RE
FOOTBALL
CRAZY
Golden Ticket winner Lisa
Williamson from Belfast, Northern
Ireland, and her guest, husband
John, a lifelong Man City fan, at
the FA Cup Final
Some special William Hill people were well and truly
treated at the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park,
Glasgow, and the FA Cup Final at Wembley, London.
We had Golden Ticket winners, Long Service Award
g
winners and other colleagues who were invited along
as guests for a variety of reasons.
Sharron Langham, the Deputy
Manager of Kingsgate LBO in
Dunfermline, receives her Golden
en
Ticket for the Scottish Cup Finall
from DOM John McAllister
William Hill US
RAISE $400
A team from William Hill US walked
and ran to raise funds for the Susan
G. Komen Race for the Cure event,
which supports breast cancer
awareness and research. Dressed in
William Hill hats, the team all reached
the finish line in downtown Las
Vegas, raising $400 for the charity.
Managers Peter Wilde (centre
(centre, back row)
row), Sylvia
Lang (centre, front) and Peter Wehrli (far right)
with their partners at the Scottish Cup Final
SEPARATED AT BIRTH
Chris Kenney, Head of Customer Service and Telebetting in Gibraltar, has been named
as a dead ringer for Kenny (actor’s name Donald Stewart), a character in the ITV comedy
Benidorm. He was put forward by his colleague Martin Pullen, Telebetting Team Manager.
Thanks to Chris for being a great sport and we think Martin owes you a very big drink.
Keep sending in your entries, we love receiving them. Each winner featured* receives £50
to spend via My Choices.
Team effort: (from left) Kelly Townsley and
Jennifer Simmons, Auditing; Hamilton Ward,
CBS Support; Adrianna Surita, Auditing;
Brooke Carreon, Ticket Writer; Ryan Greene
and Dan Shapiro from Marketing, and Lindsay
Meyers from HR
“Could I have
the £50 in
cash as I’m
likely to get
the sack after
this!”
Kenny (Donald Stewart)
Chris Kenney
Martin Pullen,
Telebetting Team
Manager
*If you nominate a colleague, the prize is shared between you. All competition winners will be notified by email or phone.
12 | June/July 2013
It’s all about you
It takes two!
friend Sharon
Melissa (left) with
re their walk
McBride just befo
Lucia Ramos, from the Spanish Publishing
Team in Gibraltar, asked for a skydive in
the Make It Happen giveaway. She then
popped the question to her boyfriend when
they both landed after tandem jumps. Lucia
also reveals that a while ago her boyfriend
made a promise to marry her if she did a
skydive. Thanks to William Hill she clinched
the deal! The wedding is now planned for
September 6, 2014 and the couple are
saving hard for their big day.
Lucia takes
the plunge
MELISSA’S Den’s the district winner!
MILES
Melissa Reynolds, relief CSA in Belfast,
and her friend Sharon completed
a nine-mile walk around Belfast to
help Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.
Melissa says: “The charity provides
awareness and support for the
prominent cancers in men – bowel,
prostate and lung – to individuals
and their families. Our combined
fundraising reached just over £1,000
and William Hill has kindly matched my
individual sponsorship of £350.”
There was some obvious talent around
at the District 066 Pool Tournament,
which was organised as a fun event
for colleagues and as a fundraiser
for Project Africa. Justin Chapman,
Manager of Boscombe LBO, who put
the event together with Kelly Morton,
Deputy Manager of Clive Parade,
Swindon, said: “It was a great success
and we had a good turn-out who came
d
along to cheer on the players. We raised
e.”
£165 and everyone had a fantastic time.”
ea,
Den Peach, Deputy Manager, Salisbury Area,
was the winner but, says Justin, “It wasn’t a
walkover as Alex Vivian, a CSA from Poole,
gave him a run for his money.”
Walking for Greatwood
At the end of May, five colleagues set
off on an epic sponsored walk along the
Ridgeway, an 87-mile trail in the South
East of England. Completing the walk in
four days, the team put in an incredible
effort, with comments ranging from
“Hard and tiring but I’d do it again
tomorrow” to “It was really challenging –
a marathon would feel like a relief
after this!”
Natalie Charlton (Events), Barbara Berki
(Retail), Lili Huang (Investor Relations) and
Jennie Prest (Sponsorship). So far, the
team have raised £3,260 for the charity
Greatwood Retired Racehorses, which
re-homes rescued racehorses and
provides opportunities for
children with special needs.
Well done to the five
who took part –
Haydn Bratt (Retail
Development),
COMPETITION WINNERS
Congratulations to Michael McKenna of Barmulloch LBO, Glasgow,
Scotland, who won the signed Wayne Rooney shirt in our competition
in the April/May issue of Will2win.
od cause
eir talent for a go
th
ol
po
es
gu
lea
ol
C
Backing the
boys in blue
Tony Mills, Shop Manager of Rush
Green LBO in Romford, Essex, is a
Chelsea fan ‘born and bred’ and was
lucky enough to visit Prague to see
his team win against Sparta Prague.
Tony won the three-day trip at the
Long Service Awards and took his
son David along. “We stayed in a very
nice hotel and it was interesting to
see Prague. You find betting shops in
underground stations there.”
From Stamford
Bridge to Sparta:
Tony Mills in
Prague
June/July 2013 | 13
Long service anniversaries/Your letters
LONG SERVICE
ANNIVERSARIES
Congratulations to those hitting milestones in June and July
30 YEARS
Scotland Region
Anne May, CSA, Gilmour Street
Malcolm Stobbs, Shop Manager, Doxford
West Region
Terry Csapo, Shop Manager, Mulgrave
David Sturridge, Shop Manager, Washwood
Lee Wilkinson, Shop Manager, Aston Court
Guy Willars, Shop Manager, Chelmsley
25 YEARS
10 YEARS
Susan Bolton, Help Desk Operator
Gary Bradley, Area 08 Training Officer
Neil Buchanan, Trading Data & Tele Supervisor
Michael Catton, Machines Manager
Peter Clancy, Area Operations Manager - 07
John Harris, Regional Building Surveyor
Stephen Watts, Security Investigator
Matthew Berridge, Problem Manager, Service Operations
Mark Broadhead, Systems Accountant
Chung Chow, Security Clerk
Andrew Finlayson, Test Analyst
Kirsty McNamee, HR Officer
James Simon, Business Analyst
Mark Slater, Racecourse Clerk/Floorperson
East Region
Bambos Charalambous, Shop Manager, Lordship Ln
Donna Marston, Shop Manager, High Road
Andrew Panayiotou, Shop Manager, George Lane
East Region
Peter Abbey, Deputy Manager, Billericay
Andrew Bolah, Deputy Manager, Relief 052
Delrose Downer, Deputy Manager, Relief 051
Juliet Ford, Shop Manager, Telegraph
Ashvin Jhurree, Shop Manager, Oak
Kirsty Joyce, Deputy Manager, Bicester
Jonathan Kell, Shop Manager, Dolphin
North Region
Donna Finnegan, CSA, Walton
Susan Hunter, Shop Manager, Peaks
Claire King, CSA, Cleveleys
Emma Lawton, Shop Manager, Hillsborough
Scotland Region
Anne Cleary, Shop Manager, Dunmurry
Paul Fleming, Shop Manager, Ancaster
Anne Skirving, Shop Manager, Springburn
West Region
Timothy English, Shop Manager, Bude
20 YEARS
Leisa Byers, Area Operations Manager, Area 16
Jason Courts, Machines Manager
Christopher Lapper, Security Investigator
Wayne McClellan, Racing Administrator
Darren Smith, DOM 133
East Region
Michael Gray, Shop Manager, Aveley
Ian Monks, Deputy Manager, Stepney
Matthew Wright, Shop Manager, Lawrence Rd
North Region
Kathleen Cooper, Shop Manager, Aigburth
Ian Miles, Shop Manager, Outwood
Teresa Musgreave, Deputy Manager, Ossett
Karen Nevin, Shop Manager, Stray
Susan Whitfield, Deputy Manager, Relief 124
Scotland Region
Sharon Allardice, Deputy Manager, Westcross
Marion Gill, Shop Manager, Whickham
Nan Hickey, Deputy Manager, Ardrossan
Shelby Kerr, Deputy Manager, Ayr
14 | June/July 2013
Karen Kent, CSA, Dunsmure Rd
Tenisha Meade, CSA, Rushmore
Daniel Milen, Deputy Manager, Relief 012
Yamini Monks, Shop Manager, Whitechapel
Emma Morris, Deputy Manager, Southgate
Mariutxy Ospina-Cadavid, Deputy Mngr, Wyndham
Jonathan Palmer, Shop Manager, Hutton
Scott Paxton, Shop Manager, Chingford
Camile Thomas, Shop Manager, Balls Pond
Darren Webster, Shop Manager, Dunmow
Steven Yeboah, Shop Manager, Broadgate
North Region
Gayle Booth, Deputy Manager, Bridsea
Sally Bostock, Deputy Manager, Chapeltown
Lynn Fields, Deputy Manager, Relief 143
Sharon Hodge, Shop Manager, Glovers Lane
Janet Horner, Shop Manager, Woodseats
Kay Hughes, Shop Manager, Greenhill Road
Stacey McEvoy, Shop Manager, Prospect
Karen Murphy, Shop Manager, Crown
Karen Pickersgill, CSA, Armley
Gareth Wharmby, Shop Manager, Preston
John Taylor, Security Investigator, London
John started as a trainee Shop Manager in the West End of
London, working in mainly the City and West End. After working
as a Relief Manager for a number of years, he became a DOM
in Victoria, Central London. He joined the security team in 1995,
after he was approached by a colleague. The offer of a car
appealed too. He currently covers South East London and Kent
(Area 04). “All three of my kids have worked for the company – all
joined as CSAs. All started in the West End.”
John’s most memorable moment was meeting his wife
Bernadette at work. She was a cashier in the West End. John
recalls: “We went for a drink after work one evening – various
managers and cashiers. Later three couples started going out
and all later got married. She didn’t stay in bookmaking and
later became a nurse.”
The funniest moment of his career happened during
the great storm of October 1987, which practically brought
the country to a standstill. With trees lying all over the place,
John set off for work, driving far and wide to avoid roadblocks.
When he got to his shop (Northcross in East Dulwich,
South East London) he found out that it was the only
betting shop open within a six-mile radius. John recalls:
“It was just like Grand National Day. After work, we
went to the pub and I didn’t buy a drink all night.
My customers really looked after me and by
the end of the evening I was legless!”
40
YEARS
World of sport
sharpe
angle
Will2win prize
crossword
Always up for a flutter, Graham Sharpe struck lucky with a bet
on Wigan to win the FA Cup Final, even though he was at a
wedding. What would you do if your big day was the same day
as the Grand National?
I went to my godson’s wedding in May.
It was on FA Cup Final day, so he was
taking a bit of a chance that his Dad, a
Chelsea fan, may not have turned up
had his team not been knocked out in
the semi-final.
Chatting to the resolutely non-betting
father, I said: “I know you don’t bet but
how would you rate Wigan’s chances
against Man City?”
“I’d give them a one in five chance,” he
told me. “You should be interested to
know,” I said, “that we are offering them
at 9/1, a one in 10 chance. On that basis
you should really have a modest wager
on Wigan, as we are offering over twice
what you believe to be the true odds of
them winning.”
That reminded me that I fancied Wigan
at the prevailing odds so I placed a
bet on my mobile. When I told the
bridegroom’s father that Wigan had
won, he said: “Did you put a bet on for
me then?”
I think, unlike the vicar who married
the happy couple, I’d previously been
preaching to the unconverted but now
believe I may have made a convert.
Which is what my pal Will Buckley,
well-known writer and broadcaster,
already was when he was about to
marry his girlfriend, Grainne. He told
me that rather than having a traditional
wedding list, he wanted to place it with...
William Hill.
Which he did – inviting friends and
relatives not to give them toasters,
duvets or saucepans, but to buy them
singles, doubles and trebles from the
bets he fancied.
I was happy to oblige, but Will’s tipping
ability left a little to be desired and the
couple ended up out of pocket. Mind
you, they are still happily married and
Will’s still backing losers.
Unlike the friends and family of Bobby
and Jo Everitt, who married on the day
in April 1999 when a horse called Bobby
Jo was a well-fancied 10/1 shot for the
Grand National. The 50 guests had a
whip-round and whacked a hefty wager
on the horse, which they all cheered to
victory on a TV at the reception. They
were all celebrating wildly until someone
realised no one had thought to place a
bet for the newly-weds.
But in June 1999 newly-weds Jamie
Wilde and Sarah Green walked into their
Ross-on-Wye marquee reception to
be greeted by a massive cheer which
told them Oath had won the Derby at
8/1 – landing them a £600 wedding gift
courtesy of the groom’s sister, Louise.
She had placed a £50 each-way William
Hill bet on the 8/1 winner, because of its
appropriate name.
We added a nice little extra present by
getting winning jockey Kieran Fallon
to sign a Derby racecard for the happy
couple.
G
By Geoff
16 | June/July 2013
6. Luis ____, captained Portugal in the 2006 World Cup
Finals. (4)
7. Aidan and Joseph perhaps. (6)
8. Successful racehorse trainer who played in the 1976 FA
Cup Final. (4,7)
9. Nathan _____, St Helens’ Australian head coach. (5)
11. John _____, left back for Manchester Utd in the
2004 FA Cup Final. (5)
13. Winner of four World Superbike Championships during
the 90s. (4,7)
15. Vauxhall _____, non-league football club based in
Ellesmere Port. (6)
16. Alastair ____, England cricket captain. (4)
Down
1. ____ Raikkonen, 2007 F1 Champion. (4)
2. World Darts Champion in 1982 and 1989. (5,6)
3. Bakkies _____, former South African lock. (5)
4. Where you can find Dingle Dell and Druids. (6,5)
5. Cameron ______, striker that moved from Birmingham
City to Stoke City in 2011. (6)
10. Rhyme ‘N’ ______, 1988 Grand National winner. (6)
12. Paolo _____, 1982 World Cup Golden Boot winner. (5)
14. ____ Deeney, scorer of Watford’s dramatic injury time
2013 play-off semi-final winner. (4)
The winner of the prize crossword in the
April/May issue was Susana Sanchez from
William Hill Online in Gibraltar.
SPORTIN
VIEW
Across
For a chance to win £50 in vouchers via My
Choices (or local equivalent), send the name of
a famous sporting venue in the crossword (by
rearranging the letters in the highlighted squares)
to [email protected] by July 30.
“There’s a lot of sledging
creeping into the game.”
The draw will be made on August 1 and the winner’s name and
crossword solution will be published on the HOME website,
under Will2win.
In this issue:
3 News
Scottish Cup sponsorship extended/
Great response to Bonus Club/Joining
the FTSE 100/Win a signed England
shirt/Boost in Sharesave take-up/
Focus on HR
4 News
Project Africa – we share the details
of our July trip and update everyone
on our fundraising activities
5 Shop talk
First Road to Vegas winners/New
Hemel shop/Awards galore/SID
competition winners/Shop Manager
John boxes clever/Outstanding service
6 Our people
Regional Ops Co-ordinator Craig
Watson and his brother Ben (who
scored the winning goal at this year’s
FA Cup Final) talk about celebrity,
champagne and Camberwell
7 Make It Happen
We launch an easy and convenient
savings scheme for UK colleagues
8 Spotlight on trading
Group Trading Director Terry Pattinson
reveals how technology is helping his
team to create exciting products for
our customers
10 Hungry for Success
Andy Lidbetter, Sportsbook
Operations Manager, is the new face
of HOME for 2013. Find out why he
loves living and working in Gib and
what he has planned for tomorrow’s
HOME Champions
11 Sporting lives
William Hill cricket pundit Michael
Holding on who he’d back to win the
Ashes and why he loves horse racing
12 It’s all about you
Scottish Cup treats/FA Cup Golden
Ticket winners/Charity walkers/Make
It Happen with a skydive/Lookalike
competition results/District 066 pool
tournament
14 Long service
anniversaries/letters
Long service anniversaries/Your letters
16 World of sport
Sharpe Angle/Prize crossword/Cartoon
by Geoff
02 | June/July 2013
Let’s talk
about sport
From start to finish, this issue is packed with sport.
From the story on the extension of our Scottish Cup
sponsorship on page 3 to our profile of Regional Ops
Co-Ordinator Craig Watson and his brother Ben (who scored the winning goal
at the FA Cup Final) on page 6.
And if you didn’t know how many sports we take bets on before you opened Will2win,
you certainly will when you turn to our Spotlight on Trading feature on page 8. We look at
how the department devises prices for our customers, using a mix of maths, models and
expert knowledge, and an In Play Trader talks about life in the hot seat on page 9.
On page 11, former fast bowler Michael Holding tells us who he rates in the field of
cricket these days, and on page 16, Graham Sharpe reveals that he wisely backed Wigan
on FA Cup Final Day. He also shares stories of some lucky (and not so lucky) punters he’s
known over the years.
We also feature Andy Lidbetter, our new HOME Hero, and the latest news on Project
Africa, including an exciting new fundraising idea. You can also find out about our new
partnership with the Leeds City Credit Union, which offers all UK colleagues an easy way
to save money each month straight from their salary.
We’ve also got Golden Ticket winners, Make It Happen stories, competition winners
and people celebrating Long Service Anniversaries. Keep sending in your stories to
[email protected]. It’s great to hear from you.
Karen May, Editor, Will2win
Where do you read
your Will2win?
Will2win magazine definitely gets to visit some interesting
locations! Thanks to Tagumpay Oracion from Manila who
took the magazine to the beautiful rice terraces of Batad,
Ifugao during an outreach programme with a group of
colleagues. Tagumpay, who works in Risk Management, William Hill Online
Online,
mentioned that the journey involved a 10-hour bus ride, a one-and-a-half-hour jeepney ride
and a two-hour trek. He receives the well-deserved £50 prize in his local currency, pesos.
Win £100 and
a visit to
In Play Radio
William Hill’s In Play Radio is doing well,
with audience numbers growing year on
year, but the guys need your help.
The radio station’s jingles feature a particular
play on words, for example “From Tee to
Green, We’ve Got It Covered” or “From
Owen Farrell to Simon Cowell, We’ve Got It
Covered”. (Note: “We’ve Got It Covered” is
always included.)
Could you do better? If so, tell us your ideas
and the best six will be made into jingles
and used on In Play Radio. The best one will
also receive a £100 cash prize and a visit to
the In Play Radio and TV studios in Leeds.*
*The visit is only open to UK colleagues but
all colleagues are eligible for the £100 prize
(or local equivalent). Send your entries to
[email protected] by August 1.
How to contact
Will2win
By post: Will2win, 4th Floor,
Greenside House, London N22 7TP
By email: [email protected] or
[email protected]
By phone/text: 07718 697119 (Will2win)
Via Twitter: @will2winmag
Scan the QR code with
your smartphone to read
back issues from August/
September onwards. To
read the QR codes in
this issue, you will first
need to download a QR
reader. Alternatively go
to http://williamhillhome.com/index.php/will-2win-magazine
Will2win is managed by an editorial committee
of people from all around the business. The
magazine is published six times a year, with
the next issue due August/September.
News
William Hill extend Scottish
Cup sponsorship until 2016
Willia Hill has agreed a two-year extension as title
William
spon
sponsors
of the Scottish Cup and official supporter
of the Scottish national team. The agreement
enables us to showcase our online, mobile and
retail products to Scottish football fans.
Kristof Fahy, Chief Marketing Officer, said:
“We look forward to working with the fans, clubs
and the Scottish FA to make this great
competition even bigger and better.”
Stewart Regan, Scottish FA Chief Executive (left),
and Chief Marketing Officer, Kristof Fahy (right),
celebrate the deal at Hampden Park, Glasgow
WIN A
SIGNED
ENGLAND
SHIRT
We have a signed England shirt from the England
v Brazil match to give away. This was the last
game that the classic shirt, designed by Umbro,
was worn. It’s been signed by members of the
squad and comes with an official box and card
that shows the signatures and who they relate
to. For a chance to win it, answer these three
questions:
1. How many tennis matches will William Hill
trade this year?
GREAT RESPONSE TO
2. Which department does our new HOME
Hero Andy Lidbetter work for?
BONUS CLUB
3. What are the names of our two colleagues
celebrating 40 years’ service in June/July?
Bonus Club, our new machine reward
scheme, launched early in June with a
great response from customers. In its first
week, 81,000 customers signed up for
the card, which offers a range of benefits
including free machine credit, double
points games and weekly special offers.
It also gives away 250 free points when
customers register the card.
Club
We also promoted the launch of Bonus C
lub
lub
to 106,000 of our online slots customers who
may be interested in playing slots in-shop.
These customers can request Bonus Club
cards via a designated website and then use
them when they visit our shops.
All our shop teams did a fantastic job with
the huge amount of marketing materials
provided, and hosts wore Bonus Club
T-shirts to promote the new scheme.
The launch was heavily supported by press
and radio advertising with ads in The Sun,
Daily Star, Daily Express and The Mirror and
on talkSPORT, Absolute Radio and XFM.
WE’VE JOINED
THE FTSE 100
Lyndsay Wright, Director of Investor Relations,,
explains what this means to the business.
On May 1 William Hill became a FTSE 100
company, becoming one of the 100 biggest
companies listed on the London Stock Exchange..
We’re now the largest and most valuable gambling
g
company listed in London. This is important
because FTSE 100 companies are seen as some
of the most respected and investable companies in
ph
the UK and internationally. Also, just recently Ralph
g
was voted the number one Chief Executive among
companies in the leisure, entertainment and hotel
industry in the UK, in an annual survey of City people.
IN THE NEWS
Lyndsay Wright: “We’re now
attracting more attention from
investors and the media”
Email your answers to [email protected]
by July 23 or text them to 07718 697119. Please
state your name, job title, contact number and
department/LBO. The competition is open to all
colleagues and winners will be notified by email.
Sharesave
up by 61%
W
We’ve
had a fantastic response to our
2
2013 Sharesave invitation with 2,423
c
colleagues participating, a 61% increase
o
on last year’s take-up. For the first time
tthis year we’ve opened up Sharesave
tto colleagues in the Philippines, the US
a
and Australia. (In Australia, their invitation
p
period closes soon.) The scheme is also
a
available to colleagues in the UK, Gibraltar,
S
Sofia and Tel Aviv. What’s more, over
6
60% of the UK colleagues who’ve joined
tthe scheme this year had not been in it
p
previously.
O
On August 1, more than 500 colleagues
iin the UK and Gibraltar in three, five and
sseven-year plans will see them come to
m
maturity and the good news is that all
p
plans are in the money. Colleagues in
tthese schemes will receive full details
nearer the time.
Beverley Newman, People Development Director, offers an insight into the
world of William Hill from an HR perspective in the June issue of People
Management magazine. Go to http://bit.ly/14Ax18u to read her interview.
June/July 2013 | 03
News
PROJECT
AFRICA UPDATE
On July 1, we will be sending our
third team out to Kenya to continue
our work at the Island School.
The group will be building more
teachers’ accommodation, allowing
them to move out of their onsite
mud huts. The team will also be
building school desks and planning
activities for the children. Time
will also be spent educating the
children and the locals about the
benefits of clean water. This is to
ensure that when we introduce the
clean water facility later in the year,
it is used to its best advantage.
WHO’S GOING
THIS TIME?
Eleven colleagues will be going on the weeklong trip to get their hands well and truly dirty.
These are Sean Rafter, Margaret Batchelor,
Trudy Smith, Andrea Smith, Joanne Brown,
Dawn Boland and Lucy Richards from Retail
and Richard Evans, Lewis Rogers, Bill South
and Beverley Newman from Group. We’ll also
be taking a film-maker with us so we can share
our experiences with you when we return.
WHAT’S NEW AT
ISLAND SCHOOL?
We’ve made such a difference in a short time
and the work continues – even when we don’t
have a physical presence there. Just recently
we paid for an electricity substation to be
completed (see the photo below) so that the
school will have its own electricity source.
This has been organised by John Perrett,
the local landowner, and opens up all sorts
of possibilities. John has also helped us to
employ a librarian for the school (a former
pupil) who’ll be in charge of the new library.
Our work in Ol Maisor is supported on every
level by John and his wife Amanda. We were
privileged to invite them to the HOME Awards
as our guests – their first visit to the UK in
40 years – and were thrilled that everyone
welcomed them so warmly.
FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES
Your fundraising ideas are still coming in. James McKay, Sportsbook Product
Manager from William Hill Online in Gibraltar, has just climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in
aid of Project Africa. James trained for his week-long climb to the top of the highest
mountain in Africa in the Peak District, the Sierra Nevada and on Gibraltar Rock
itself. At time of going to press, the total on his MyDonate page was £670.
Another six colleagues from Group and Online will be scaling the same mountain in
October to raise funds. Events Manager Natalie Charlton recently completed the Ridgeway
Trail (see story on page 13) as part of her training.
In Retail, colleagues from District 66 held a pool tournament to raise valuable funds (see
page 13 for details).
WE
CAN HELP
If you have a good idea about how
to raise funds for Project Africa,
please email us at the
[email protected]
so we can authorise what you do in
advance and, more importantly,
help you with your idea.
N
ROBBIE’S
RICHES
We’d like to say a huge thank you
to Robbie Savage who as patron of
the William Hill Foundation has been
hard at work sourcing prizes for our
prize draw. The money raised will go
towards the development of a clean
water supply for the community.
The Robbie’s Riches prize draw costs
just £2 to enter (or local equivalent) and
volunteers will be selling tickets at all our
office locations. Shop teams can enter
by inputting special slips into their tills.
Entry is for colleagues only – customers,
friends and family are not eligible. There’s
no limit to the amount of times you
can take part and you just need to use
your skill and judgement to answer this
question: How many Wales caps did
Robbie Savage receive during his football
career? A: 38, B: 39 or C: 37. If your entry
is chosen, you could win one of these
fantastic prizes:
• Signed Robin Van Persie Manchester
United shirt
• Signed Luis Suarez Liverpool shirt
• Cricket bat signed by Freddie Flintoff
• Signed Phil ‘the Power’ Taylor shirt
• Two tickets for England v Scotland at
Wembley
• Signed Roberto Mancini Manchester
City scarf
• Signed Sergio Aguero Manchester
City shirt
04 | June/July 2013
Shop talk
VIVA LAS VEGAS
Our biggest ever shop team machine incentive scheme, Road to Vegas, is well on its way. We
received 4,620 entries over the first five periods, with a total of 2,734 entries in the Quarter 1
regional prize draw to win a £500 holiday voucher for each member of the winning shop team.
We’ve also given away tickets to comedy and theatre events and arranged meals out and bowling
trips. There is still time for shops to qualify – you just need to beat your Gross Win Plan plus an
additional £5 per terminal per day. At the end of the year, one lucky shop team will win
an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas for all team members plus
partners, worth around £30,000.
John’s up
for the title
Winners of the Quarter 1 draw in Region 2, Jewellery
LBO from Hockley, Birmingham, with AOM Vince
Gourley (left) and Machines Manager Gary Gill
The team from Eastwood LBO,
Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, receive
holiday vouchers from AOM
John Hunt for winning the
Quarter 1 draw in Region 1
Outstanding
service
g slip
winning bettin
Sara with the
A customer with a £2.50 11-fold football bet thought it was
all over – but it wasn’t. When one of the matches he’d bet
on wasn’t going well, he left the shop and threw away his
slip. Later on, however, the match was abandoned after
89 minutes. The customer came back to the shop to find
his slip but failed. Thanks to Sara Pickering, a Deputy at
Yeading Lane LBO, Hayes in Middlesex, who tracked
down the slip, he walked away £11,182 richer! AOM Tony
Williams says: “Congratulations to Sara for great service.”
AWARDS
GALORE!
We did ourselves proud in the
Betview Awards in May, winning
Chain of the Year, Most Creative
Marketing Campaign of the Year
(for ‘Back Our Boys’) and
Bookmaker of the Year.
We also walked away with two
awards in EGR magazine’s new
Innovation Awards recently.
We took the Mobile Marketing
Innovation Award, in recognition
of our marketing strategy during
the Cheltenham Festival, and also
received the Innovation in Live
Casino Award.
The team from Hemel with racing
Derek Thompson
commentator
HOME COMES
TO HEMEL
Martin Whelan, part of the winning Nursery Parade LBO from
Luton at the HOME Awards, has taken on a new shop of his
own. Hemel LBO, in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, was
opened by William Hill favourite Derek Thompson, who was
there to cut the ribbon and welcome in customers.
John Harrison, a Relief Manager in
Workington and Maryport in Cumbria,
is also a semi-professional boxer and
has a title fight on June 29 at the
Swallow Hilltop Hotel in Carlisle,
Cumbria. John’s opponent for the
Northern Area BBA Cruiserweight title
will be Lee Coates from Carlisle. John
has been boxing for a couple of years
and was a rugby player before that.
He’s known for wearing a Gladiatorstyle mask to liven up the evening!
Go to www.newbloodmartialarts.co.uk
for more information.
Grand day
out at SID
We had a great response to our
SID competition in the last issue of
Will2win. We asked you to tell us in
50 words why you wanted to spend
the day at SID. The team were so
impressed with the quality of entries
that they have invited six colleagues
up to the Leeds studio.
The six winners are: Jamie Henderson,
CSA, Muirhead LBO, Glasgow; Katie
Leigh, CSA, Princess St LBO, Knutsford;
Gemma Lyons, Deputy Manager, Eureka
LBO, Halifax; Lloyd Harris, Relief Deputy
Manager, Banbury LBO; Lisa Hillier, Relief
CSA, Southend area; and Nik Coleman,
CSA.
Their entries included comments such as:
“Two words. Naz Premji. He makes the
quiet times enjoyable with his excitement
and enthusiasm,” and “I’d like to improve
my knowledge so I can deliver a better
service to my customers.”
SID will be in touch with the winners to
arrange their day out and we’ll feature an
update in Will2win when it happens.
June/July 2013 | 05
Our people
“I DIDN’T EVEN
HAVE A BET ON!”
Our own Craig Watson, former DOM and now Regional Co-ordinator, East Region, has always
been there to support his footballer brother Ben. So when Ben scored the winning goal for
Wigan in this year’s FA Cup Final against Manchester City, Craig was absolutely amazed.
Will2win caught up with them to find out more…
Ben, when did you realise that you had a
special talent for football?
Football is all I’ve ever wanted to do and I
started playing for my local team when I was
six. My parents ran the tuck shop at the ground
so Craig had no choice but to come and
watch.
Craig, you’ve been a dedicated supporter
for a while then?
Ben started off playing for a Saturday club and
was scouted to go and play for Crystal Palace.
I was never any competition – I’ve got two
left feet. I’m only interested in watching, not
playing. I’d go along every week though. Anton
and Rio Ferdinand were also playing around
the same time – Peckham boys. We were from
Camberwell, South London.
Ben, which footballers did you admire when
you were younger?
I was an Arsenal fan when I was growing up so
my favourite player was Paul Merson.
Craig, what was it like being in the crowd on
Final day?
ch we were
When we got to the match
disappointed that Ben wasn’t on at the start.
He didn’t come on the pitch until the 81st
minute and was only on it for nine minutes.
So to score the winning goal was amazing.
Ben, how did that feel and what’s it like
being a celebrity?
o score the winning
It’s every boy’s dream to
goal in the FA Cup Final so it was
arly special
fantastic. It was particularly
onths
th
as I broke my leg six months
06 | June/July 2013
ago and thought I might miss this season. I
wouldn’t say I’m a celebrity but I did get loads
of text messages!
Ben, what does the future hold for you at
the moment? What are your ambitions now
as Wigan have been relegated?
Craig, did you have a bet on Wigan to win or
on Ben to score a goal?
My future lies at Wigan and the aim now is to
get back into the Premier League where we
belong.
Would you believe it, I didn’t. I usually do and
he never scores. I told my Mrs to come to the
station with me and to watch the kids while I
put a bet on, but she decided shopping was a
better idea.
Ben, is it true you didn’t get the chance
to do much celebrating straight after the
match?
We were due to play Arsenal three days after
the FA Cup so I had to stick to water. We went
back on the coach to Wigan a few hours later.
So you had to step in then, Craig?
It was all a bit surreal as the Wigan guys
couldn’t have a drink even though they’d won.
There was nothing to stop me though and I
celebrated with a few glasses of c
hamp
ha
m agne.
champagne.
Craig, what’s been the reaction from your
work colleagues – apart from the marketing
department putting up photos of Ben
around the lifts?
It’s been amazing. When I got home from the
game and checked my workphone, I was
overwhelmed at the interest. Steph Leyland
(Operations and Communications Manager)
had sent an email out telling everyone in
the company. I got swamped with emails,
congratulating my family. Also, Ralph has
invited me and Ben to watch England v
Scotland in August at Wembley. That should
be fun.
Ben, do you have time for any hobbies away
from football?
hobby after football and I try to
Golf is my main hobb
week, but that’s easier said
play at least once a w
have a wife and two kids.
than done when you h
switch off away from
Craig, how do you s
William Hill?
I’m off on holiday very soon with Ben. We’re
and enjoy spending time
a really close family a
together. I have three kids and Ben has two.
usually see each other
We would u
but since Ben moved to
weekly, b
it’s only when my wife and
Wigan it
time off. We’re planning on
I get tim
some serious relaxation.
Make it happen
AN EASY WAY
TO SAVE
Janet Burr, Deputy CEO, LCCU
We’ve partnered up with Leeds City Credit Union (LCCU) to
offer a regular savings option for UK colleagues. So whether
you have plans for a holiday, a car or even Christmas, our new
savings scheme can help you on your way
Around a million people in the UK currently
belong to credit unions and the Government
has plans to invest millions into a new scheme
to attract another million members over the
next five years.
Our partnership with the LCCU follows a
request at our Retail Staff Conference for
William Hill to provide an easy and convenient
method for colleagues to save money.
Credit unions are similar to banks in that
they look after our savings and also lend
money. However, they differ in that they are
co-operatives with a ‘mutual’ status. This
means that the members own the union and
its benefits are for members only. Very often
credit unions provide better interest rates than
the high street banks and other lenders such
as payday loan* companies. They have a more
flexible approach to who they will take on as
members.
How it all works
If you’d like to set up a savings account with
LCCU, you first have to set up a Membership
Account. You’ll need to save regularly each
month (£13 is the minimum requirement and
the balance must not drop below £5 after any
withdrawal).
There’s also the option of a Regular Savings
Account. Again you save a regular amount of
your choice (minimum £20) and you can make
up to six withdrawals a year. Your balance must
not go below £20 after any withdrawal.
“We are really happy to be in partnership
with William Hill. We offer affordable financial
services at fair rates and take a straightforward,
honest approach to money management.”
You can also put aside some money for
Christmas with its Christmas Club Account.
You save a regular amount each month but
can only take money out between November
14 and December 24. On December 25, the
account starts again for the following year, with
any balance carried over.
If you want to put money into more than one of
these three accounts, one amount will be taken
out of your pay each month and LCCU will
manage the amounts you want to go into each.
How to join
Go to My Choices at https://williamhill.
corporateperks.com and you’ll find a link to a
dedicated LCCU web page. This will allow you
to apply for LCCU Membership and give you
access to the savings accounts. Membership
usually costs £5 but is offered free of charge
for William Hill colleagues. Once you’ve set up
your account and chosen your amount, the
payment will be deducted from your pay and
shown on your payslip as ‘Credit Union
ded’.
John Machin,
Head of Reward & Engagement
“Credit unions are very popular in other
countries including the US, Canada and
Australia, and more and more people are
joining them in the UK. Our partnership
with LCCU is a great, hassle-free way
for colleagues to save money on a
regular basis. We also look forward to
working with LCCU to introduce other
financial products and services for
William Hill colleagues.”
*Payday loans are under
investigation following a Citizens
Advice survey, which found
that lenders had broken 12 of
14 of their industry pledges to
treat customers fairly. It also
learned that 87% of lenders did
not ask the borrower to provide
documents to show that they
could afford the loan.
Other products
from LCCU
As well as savings accounts, LCCU also
offers a wide range of financial products and
services. We’re only involved with providing
savings accounts at the moment, but as a
member you are welcome to contact them
about other products.
As secure as a high street bank
Even though credit unions are not as widely used as banks, they are
regulated in the same way. They are authorised by the Prudential
Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
and the Prudential Regulation Authority (two new bodies that replace
the previous Financial Services Authority). If a credit union goes into
liquidation, your savings are guaranteed up to £85,000 per individual
under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
June/July 2013 | 07
Spotlight on Trading
A FINGER ON
THE PULSE
Trading is at the heart of what we do at William Hill. It’s a magical mix of maths, models and
expert knowledge, reveals Terry Pattinson, Group Trading Director. He tells Will2win how
technology is helping his team create even more exciting products for our customers
At William Hill we’ve created a mix of oldschool bookmaking and the new breed of
trading. Old-school bookmaking is where
our horse racing and football compilers
know what a price should be on a horse or a
football game weeks or months in advance.
Most of the compilers here have been with
the company for 10 to 20 years and their
experience is invaluable for us to headline key
prices. The new breed of trading is all about
embracing technology, creating hundreds of
betting options using feeds and algorithms.
We’ve developed hundreds of jobs using
technology. You can’t operate an In Play
department without it. In Play is an impulse
bet – it’s a quick bet. In 2008, we made a
modest profit from In Play, now our profits are
soaring. We’re looking at increasing this further
and we will potentially be recruiting another 10
or 20 colleagues to help achieve that.
There’s no university of bookmaking, no
university of trading. If you want a job in
trading, you have to start at entry level. Every
person in my department will have started
by answering phones or working as a CSA
in a shop. We do a lot of on-the-job training
and development, particularly in our In Play
department, which is growing all the time. We
now have 85 colleagues.
Most people in this country are passionate
about football, so that’s a good place to
start. Chris Uren and Mark Swarbrick run In
Play very well. We look to find people internally
whenever we can and we recruit a lot from
Retail. We take people who start with data
inputting matches and schedules, for example,
and they then tend to get a feel for football
and the odds that go with that in time.
We are a mass market bookmaker and
want to offer as many markets for people
to bet on as possible. The average bet size
is less than £10 online and in shops and
that’s what our business focuses on. Winning
and losing money is all about the masses
coming and betting with us. As we have more
shops than any other bookmaker, we have to
capitalise on our scale. We have the highest
number of markets in the highest number of
sports, both pre-match and In Play.
Our R&D people are at the top of their
game. Their job is to gather every piece of
statistical data out there and then run their
mathematical techniques. They are always
looking for a new way to analyse data, which
will produce better ouputs for our models. The
reason that we are number one in product
depth and number of markets is purely down
to the R&D people getting the right algorithms
and data feeds in to do this automatically.
We’re aiming to get some unique product
out there for In Play, which will give a point
of difference. For example, in golf betting,
if you’re coming up to the third hole of the
Masters and Tiger Woods is on the tee, you
can say, “Is he going to land in the bunker
on the left-hand side?” You can get a price
for that or a price for him driving 400 yards
straight. We are working with Matt Warner
from Sportsbook Operations and other key
people from Gib on this. The display and
customer experience is just as important as
my guys putting out the correct price.
There are areas you can’t automate. You
can’t automate trading a squash match at this
point or a water polo match. The spread of
minor sports is increasing so we need people
to help us fill those gaps until we can find data
feeds that we can use.
We always focus on our customer and that
pays dividends for us. We have an industryleading margin because we have expert
compilers and enough products out there for
people who enjoy betting to come and bet
with us.
Traders act on data feeds that come from a range of
sources, including commentary and statistics
08 | June/July 2013
We need to get the right price out there.
We aren’t interested in or worried about
short-term profit and loss. If the favourite wins,
we will lose. If the favourite doesn’t win, we
will win – most likely. Over time, we will make
our margin. We’re not interested in one game,
we’re interested in the course of time. When
you look at In Play, this year we will trade
40,000 football matches and 30,000 tennis
matches, so even if it’s the Champions League
Final or the Wimbledon Final, and we happen
to lose, so be it; we have a lot more matches
to win it back on.
A talent for trading: keen on sport and a whizz at maths
Spotlight on Trading
What appealed to you about trading? Were
you good at maths at school?
I loved sport from an early age so a job that
involved watching sport every day combined
with the excitement of trading the prices In
Play naturally appealed to me. I was pretty
good at maths at school and got an A at GCSE
level and B at A-level. At the time I never
realised I would be able to use maths for such
an interesting use in the future.
You trade on sporting events around the
world that happen at all times of day. How
does that work?
“IT’S FASTMOVING AND
EXCITING”
Dominic Scott, Product
Manager, In Play Cricket,
describes a typical day
I work shifts. I’m in the cricket department
so, during the winter when the majority of
the cricket is coming from the southern
hemisphere or the subcontinent, night shifts
and 3am starts are the norm.
Describe a typical day in In Play?
We supply prices on events from the start all
the way through to completion. This means
working out the correct odds for each outcome
in an event at all times, for example, making
England 4/6 and New Zealand 11/10 to win the
3rd One Day International. We alter the prices
to reflect what is happening in the event and
in cricket the price can change with every ball.
The departments are split into football, tennis,
US sports, cricket and general sports, and
each department is responsible for covering all
sporting events in those categories.
What happens when there’s a particularly
big or special In Play event on?
The set-up for all sporting events is the same
as we need to always be 100% focused on all
matches we trade. The main difference for a
major sporting event is the increased levels of
excitement and anticipation, with a touch of
nervousness, due to sheer volume of turnover
expected.
Why do you think In Play appeals to
customers?
It’s fast-moving and exciting and it gives the
customer a chance to read the game, form
an opinion and then pit their wits against
the bookmaker. There is also a vast array of
markets for clients to bet on. Some of them
have an extremely quick turnaround, from
placing the bet to settlement, for example, next
over betting in cricket and next point betting in
tennis.
How long have you been an In Play trader?
Since the department was set up in January
2007. Before that I traded both pre-match and
In Play on a wide variety of sports, but mainly
football, cricket and US sports.
How long have you been with William Hill
and what jobs have you done?
I joined the Telebetting department straight
from university in 1999 so I could save up to
go travelling. When I found out a job existed in
compiling and trading, it instantly became my
career ambition. I went travelling for a year and
returned to Telebetting. I moved on to the web
team in 2001 for the new William Hill website.
My job involved creating the markets with the
relevant selections and suspension times,
updating prices sent by the Trading team and
putting in the results. I made the move into
trading in 2004.
WHAT THE
TRADING
DEPARTMENT
DOES
Shop teams are the department’s main clients,
with the rest mainly made up of trade clients.
A lot of recruitment is internal – traders often start by answering phones or inputting match information
MANAGE
CLIENTS
LIABILITY
CONTROL
SUPPLY PRICES
ANSWER
TELEPHONE
QUERIES
ANALYSE
& PROVIDE
DATA
We take bets on 54 different sports, from alpine skiing to yachting.
For a full list, click on the Will2win tab on the HOME website.
June/July 2013 | 09
The magazine for William Hill people
KNOW HOW MANY
WE TAKE BETS ON?
FIND OUT IN SPOTLIGHT ON TRADING ON PAGE 8
June/July 2013
In this issue:
3 News
Scottish Cup sponsorship extended/
Great response to Bonus Club/Joining
the FTSE 100/Win a signed England
shirt/Boost in Sharesave take-up/
Focus on HR
4 News
Project Africa – we share the details
of our July trip and update everyone
on our fundraising activities
5 Shop talk
First Road to Vegas winners/New
Hemel shop/Awards galore/SID
competition winners/Shop Manager
John boxes clever/Outstanding service
6 Our people
Regional Ops Co-ordinator Craig
Watson and his brother Ben (who
scored the winning goal at this year’s
FA Cup Final) talk about celebrity,
champagne and Camberwell
7 Make It Happen
We launch an easy and convenient
savings scheme for UK colleagues
8 Spotlight on trading
Group Trading Director Terry Pattinson
reveals how technology is helping his
team to create exciting products for
our customers
10 Hungry for Success
Andy Lidbetter, Sportsbook
Operations Manager, is the new face
of HOME for 2013. Find out why he
loves living and working in Gib and
what he has planned for tomorrow’s
HOME Champions
11 Sporting lives
William Hill cricket pundit Michael
Holding on who he’d back to win the
Ashes and why he loves horse racing
12 It’s all about you
Scottish Cup treats/FA Cup Golden
Ticket winners/Charity walkers/Make
It Happen with a skydive/Lookalike
competition results/District 066 pool
tournament
14 Long service
anniversaries/letters
Long service anniversaries/Your letters
16 World of sport
Sharpe Angle/Prize crossword/Cartoon
by Geoff
02 | June/July 2013
Let’s talk
about sport
From start to finish, this issue is packed with sport.
From the story on the extension of our Scottish Cup
sponsorship on page 3 to our profile of Regional Ops
Co-Ordinator Craig Watson and his brother Ben (who scored the winning goal
at the FA Cup Final) on page 6.
And if you didn’t know how many sports we take bets on before you opened Will2win,
you certainly will when you turn to our Spotlight on Trading feature on page 8. We look at
how the department devises prices for our customers, using a mix of maths, models and
expert knowledge, and an In Play Trader talks about life in the hot seat on page 9.
On page 11, former fast bowler Michael Holding tells us who he rates in the field of
cricket these days, and on page 16, Graham Sharpe reveals that he wisely backed Wigan
on FA Cup Final Day. He also shares stories of some lucky (and not so lucky) punters he’s
known over the years.
We also feature Andy Lidbetter, our new HOME Hero, and the latest news on Project
Africa, including an exciting new fundraising idea. You can also find out about our new
partnership with the Leeds City Credit Union, which offers all UK colleagues an easy way
to save money each month straight from their salary.
We’ve also got Golden Ticket winners, Make It Happen stories, competition winners
and people celebrating Long Service Anniversaries. Keep sending in your stories to
[email protected]. It’s great to hear from you.
Karen May, Editor, Will2win
Where do you read
your Will2win?
Will2win magazine definitely gets to visit some interesting
locations! Thanks to Tagumpay Oracion from Manila who
took the magazine to the beautiful rice terraces of Batad,
Ifugao during an outreach programme with a group of
colleagues. Tagumpay, who works in Risk Management, William Hill Online
Online,
mentioned that the journey involved a 10-hour bus ride, a one-and-a-half-hour jeepney ride
and a two-hour trek. He receives the well-deserved £50 prize in his local currency, pesos.
Win £100 and
a visit to
In Play Radio
William Hill’s In Play Radio is doing well,
with audience numbers growing year on
year, but the guys need your help.
The radio station’s jingles feature a particular
play on words, for example “From Tee to
Green, We’ve Got It Covered” or “From
Owen Farrell to Simon Cowell, We’ve Got It
Covered”. (Note: “We’ve Got It Covered” is
always included.)
Could you do better? If so, tell us your ideas
and the best six will be made into jingles
and used on In Play Radio. The best one will
also receive a £100 cash prize and a visit to
the In Play Radio and TV studios in Leeds.*
*The visit is only open to UK colleagues but
all colleagues are eligible for the £100 prize
(or local equivalent). Send your entries to
[email protected] by August 1.
How to contact
Will2win
By post: Will2win, 4th Floor,
Greenside House, London N22 7TP
By email: [email protected] or
[email protected]
By phone/text: 07718 697119 (Will2win)
Via Twitter: @will2winmag
Scan the QR code with
your smartphone to read
back issues from August/
September onwards. To
read the QR codes in
this issue, you will first
need to download a QR
reader. Alternatively go
to http://williamhillhome.com/index.php/will-2win-magazine
Will2win is managed by an editorial committee
of people from all around the business. The
magazine is published six times a year, with
the next issue due August/September.
News
William Hill extend Scottish
Cup sponsorship until 2016
Willia Hill has agreed a two-year extension as title
William
spon
sponsors
of the Scottish Cup and official supporter
of the Scottish national team. The agreement
enables us to showcase our online, mobile and
retail products to Scottish football fans.
Kristof Fahy, Chief Marketing Officer, said:
“We look forward to working with the fans, clubs
and the Scottish FA to make this great
competition even bigger and better.”
Stewart Regan, Scottish FA Chief Executive (left),
and Chief Marketing Officer, Kristof Fahy (right),
celebrate the deal at Hampden Park, Glasgow
WIN A
SIGNED
ENGLAND
SHIRT
We have a signed England shirt from the England
v Brazil match to give away. This was the last
game that the classic shirt, designed by Umbro,
was worn. It’s been signed by members of the
squad and comes with an official box and card
that shows the signatures and who they relate
to. For a chance to win it, answer these three
questions:
1. How many tennis matches will William Hill
trade this year?
GREAT RESPONSE TO
2. Which department does our new HOME
Hero Andy Lidbetter work for?
BONUS CLUB
3. What are the names of our two colleagues
celebrating 40 years’ service in June/July?
Bonus Club, our new machine reward
scheme, launched early in June with a
great response from customers. In its first
week, 81,000 customers signed up for
the card, which offers a range of benefits
including free machine credit, double
points games and weekly special offers.
It also gives away 250 free points when
customers register the card.
Club
We also promoted the launch of Bonus C
lub
lub
to 106,000 of our online slots customers who
may be interested in playing slots in-shop.
These customers can request Bonus Club
cards via a designated website and then use
them when they visit our shops.
All our shop teams did a fantastic job with
the huge amount of marketing materials
provided, and hosts wore Bonus Club
T-shirts to promote the new scheme.
The launch was heavily supported by press
and radio advertising with ads in The Sun,
Daily Star, Daily Express and The Mirror and
on talkSPORT, Absolute Radio and XFM.
WE’VE JOINED
THE FTSE 100
Lyndsay Wright, Director of Investor Relations,,
explains what this means to the business.
On May 1 William Hill became a FTSE 100
company, becoming one of the 100 biggest
companies listed on the London Stock Exchange..
We’re now the largest and most valuable gambling
g
company listed in London. This is important
because FTSE 100 companies are seen as some
of the most respected and investable companies in
ph
the UK and internationally. Also, just recently Ralph
g
was voted the number one Chief Executive among
companies in the leisure, entertainment and hotel
industry in the UK, in an annual survey of City people.
IN THE NEWS
Lyndsay Wright: “We’re now
attracting more attention from
investors and the media”
Email your answers to [email protected]
by July 23 or text them to 07718 697119. Please
state your name, job title, contact number and
department/LBO. The competition is open to all
colleagues and winners will be notified by email.
Sharesave
up by 61%
W
We’ve
had a fantastic response to our
2
2013 Sharesave invitation with 2,423
c
colleagues participating, a 61% increase
o
on last year’s take-up. For the first time
tthis year we’ve opened up Sharesave
tto colleagues in the Philippines, the US
a
and Australia. (In Australia, their invitation
p
period closes soon.) The scheme is also
a
available to colleagues in the UK, Gibraltar,
S
Sofia and Tel Aviv. What’s more, over
6
60% of the UK colleagues who’ve joined
tthe scheme this year had not been in it
p
previously.
O
On August 1, more than 500 colleagues
iin the UK and Gibraltar in three, five and
sseven-year plans will see them come to
m
maturity and the good news is that all
p
plans are in the money. Colleagues in
tthese schemes will receive full details
nearer the time.
Beverley Newman, People Development Director, offers an insight into the
world of William Hill from an HR perspective in the June issue of People
Management magazine. Go to http://bit.ly/14Ax18u to read her interview.
June/July 2013 | 03
News
PROJECT
AFRICA UPDATE
On July 1, we will be sending our
third team out to Kenya to continue
our work at the Island School.
The group will be building more
teachers’ accommodation, allowing
them to move out of their onsite
mud huts. The team will also be
building school desks and planning
activities for the children. Time
will also be spent educating the
children and the locals about the
benefits of clean water. This is to
ensure that when we introduce the
clean water facility later in the year,
it is used to its best advantage.
WHO’S GOING
THIS TIME?
Eleven colleagues will be going on the weeklong trip to get their hands well and truly dirty.
These are Sean Rafter, Margaret Batchelor,
Trudy Smith, Andrea Smith, Joanne Brown,
Dawn Boland and Lucy Richards from Retail
and Richard Evans, Lewis Rogers, Bill South
and Beverley Newman from Group. We’ll also
be taking a film-maker with us so we can share
our experiences with you when we return.
WHAT’S NEW AT
ISLAND SCHOOL?
We’ve made such a difference in a short time
and the work continues – even when we don’t
have a physical presence there. Just recently
we paid for an electricity substation to be
completed (see the photo below) so that the
school will have its own electricity source.
This has been organised by John Perrett,
the local landowner, and opens up all sorts
of possibilities. John has also helped us to
employ a librarian for the school (a former
pupil) who’ll be in charge of the new library.
Our work in Ol Maisor is supported on every
level by John and his wife Amanda. We were
privileged to invite them to the HOME Awards
as our guests – their first visit to the UK in
40 years – and were thrilled that everyone
welcomed them so warmly.
FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES
Your fundraising ideas are still coming in. James McKay, Sportsbook Product
Manager from William Hill Online in Gibraltar, has just climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in
aid of Project Africa. James trained for his week-long climb to the top of the highest
mountain in Africa in the Peak District, the Sierra Nevada and on Gibraltar Rock
itself. At time of going to press, the total on his MyDonate page was £670.
Another six colleagues from Group and Online will be scaling the same mountain in
October to raise funds. Events Manager Natalie Charlton recently completed the Ridgeway
Trail (see story on page 13) as part of her training.
In Retail, colleagues from District 66 held a pool tournament to raise valuable funds (see
page 13 for details).
WE
CAN HELP
If you have a good idea about how
to raise funds for Project Africa,
please email us at the
[email protected]
so we can authorise what you do in
advance and, more importantly,
help you with your idea.
N
ROBBIE’S
RICHES
We’d like to say a huge thank you
to Robbie Savage who as patron of
the William Hill Foundation has been
hard at work sourcing prizes for our
prize draw. The money raised will go
towards the development of a clean
water supply for the community.
The Robbie’s Riches prize draw costs
just £2 to enter (or local equivalent) and
volunteers will be selling tickets at all our
office locations. Shop teams can enter
by inputting special slips into their tills.
Entry is for colleagues only – customers,
friends and family are not eligible. There’s
no limit to the amount of times you
can take part and you just need to use
your skill and judgement to answer this
question: How many Wales caps did
Robbie Savage receive during his football
career? A: 38, B: 39 or C: 37. If your entry
is chosen, you could win one of these
fantastic prizes:
• Signed Robin Van Persie Manchester
United shirt
• Signed Luis Suarez Liverpool shirt
• Cricket bat signed by Freddie Flintoff
• Signed Phil ‘the Power’ Taylor shirt
• Two tickets for England v Scotland at
Wembley
• Signed Roberto Mancini Manchester
City scarf
• Signed Sergio Aguero Manchester
City shirt
04 | June/July 2013
Shop talk
VIVA LAS VEGAS
Our biggest ever shop team machine incentive scheme, Road to Vegas, is well on its way. We
received 4,620 entries over the first five periods, with a total of 2,734 entries in the Quarter 1
regional prize draw to win a £500 holiday voucher for each member of the winning shop team.
We’ve also given away tickets to comedy and theatre events and arranged meals out and bowling
trips. There is still time for shops to qualify – you just need to beat your Gross Win Plan plus an
additional £5 per terminal per day. At the end of the year, one lucky shop team will win
an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas for all team members plus
partners, worth around £30,000.
John’s up
for the title
Winners of the Quarter 1 draw in Region 2, Jewellery
LBO from Hockley, Birmingham, with AOM Vince
Gourley (left) and Machines Manager Gary Gill
The team from Eastwood LBO,
Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, receive
holiday vouchers from AOM
John Hunt for winning the
Quarter 1 draw in Region 1
Outstanding
service
g slip
winning bettin
Sara with the
A customer with a £2.50 11-fold football bet thought it was
all over – but it wasn’t. When one of the matches he’d bet
on wasn’t going well, he left the shop and threw away his
slip. Later on, however, the match was abandoned after
89 minutes. The customer came back to the shop to find
his slip but failed. Thanks to Sara Pickering, a Deputy at
Yeading Lane LBO, Hayes in Middlesex, who tracked
down the slip, he walked away £11,182 richer! AOM Tony
Williams says: “Congratulations to Sara for great service.”
AWARDS
GALORE!
We did ourselves proud in the
Betview Awards in May, winning
Chain of the Year, Most Creative
Marketing Campaign of the Year
(for ‘Back Our Boys’) and
Bookmaker of the Year.
We also walked away with two
awards in EGR magazine’s new
Innovation Awards recently.
We took the Mobile Marketing
Innovation Award, in recognition
of our marketing strategy during
the Cheltenham Festival, and also
received the Innovation in Live
Casino Award.
The team from Hemel with racing
Derek Thompson
commentator
HOME COMES
TO HEMEL
Martin Whelan, part of the winning Nursery Parade LBO from
Luton at the HOME Awards, has taken on a new shop of his
own. Hemel LBO, in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, was
opened by William Hill favourite Derek Thompson, who was
there to cut the ribbon and welcome in customers.
John Harrison, a Relief Manager in
Workington and Maryport in Cumbria,
is also a semi-professional boxer and
has a title fight on June 29 at the
Swallow Hilltop Hotel in Carlisle,
Cumbria. John’s opponent for the
Northern Area BBA Cruiserweight title
will be Lee Coates from Carlisle. John
has been boxing for a couple of years
and was a rugby player before that.
He’s known for wearing a Gladiatorstyle mask to liven up the evening!
Go to www.newbloodmartialarts.co.uk
for more information.
Grand day
out at SID
We had a great response to our
SID competition in the last issue of
Will2win. We asked you to tell us in
50 words why you wanted to spend
the day at SID. The team were so
impressed with the quality of entries
that they have invited six colleagues
up to the Leeds studio.
The six winners are: Jamie Henderson,
CSA, Muirhead LBO, Glasgow; Katie
Leigh, CSA, Princess St LBO, Knutsford;
Gemma Lyons, Deputy Manager, Eureka
LBO, Halifax; Lloyd Harris, Relief Deputy
Manager, Banbury LBO; Lisa Hillier, Relief
CSA, Southend area; and Nik Coleman,
CSA.
Their entries included comments such as:
“Two words. Naz Premji. He makes the
quiet times enjoyable with his excitement
and enthusiasm,” and “I’d like to improve
my knowledge so I can deliver a better
service to my customers.”
SID will be in touch with the winners to
arrange their day out and we’ll feature an
update in Will2win when it happens.
June/July 2013 | 05
Our people
“I DIDN’T EVEN
HAVE A BET ON!”
Our own Craig Watson, former DOM and now Regional Co-ordinator, East Region, has always
been there to support his footballer brother Ben. So when Ben scored the winning goal for
Wigan in this year’s FA Cup Final against Manchester City, Craig was absolutely amazed.
Will2win caught up with them to find out more…
Ben, when did you realise that you had a
special talent for football?
Football is all I’ve ever wanted to do and I
started playing for my local team when I was
six. My parents ran the tuck shop at the ground
so Craig had no choice but to come and
watch.
Craig, you’ve been a dedicated supporter
for a while then?
Ben started off playing for a Saturday club and
was scouted to go and play for Crystal Palace.
I was never any competition – I’ve got two
left feet. I’m only interested in watching, not
playing. I’d go along every week though. Anton
and Rio Ferdinand were also playing around
the same time – Peckham boys. We were from
Camberwell, South London.
Ben, which footballers did you admire when
you were younger?
I was an Arsenal fan when I was growing up so
my favourite player was Paul Merson.
Craig, what was it like being in the crowd on
Final day?
ch we were
When we got to the match
disappointed that Ben wasn’t on at the start.
He didn’t come on the pitch until the 81st
minute and was only on it for nine minutes.
So to score the winning goal was amazing.
Ben, how did that feel and what’s it like
being a celebrity?
o score the winning
It’s every boy’s dream to
goal in the FA Cup Final so it was
arly special
fantastic. It was particularly
onths
th
as I broke my leg six months
06 | June/July 2013
ago and thought I might miss this season. I
wouldn’t say I’m a celebrity but I did get loads
of text messages!
Ben, what does the future hold for you at
the moment? What are your ambitions now
as Wigan have been relegated?
Craig, did you have a bet on Wigan to win or
on Ben to score a goal?
My future lies at Wigan and the aim now is to
get back into the Premier League where we
belong.
Would you believe it, I didn’t. I usually do and
he never scores. I told my Mrs to come to the
station with me and to watch the kids while I
put a bet on, but she decided shopping was a
better idea.
Ben, is it true you didn’t get the chance
to do much celebrating straight after the
match?
We were due to play Arsenal three days after
the FA Cup so I had to stick to water. We went
back on the coach to Wigan a few hours later.
So you had to step in then, Craig?
It was all a bit surreal as the Wigan guys
couldn’t have a drink even though they’d won.
There was nothing to stop me though and I
celebrated with a few glasses of c
hamp
ha
m agne.
champagne.
Craig, what’s been the reaction from your
work colleagues – apart from the marketing
department putting up photos of Ben
around the lifts?
It’s been amazing. When I got home from the
game and checked my workphone, I was
overwhelmed at the interest. Steph Leyland
(Operations and Communications Manager)
had sent an email out telling everyone in
the company. I got swamped with emails,
congratulating my family. Also, Ralph has
invited me and Ben to watch England v
Scotland in August at Wembley. That should
be fun.
Ben, do you have time for any hobbies away
from football?
hobby after football and I try to
Golf is my main hobb
week, but that’s easier said
play at least once a w
have a wife and two kids.
than done when you h
switch off away from
Craig, how do you s
William Hill?
I’m off on holiday very soon with Ben. We’re
and enjoy spending time
a really close family a
together. I have three kids and Ben has two.
usually see each other
We would u
but since Ben moved to
weekly, b
it’s only when my wife and
Wigan it
time off. We’re planning on
I get tim
some serious relaxation.
Make it happen
AN EASY WAY
TO SAVE
Janet Burr, Deputy CEO, LCCU
We’ve partnered up with Leeds City Credit Union (LCCU) to
offer a regular savings option for UK colleagues. So whether
you have plans for a holiday, a car or even Christmas, our new
savings scheme can help you on your way
Around a million people in the UK currently
belong to credit unions and the Government
has plans to invest millions into a new scheme
to attract another million members over the
next five years.
Our partnership with the LCCU follows a
request at our Retail Staff Conference for
William Hill to provide an easy and convenient
method for colleagues to save money.
Credit unions are similar to banks in that
they look after our savings and also lend
money. However, they differ in that they are
co-operatives with a ‘mutual’ status. This
means that the members own the union and
its benefits are for members only. Very often
credit unions provide better interest rates than
the high street banks and other lenders such
as payday loan* companies. They have a more
flexible approach to who they will take on as
members.
How it all works
If you’d like to set up a savings account with
LCCU, you first have to set up a Membership
Account. You’ll need to save regularly each
month (£13 is the minimum requirement and
the balance must not drop below £5 after any
withdrawal).
There’s also the option of a Regular Savings
Account. Again you save a regular amount of
your choice (minimum £20) and you can make
up to six withdrawals a year. Your balance must
not go below £20 after any withdrawal.
“We are really happy to be in partnership
with William Hill. We offer affordable financial
services at fair rates and take a straightforward,
honest approach to money management.”
You can also put aside some money for
Christmas with its Christmas Club Account.
You save a regular amount each month but
can only take money out between November
14 and December 24. On December 25, the
account starts again for the following year, with
any balance carried over.
If you want to put money into more than one of
these three accounts, one amount will be taken
out of your pay each month and LCCU will
manage the amounts you want to go into each.
How to join
Go to My Choices at https://williamhill.
corporateperks.com and you’ll find a link to a
dedicated LCCU web page. This will allow you
to apply for LCCU Membership and give you
access to the savings accounts. Membership
usually costs £5 but is offered free of charge
for William Hill colleagues. Once you’ve set up
your account and chosen your amount, the
payment will be deducted from your pay and
shown on your payslip as ‘Credit Union
ded’.
John Machin,
Head of Reward & Engagement
“Credit unions are very popular in other
countries including the US, Canada and
Australia, and more and more people are
joining them in the UK. Our partnership
with LCCU is a great, hassle-free way
for colleagues to save money on a
regular basis. We also look forward to
working with LCCU to introduce other
financial products and services for
William Hill colleagues.”
*Payday loans are under
investigation following a Citizens
Advice survey, which found
that lenders had broken 12 of
14 of their industry pledges to
treat customers fairly. It also
learned that 87% of lenders did
not ask the borrower to provide
documents to show that they
could afford the loan.
Other products
from LCCU
As well as savings accounts, LCCU also
offers a wide range of financial products and
services. We’re only involved with providing
savings accounts at the moment, but as a
member you are welcome to contact them
about other products.
As secure as a high street bank
Even though credit unions are not as widely used as banks, they are
regulated in the same way. They are authorised by the Prudential
Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
and the Prudential Regulation Authority (two new bodies that replace
the previous Financial Services Authority). If a credit union goes into
liquidation, your savings are guaranteed up to £85,000 per individual
under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
June/July 2013 | 07
Spotlight on Trading
A FINGER ON
THE PULSE
Trading is at the heart of what we do at William Hill. It’s a magical mix of maths, models and
expert knowledge, reveals Terry Pattinson, Group Trading Director. He tells Will2win how
technology is helping his team create even more exciting products for our customers
At William Hill we’ve created a mix of oldschool bookmaking and the new breed of
trading. Old-school bookmaking is where
our horse racing and football compilers
know what a price should be on a horse or a
football game weeks or months in advance.
Most of the compilers here have been with
the company for 10 to 20 years and their
experience is invaluable for us to headline key
prices. The new breed of trading is all about
embracing technology, creating hundreds of
betting options using feeds and algorithms.
We’ve developed hundreds of jobs using
technology. You can’t operate an In Play
department without it. In Play is an impulse
bet – it’s a quick bet. In 2008, we made a
modest profit from In Play, now our profits are
soaring. We’re looking at increasing this further
and we will potentially be recruiting another 10
or 20 colleagues to help achieve that.
There’s no university of bookmaking, no
university of trading. If you want a job in
trading, you have to start at entry level. Every
person in my department will have started
by answering phones or working as a CSA
in a shop. We do a lot of on-the-job training
and development, particularly in our In Play
department, which is growing all the time. We
now have 85 colleagues.
Most people in this country are passionate
about football, so that’s a good place to
start. Chris Uren and Mark Swarbrick run In
Play very well. We look to find people internally
whenever we can and we recruit a lot from
Retail. We take people who start with data
inputting matches and schedules, for example,
and they then tend to get a feel for football
and the odds that go with that in time.
We are a mass market bookmaker and
want to offer as many markets for people
to bet on as possible. The average bet size
is less than £10 online and in shops and
that’s what our business focuses on. Winning
and losing money is all about the masses
coming and betting with us. As we have more
shops than any other bookmaker, we have to
capitalise on our scale. We have the highest
number of markets in the highest number of
sports, both pre-match and In Play.
Our R&D people are at the top of their
game. Their job is to gather every piece of
statistical data out there and then run their
mathematical techniques. They are always
looking for a new way to analyse data, which
will produce better ouputs for our models. The
reason that we are number one in product
depth and number of markets is purely down
to the R&D people getting the right algorithms
and data feeds in to do this automatically.
We’re aiming to get some unique product
out there for In Play, which will give a point
of difference. For example, in golf betting,
if you’re coming up to the third hole of the
Masters and Tiger Woods is on the tee, you
can say, “Is he going to land in the bunker
on the left-hand side?” You can get a price
for that or a price for him driving 400 yards
straight. We are working with Matt Warner
from Sportsbook Operations and other key
people from Gib on this. The display and
customer experience is just as important as
my guys putting out the correct price.
There are areas you can’t automate. You
can’t automate trading a squash match at this
point or a water polo match. The spread of
minor sports is increasing so we need people
to help us fill those gaps until we can find data
feeds that we can use.
We always focus on our customer and that
pays dividends for us. We have an industryleading margin because we have expert
compilers and enough products out there for
people who enjoy betting to come and bet
with us.
Traders act on data feeds that come from a range of
sources, including commentary and statistics
08 | June/July 2013
We need to get the right price out there.
We aren’t interested in or worried about
short-term profit and loss. If the favourite wins,
we will lose. If the favourite doesn’t win, we
will win – most likely. Over time, we will make
our margin. We’re not interested in one game,
we’re interested in the course of time. When
you look at In Play, this year we will trade
40,000 football matches and 30,000 tennis
matches, so even if it’s the Champions League
Final or the Wimbledon Final, and we happen
to lose, so be it; we have a lot more matches
to win it back on.
A talent for trading: keen on sport and a whizz at maths
Spotlight on Trading
What appealed to you about trading? Were
you good at maths at school?
I loved sport from an early age so a job that
involved watching sport every day combined
with the excitement of trading the prices In
Play naturally appealed to me. I was pretty
good at maths at school and got an A at GCSE
level and B at A-level. At the time I never
realised I would be able to use maths for such
an interesting use in the future.
You trade on sporting events around the
world that happen at all times of day. How
does that work?
“IT’S FASTMOVING AND
EXCITING”
Dominic Scott, Product
Manager, In Play Cricket,
describes a typical day
I work shifts. I’m in the cricket department
so, during the winter when the majority of
the cricket is coming from the southern
hemisphere or the subcontinent, night shifts
and 3am starts are the norm.
Describe a typical day in In Play?
We supply prices on events from the start all
the way through to completion. This means
working out the correct odds for each outcome
in an event at all times, for example, making
England 4/6 and New Zealand 11/10 to win the
3rd One Day International. We alter the prices
to reflect what is happening in the event and
in cricket the price can change with every ball.
The departments are split into football, tennis,
US sports, cricket and general sports, and
each department is responsible for covering all
sporting events in those categories.
What happens when there’s a particularly
big or special In Play event on?
The set-up for all sporting events is the same
as we need to always be 100% focused on all
matches we trade. The main difference for a
major sporting event is the increased levels of
excitement and anticipation, with a touch of
nervousness, due to sheer volume of turnover
expected.
Why do you think In Play appeals to
customers?
It’s fast-moving and exciting and it gives the
customer a chance to read the game, form
an opinion and then pit their wits against
the bookmaker. There is also a vast array of
markets for clients to bet on. Some of them
have an extremely quick turnaround, from
placing the bet to settlement, for example, next
over betting in cricket and next point betting in
tennis.
How long have you been an In Play trader?
Since the department was set up in January
2007. Before that I traded both pre-match and
In Play on a wide variety of sports, but mainly
football, cricket and US sports.
How long have you been with William Hill
and what jobs have you done?
I joined the Telebetting department straight
from university in 1999 so I could save up to
go travelling. When I found out a job existed in
compiling and trading, it instantly became my
career ambition. I went travelling for a year and
returned to Telebetting. I moved on to the web
team in 2001 for the new William Hill website.
My job involved creating the markets with the
relevant selections and suspension times,
updating prices sent by the Trading team and
putting in the results. I made the move into
trading in 2004.
WHAT THE
TRADING
DEPARTMENT
DOES
Shop teams are the department’s main clients,
with the rest mainly made up of trade clients.
A lot of recruitment is internal – traders often start by answering phones or inputting match information
MANAGE
CLIENTS
LIABILITY
CONTROL
SUPPLY PRICES
ANSWER
TELEPHONE
QUERIES
ANALYSE
& PROVIDE
DATA
We take bets on 54 different sports, from alpine skiing to yachting.
For a full list, click on the Will2win tab on the HOME website.
June/July 2013 | 09
Hungry for Success
Andy Lidbetter is passionate about our industry and enthusiastic about its
opportunities. Shop Manager and HOME Champion Monica Rahman chatted
to him about his time with William Hill and his hopes for the future
Andy Lidbetter is a name that many of our Retail
colleagues will know already. Although he moved to
Gibraltar to take up the role of Sportsbook Operations
Manager in January, Andy worked for many years as an
Area Manager in London, following the acquisition of
Stanleybet in 2006. “The best thing that ever happened
to Stanley,” says Andy.
Before that, he’d already put in more than 15 years
working in the industry, starting off as a temporary
worker in a betting shop in Brighton, near where he
lived. Says Andy: “I couldn’t believe that someone was
actually willing to pay me to talk to people about sport
and betting – two things that I loved.”
Many years later, Andy is still passionate about the
industry he works in and still 100% focused on the
customer journey. In his current role, he ensures that all
day-to-day operational management and online content
is always carried out with the customer in mind.
Gib – dynamic and fast-paced
Andy took up his new role in Gibraltar after witnessing
the innovative way the company was developing and
wanting to be a part of it. He finds life and work in
Gibraltar “exciting as it’s so fast-paced and dynamic”.
He adds: “With mobile betting still a relatively new
concept in the industry, my amazing, hard-working
team are constantly improving and making it happen.”
When asked about the comparison between working in
Retail and Online, Andy has high praise for both parts of
the company, especially the great people he’s worked
alongside. He explains: “I thoroughly enjoyed the faceto-face interaction in Retail. Yet, regardless of where we
work, it’s still one company. We should try and ensure
the best level of service to the customer whether that’s
face to face, over the phone or through a keyboard.”
He adds: “I really want to strengthen the relationship
between Retail and Online as I think if we can make it
easy for customers to bet with William Hill, whenever
they want and wherever they are, we’ll have an
incredible success on our hands.”
Andy was “over the moon” when he won the HOME
Hero award and considers it a privilege to be chosen
out of 17,000 employees for the role. However, when
it comes to naming some of his own heroes, he’s not
giving much away. “I’m inspired by so many people,
from CSAs to senior directors in the company. We have
so many fantastic colleagues here at William Hill and
over the years I’ve taken a little from many people
along the way. There are people around who have
done exceptional things at work and in the wider
community.”
More visible HOME Champions
Away from work, Andy likes to socialise and, with
Gibraltar being such a family-orientated place,
he says his young family fit right in. “I’ve been
lucky enough to find a wide circle of friends in a
short period of time. Life in Gibraltar is genuinely
nothing short of excellent. I have no complaints,
and taking this new step in my career really
underlines my commitment to the company.”
Despite taking up the HOME Hero role just last
month, Andy already has some firm plans in
place: “I want the HOME Champions to become
more visible and I think as a group we need to be
bigger, so recruiting more Champions is definitely
on my list. I want to instill HOME as a culture and
engage all colleagues in the HOME behaviours so
it becomes a key part of our business and a way
of life. I’ve been a HOME Champion since near
enough the beginning. Although it’s the early
stages of my role as HOME Hero, ultimately
all I want is for us to have a better business
and to be a better place to work.”
“Andy has been a strong supporter of HOME right from the very start. He believes in it and sees the ways it can improve
our business. He is great at encouraging others to buy into HOME and leads HOME Champions in an authoritative and
decisive way. He takes the view that if you want to make something happen, you have the power to do it. Andy has a
down-to-earth approach to leading change and knows our business and customers really really well.”
David Russell, Group Director, HR
10 | June/July 2013
Sporting lives
FAST &
FURIOUS
Former West Indian cricketer Michael
Holding was known for his feisty delivery
on the pitch yet easy-going nature off it.
He now shares his expertise with
cricket fans everywhere
as a commentator for
William Hill. Will2win
talked to him
What was the proudest moment of your
cricket career?
That was winning the 1979/80 test series.
It was the first time the West Indies had
defeated the Australians in Australia and
it was great to be part of that. It was a
fantastic team achievement.
Which cricket teams and individuals do
you rate these days?
South Africa is certainly the team to beat at
the moment. Dale Steyn is a top bowler and
a man I’d pay to watch. The Indian batsman,
Virat Kohli, is a fine player too. I enjoy
watching Kevin Pietersen, a highly skilled,
entertaining batsman. He could do with a
back-foot game though!
How did you first get involved with
William Hill Radio?
I’ve listened to William Hill Radio for around
10 years now and my association with
William Hill developed as a result of my
interaction with the programme. Wherever in
the world I am, be that Jamaica, Florida or
the UK, I’m never without it.
You’re known for being a huge flat racing
fan – what appeals to you about horse
racing?
I’ve always loved animals and owned and
bred horses in Jamaica. As a fast bowler, I
adore speed. The grace of an equine athlete
cannot be matched.
Do you ever have a flutter?
I love to bet on horse racing but I never bet
on anything that talks.
Who would you put money on to win the
Ashes?
England. It would be difficult to back against
them.
During your career you were called the
‘Rolls-Royce’ of fast bowlers. What cars
do you drive and why?
I drive different vehicles in different parts
of the world. In Jamaica, I drive a Toyota
Tacoma, which is a pick-up truck. I’ve had
that fella 19 years and he’s still going strong!
In Florida, I have a Toyota Highlander and
when I am in the UK, I drive a Mercedes.
Who would be your three dream dinner
companions?
I’d go for Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali,
Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Four for the
price of 3! A great man, a sporting icon and
two politicians who have been good for the
world.
• The Ashes Test matches between
England and Australia run from July 10
to August 25. Listen to Michael’s
previews in shops or online via
www.williamhillradio.com
EVER WONDERED
WHY IT’S CALLED
THE ASHES?
In 1886, England lost to Australia at a cricket match at
the Oval. It was the first time in the history of cricket
that England had lost to a team on its own soil. A mock
obituary appeared in the Sporting Times, stating that
English cricket had died. An excerpt said: ‘English
cricket. RIP. The body will be cremated and the ashes
taken to Australia.’ The name stuck.
June/July 2013 | 11
It’s all about you
Thank
you very
much
Joan Johnston from Castlereagh
LBO in Northern Ireland says: “A big
thank you to Eddie Thompson (acting
Operations Controller) for Making
it Happen for my husband’s 50th
birthday. Sam, my husband, and his
brother, who has cerebral palsy, got to
see their childhood heroes at Arsenal.
A result of 4-1 against Reading was
the icing on the cake... Paul and Tez
from Town Clock LBO in Bangor,
North Wales, say thanks to all their
colleagues who worked so hard on
Grand National Day when they had
a problem with the betting slips. All
colleagues stayed late to ensure all
customers’ bets were translated...
THEY’RE
FOOTBALL
CRAZY
Golden Ticket winner Lisa
Williamson from Belfast, Northern
Ireland, and her guest, husband
John, a lifelong Man City fan, at
the FA Cup Final
Some special William Hill people were well and truly
treated at the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park,
Glasgow, and the FA Cup Final at Wembley, London.
We had Golden Ticket winners, Long Service Award
g
winners and other colleagues who were invited along
as guests for a variety of reasons.
Sharron Langham, the Deputy
Manager of Kingsgate LBO in
Dunfermline, receives her Golden
en
Ticket for the Scottish Cup Finall
from DOM John McAllister
William Hill US
RAISE $400
A team from William Hill US walked
and ran to raise funds for the Susan
G. Komen Race for the Cure event,
which supports breast cancer
awareness and research. Dressed in
William Hill hats, the team all reached
the finish line in downtown Las
Vegas, raising $400 for the charity.
Managers Peter Wilde (centre
(centre, back row)
row), Sylvia
Lang (centre, front) and Peter Wehrli (far right)
with their partners at the Scottish Cup Final
SEPARATED AT BIRTH
Chris Kenney, Head of Customer Service and Telebetting in Gibraltar, has been named
as a dead ringer for Kenny (actor’s name Donald Stewart), a character in the ITV comedy
Benidorm. He was put forward by his colleague Martin Pullen, Telebetting Team Manager.
Thanks to Chris for being a great sport and we think Martin owes you a very big drink.
Keep sending in your entries, we love receiving them. Each winner featured* receives £50
to spend via My Choices.
Team effort: (from left) Kelly Townsley and
Jennifer Simmons, Auditing; Hamilton Ward,
CBS Support; Adrianna Surita, Auditing;
Brooke Carreon, Ticket Writer; Ryan Greene
and Dan Shapiro from Marketing, and Lindsay
Meyers from HR
“Could I have
the £50 in
cash as I’m
likely to get
the sack after
this!”
Kenny (Donald Stewart)
Chris Kenney
Martin Pullen,
Telebetting Team
Manager
*If you nominate a colleague, the prize is shared between you. All competition winners will be notified by email or phone.
12 | June/July 2013
It’s all about you
It takes two!
friend Sharon
Melissa (left) with
re their walk
McBride just befo
Lucia Ramos, from the Spanish Publishing
Team in Gibraltar, asked for a skydive in
the Make It Happen giveaway. She then
popped the question to her boyfriend when
they both landed after tandem jumps. Lucia
also reveals that a while ago her boyfriend
made a promise to marry her if she did a
skydive. Thanks to William Hill she clinched
the deal! The wedding is now planned for
September 6, 2014 and the couple are
saving hard for their big day.
Lucia takes
the plunge
MELISSA’S Den’s the district winner!
MILES
Melissa Reynolds, relief CSA in Belfast,
and her friend Sharon completed
a nine-mile walk around Belfast to
help Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.
Melissa says: “The charity provides
awareness and support for the
prominent cancers in men – bowel,
prostate and lung – to individuals
and their families. Our combined
fundraising reached just over £1,000
and William Hill has kindly matched my
individual sponsorship of £350.”
There was some obvious talent around
at the District 066 Pool Tournament,
which was organised as a fun event
for colleagues and as a fundraiser
for Project Africa. Justin Chapman,
Manager of Boscombe LBO, who put
the event together with Kelly Morton,
Deputy Manager of Clive Parade,
Swindon, said: “It was a great success
and we had a good turn-out who came
d
along to cheer on the players. We raised
e.”
£165 and everyone had a fantastic time.”
ea,
Den Peach, Deputy Manager, Salisbury Area,
was the winner but, says Justin, “It wasn’t a
walkover as Alex Vivian, a CSA from Poole,
gave him a run for his money.”
Walking for Greatwood
At the end of May, five colleagues set
off on an epic sponsored walk along the
Ridgeway, an 87-mile trail in the South
East of England. Completing the walk in
four days, the team put in an incredible
effort, with comments ranging from
“Hard and tiring but I’d do it again
tomorrow” to “It was really challenging –
a marathon would feel like a relief
after this!”
Natalie Charlton (Events), Barbara Berki
(Retail), Lili Huang (Investor Relations) and
Jennie Prest (Sponsorship). So far, the
team have raised £3,260 for the charity
Greatwood Retired Racehorses, which
re-homes rescued racehorses and
provides opportunities for
children with special needs.
Well done to the five
who took part –
Haydn Bratt (Retail
Development),
COMPETITION WINNERS
Congratulations to Michael McKenna of Barmulloch LBO, Glasgow,
Scotland, who won the signed Wayne Rooney shirt in our competition
in the April/May issue of Will2win.
od cause
eir talent for a go
th
ol
po
es
gu
lea
ol
C
Backing the
boys in blue
Tony Mills, Shop Manager of Rush
Green LBO in Romford, Essex, is a
Chelsea fan ‘born and bred’ and was
lucky enough to visit Prague to see
his team win against Sparta Prague.
Tony won the three-day trip at the
Long Service Awards and took his
son David along. “We stayed in a very
nice hotel and it was interesting to
see Prague. You find betting shops in
underground stations there.”
From Stamford
Bridge to Sparta:
Tony Mills in
Prague
June/July 2013 | 13
Long service anniversaries/Your letters
LONG SERVICE
ANNIVERSARIES
Congratulations to those hitting milestones in June and July
30 YEARS
Scotland Region
Anne May, CSA, Gilmour Street
Malcolm Stobbs, Shop Manager, Doxford
West Region
Terry Csapo, Shop Manager, Mulgrave
David Sturridge, Shop Manager, Washwood
Lee Wilkinson, Shop Manager, Aston Court
Guy Willars, Shop Manager, Chelmsley
25 YEARS
10 YEARS
Susan Bolton, Help Desk Operator
Gary Bradley, Area 08 Training Officer
Neil Buchanan, Trading Data & Tele Supervisor
Michael Catton, Machines Manager
Peter Clancy, Area Operations Manager - 07
John Harris, Regional Building Surveyor
Stephen Watts, Security Investigator
Matthew Berridge, Problem Manager, Service Operations
Mark Broadhead, Systems Accountant
Chung Chow, Security Clerk
Andrew Finlayson, Test Analyst
Kirsty McNamee, HR Officer
James Simon, Business Analyst
Mark Slater, Racecourse Clerk/Floorperson
East Region
Bambos Charalambous, Shop Manager, Lordship Ln
Donna Marston, Shop Manager, High Road
Andrew Panayiotou, Shop Manager, George Lane
East Region
Peter Abbey, Deputy Manager, Billericay
Andrew Bolah, Deputy Manager, Relief 052
Delrose Downer, Deputy Manager, Relief 051
Juliet Ford, Shop Manager, Telegraph
Ashvin Jhurree, Shop Manager, Oak
Kirsty Joyce, Deputy Manager, Bicester
Jonathan Kell, Shop Manager, Dolphin
North Region
Donna Finnegan, CSA, Walton
Susan Hunter, Shop Manager, Peaks
Claire King, CSA, Cleveleys
Emma Lawton, Shop Manager, Hillsborough
Scotland Region
Anne Cleary, Shop Manager, Dunmurry
Paul Fleming, Shop Manager, Ancaster
Anne Skirving, Shop Manager, Springburn
West Region
Timothy English, Shop Manager, Bude
20 YEARS
Leisa Byers, Area Operations Manager, Area 16
Jason Courts, Machines Manager
Christopher Lapper, Security Investigator
Wayne McClellan, Racing Administrator
Darren Smith, DOM 133
East Region
Michael Gray, Shop Manager, Aveley
Ian Monks, Deputy Manager, Stepney
Matthew Wright, Shop Manager, Lawrence Rd
North Region
Kathleen Cooper, Shop Manager, Aigburth
Ian Miles, Shop Manager, Outwood
Teresa Musgreave, Deputy Manager, Ossett
Karen Nevin, Shop Manager, Stray
Susan Whitfield, Deputy Manager, Relief 124
Scotland Region
Sharon Allardice, Deputy Manager, Westcross
Marion Gill, Shop Manager, Whickham
Nan Hickey, Deputy Manager, Ardrossan
Shelby Kerr, Deputy Manager, Ayr
14 | June/July 2013
Karen Kent, CSA, Dunsmure Rd
Tenisha Meade, CSA, Rushmore
Daniel Milen, Deputy Manager, Relief 012
Yamini Monks, Shop Manager, Whitechapel
Emma Morris, Deputy Manager, Southgate
Mariutxy Ospina-Cadavid, Deputy Mngr, Wyndham
Jonathan Palmer, Shop Manager, Hutton
Scott Paxton, Shop Manager, Chingford
Camile Thomas, Shop Manager, Balls Pond
Darren Webster, Shop Manager, Dunmow
Steven Yeboah, Shop Manager, Broadgate
North Region
Gayle Booth, Deputy Manager, Bridsea
Sally Bostock, Deputy Manager, Chapeltown
Lynn Fields, Deputy Manager, Relief 143
Sharon Hodge, Shop Manager, Glovers Lane
Janet Horner, Shop Manager, Woodseats
Kay Hughes, Shop Manager, Greenhill Road
Stacey McEvoy, Shop Manager, Prospect
Karen Murphy, Shop Manager, Crown
Karen Pickersgill, CSA, Armley
Gareth Wharmby, Shop Manager, Preston
John Taylor, Security Investigator, London
John started as a trainee Shop Manager in the West End of
London, working in mainly the City and West End. After working
as a Relief Manager for a number of years, he became a DOM
in Victoria, Central London. He joined the security team in 1995,
after he was approached by a colleague. The offer of a car
appealed too. He currently covers South East London and Kent
(Area 04). “All three of my kids have worked for the company – all
joined as CSAs. All started in the West End.”
John’s most memorable moment was meeting his wife
Bernadette at work. She was a cashier in the West End. John
recalls: “We went for a drink after work one evening – various
managers and cashiers. Later three couples started going out
and all later got married. She didn’t stay in bookmaking and
later became a nurse.”
The funniest moment of his career happened during
the great storm of October 1987, which practically brought
the country to a standstill. With trees lying all over the place,
John set off for work, driving far and wide to avoid roadblocks.
When he got to his shop (Northcross in East Dulwich,
South East London) he found out that it was the only
betting shop open within a six-mile radius. John recalls:
“It was just like Grand National Day. After work, we
went to the pub and I didn’t buy a drink all night.
My customers really looked after me and by
the end of the evening I was legless!”
40
YEARS
World of sport
sharpe
angle
Will2win prize
crossword
Always up for a flutter, Graham Sharpe struck lucky with a bet
on Wigan to win the FA Cup Final, even though he was at a
wedding. What would you do if your big day was the same day
as the Grand National?
I went to my godson’s wedding in May.
It was on FA Cup Final day, so he was
taking a bit of a chance that his Dad, a
Chelsea fan, may not have turned up
had his team not been knocked out in
the semi-final.
Chatting to the resolutely non-betting
father, I said: “I know you don’t bet but
how would you rate Wigan’s chances
against Man City?”
“I’d give them a one in five chance,” he
told me. “You should be interested to
know,” I said, “that we are offering them
at 9/1, a one in 10 chance. On that basis
you should really have a modest wager
on Wigan, as we are offering over twice
what you believe to be the true odds of
them winning.”
That reminded me that I fancied Wigan
at the prevailing odds so I placed a
bet on my mobile. When I told the
bridegroom’s father that Wigan had
won, he said: “Did you put a bet on for
me then?”
I think, unlike the vicar who married
the happy couple, I’d previously been
preaching to the unconverted but now
believe I may have made a convert.
Which is what my pal Will Buckley,
well-known writer and broadcaster,
already was when he was about to
marry his girlfriend, Grainne. He told
me that rather than having a traditional
wedding list, he wanted to place it with...
William Hill.
Which he did – inviting friends and
relatives not to give them toasters,
duvets or saucepans, but to buy them
singles, doubles and trebles from the
bets he fancied.
I was happy to oblige, but Will’s tipping
ability left a little to be desired and the
couple ended up out of pocket. Mind
you, they are still happily married and
Will’s still backing losers.
Unlike the friends and family of Bobby
and Jo Everitt, who married on the day
in April 1999 when a horse called Bobby
Jo was a well-fancied 10/1 shot for the
Grand National. The 50 guests had a
whip-round and whacked a hefty wager
on the horse, which they all cheered to
victory on a TV at the reception. They
were all celebrating wildly until someone
realised no one had thought to place a
bet for the newly-weds.
But in June 1999 newly-weds Jamie
Wilde and Sarah Green walked into their
Ross-on-Wye marquee reception to
be greeted by a massive cheer which
told them Oath had won the Derby at
8/1 – landing them a £600 wedding gift
courtesy of the groom’s sister, Louise.
She had placed a £50 each-way William
Hill bet on the 8/1 winner, because of its
appropriate name.
We added a nice little extra present by
getting winning jockey Kieran Fallon
to sign a Derby racecard for the happy
couple.
G
By Geoff
16 | June/July 2013
6. Luis ____, captained Portugal in the 2006 World Cup
Finals. (4)
7. Aidan and Joseph perhaps. (6)
8. Successful racehorse trainer who played in the 1976 FA
Cup Final. (4,7)
9. Nathan _____, St Helens’ Australian head coach. (5)
11. John _____, left back for Manchester Utd in the
2004 FA Cup Final. (5)
13. Winner of four World Superbike Championships during
the 90s. (4,7)
15. Vauxhall _____, non-league football club based in
Ellesmere Port. (6)
16. Alastair ____, England cricket captain. (4)
Down
1. ____ Raikkonen, 2007 F1 Champion. (4)
2. World Darts Champion in 1982 and 1989. (5,6)
3. Bakkies _____, former South African lock. (5)
4. Where you can find Dingle Dell and Druids. (6,5)
5. Cameron ______, striker that moved from Birmingham
City to Stoke City in 2011. (6)
10. Rhyme ‘N’ ______, 1988 Grand National winner. (6)
12. Paolo _____, 1982 World Cup Golden Boot winner. (5)
14. ____ Deeney, scorer of Watford’s dramatic injury time
2013 play-off semi-final winner. (4)
The winner of the prize crossword in the
April/May issue was Susana Sanchez from
William Hill Online in Gibraltar.
SPORTIN
VIEW
Across
For a chance to win £50 in vouchers via My
Choices (or local equivalent), send the name of
a famous sporting venue in the crossword (by
rearranging the letters in the highlighted squares)
to [email protected] by July 30.
“There’s a lot of sledging
creeping into the game.”
The draw will be made on August 1 and the winner’s name and
crossword solution will be published on the HOME website,
under Will2win.