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BWorld Talks with Sportingbet.com
Sportinget plc's Interview
Sportingbet
The World’s Largest Bookmaker Has Something to Say
An Interview with Matt Jellicoe, Head of Marketing
Bettorsworld has recently welcomed Sportingbet to our proud list of distinguished sponsors. We took the time to get to know the principals involved and asked if we could get a UK perspective on the U.S. market. Mr. Jellicoe was kind enough to answer these questions and tell us a little more about his company.
Sportingbet is a fully interactive sports betting and casino service; you can view prices, fund your account, place bets and check your winnings all online and in real time, whenever you like.
They cover the world's most popular international and US sports, which you'll find under their relevant headings over in the blue margin on the left hand side of the site. They also feature a number of additional sports and special events ranging from motorsports, boxing, athletics, international competitions and even politics; you'll find all of those under the Other Sports section.
They offer a wide range of flexible payment options to enable easy deposits and refunds, wherever you are in the world, using secure online credit card processing for your financial protection.
BWorld: Sportingbet recently made the decision to enter the US market. What made you decide to do this since your subsidiary, SportingbetUSA already focuses on the U.S. Market? How do you plan on differentiating between the two?
MJ: The US market is the premier sportsbetting market in the World with major turnover. We’ve actually always had US customers however some recent research illustrated that our US base loved our English customer services team in the Channel Islands and we enjoy incredible customer loyalty due to this. We’ve decided to make more of these attributes and actively market to US customer again.
The Sportingbet group actually has a number of US sportsbooks (Playersonly, Sportsbook, Sportingbetusa) they are all very different with different promotional offerings. Sportingbet's point of difference is it’s extensive coverage of both US and European markets, 2 casinos and a 121 exchange. With Sportingbet's 121 Exchange the benefits are: You set the odds, you can bet before and during the game. Even a draw pays out. Every time you bet there's a transaction fee of just 1p. AND you can use your existing Sportingbet account.
BWorld: Sportingbet is one of the most revered UK Books with a stellar reputation. How did you achieve this presence and can we have a hint to the secrets of your success?
MJ: It’s about pretty basic stuff like great customer service and reliability. If customers can always get their bet on and are treated well when they have a problem you’ll always do well in this business.
BWorld: What do you think of the recent crackdowns by the credit card companies on Internet Gaming charges in the US? Do you consider this fair considering that most card companies still accept charges for other questionable Internet services? What effect has this had on the European credit card atmosphere?
MJ: In Europe cc processing is still no problem, with 65% of accounts funded and usually all by credit card. In the US things are becoming more pressured however the internet gambler is very sophisticated customer and very fluent in all types of payment methods.
BWorld: Where do you see the future of online payments heading? Do you see one method standing out as a standard or do you think the market will remain fragmented?
MJ: There are huge amounts of money to be made by the companies that are prepared to make a stand and fight against unfair legislation – this has always been Sportingbet's point of view. The payment companies that are prepared to work with the gaming companies over the next couple of years will undoubtedly become market leaders as they become the standard.
BWorld: You recently made several very high profile acquisitions (Sports.com, Sportingodds.com, etc). What are your plans for capitalizing on these names and using the for further expansion in the market?
MJ: Our strategy is one of strong regional brands in each market. Our marketing is very focused geographically in each market. We now operate over 40 urls across the world and we will increase this number as well as growing major brands within the portfolio such as sports.com and Sportingbet .
BWorld: What do you think are going to be major betting trends this upcoming football season based on the last couple of seasons’ downturns? Do you have any new wagering opportunities or contests to attract the football fan?
MJ: A good section of props and teasers and move towards individual parlays which most sportsbooks don’t offer
BWorld: Soccer is just beginning to touch the American market. Are you finding more U.S. customers betting soccer or inquiring about soccer matches? Do you think that the recent success of the U.S. team in the World Cup had an affect on bringing the sport to the U.S. market?
MJ: Yes, US pick up here has been very strong in both our European and US sites. Sportsbook.com actually took major turnover on the World Cup.
BWorld: You offer betting on other Internationally renowned sports such as Cricket, rugby, snooker and Formula 1 Racing. Do you see a market for these sports with the US customer base?
MJ: The major sports in Europe are horseracing and soccer. TV coverage has a big part to play, hence tennis, golf and increasingly soccer are more likely to play a bigger part in the US market.
BWorld: What do you think of the current regulatory war going on in the US with states legalizing more and more forms of gambling and yet the federal government seems to be seeking ways to slow it down or even eliminate it? It is obvious that online gambling is here to stay. What’s your take on the US’s ambiguity?
MJ: We started in the UK in 1998 where we have a fully regulated gaming industry. There is no doubt that this is the way that gaming should be controlled and licensed it’s just a case of how quickly markets like the US get there. There is much more to lose both financially and socially for the US by not bringing the industry under legal regulation.
BWorld: Many books are shying away from sharp action, something a number of serious bettors complain about. What is your policy about “professional” bettors?
MJ: We have over 650,000 customers and we do not actively target high rollers, our customers are largely the leisure gambler. Of course we pick up ‘sharpies’ or ‘wise guys’ but lots of liquidity and good trading means this is not really an issue.
BWorld: For a new player just signing up with you, what you recommend to help them become familiar with the site and wagering on the Internet in general? What should they look for when playing American football (point spreads vs. money lines, parlays and teasers, etc.).
MJ: Betting should be fun, start small and learn the ropes. I guess more complex parlays require greater knowledge and so on.
Sportingbet is a tax-free, publicly traded company on AIM, part of the London Stock Exchange with its UK Bookmakers Permit and its additional licence held by Capital Consulting Services (N.A.) N.V., a Sportingbet group company. We have over 550,000 customers from over 100 countries and have been trading since 1998. We were in fact the first company in the British Isles to offer tax free betting on the internet.
This is now our fourth season of operations which has seen an increase is the range of sports and bet types we offer, plus the addition of a recently introduced casino. Our website and systems are continually being upgraded for the customer's ease of use whilst maintaining the high standards of customer service you would expect in a secure and fully-licenced environment. Remember, bet on your favorite sport, but never on your choice of bookmaker.
With a strong market presence, differentiation, solid marketing and strategic plans, you can't go wrong with this book! They offer the most helpful, knoweldgeable customer service staff, and should you need further information, their executives are more than willing to come to the phone to help you out.
Please feel free to contact us or Sportingbet should you have any questions or if you would like further information on their services!
Sportingbet
The World’s Largest Bookmaker Has Something to Say
An Interview with Matt Jellicoe, Head of Marketing
Bettorsworld has recently welcomed Sportingbet to our proud list of distinguished sponsors. We took the time to get to know the principals involved and asked if we could get a UK perspective on the U.S. market. Mr. Jellicoe was kind enough to answer these questions and tell us a little more about his company.
Sportingbet is a fully interactive sports betting and casino service; you can view prices, fund your account, place bets and check your winnings all online and in real time, whenever you like.
They cover the world's most popular international and US sports, which you'll find under their relevant headings over in the blue margin on the left hand side of the site. They also feature a number of additional sports and special events ranging from motorsports, boxing, athletics, international competitions and even politics; you'll find all of those under the Other Sports section.
They offer a wide range of flexible payment options to enable easy deposits and refunds, wherever you are in the world, using secure online credit card processing for your financial protection.
BWorld: Sportingbet recently made the decision to enter the US market. What made you decide to do this since your subsidiary, SportingbetUSA already focuses on the U.S. Market? How do you plan on differentiating between the two?
MJ: The US market is the premier sportsbetting market in the World with major turnover. We’ve actually always had US customers however some recent research illustrated that our US base loved our English customer services team in the Channel Islands and we enjoy incredible customer loyalty due to this. We’ve decided to make more of these attributes and actively market to US customer again.
The Sportingbet group actually has a number of US sportsbooks (Playersonly, Sportsbook, Sportingbetusa) they are all very different with different promotional offerings. Sportingbet's point of difference is it’s extensive coverage of both US and European markets, 2 casinos and a 121 exchange. With Sportingbet's 121 Exchange the benefits are: You set the odds, you can bet before and during the game. Even a draw pays out. Every time you bet there's a transaction fee of just 1p. AND you can use your existing Sportingbet account.
BWorld: Sportingbet is one of the most revered UK Books with a stellar reputation. How did you achieve this presence and can we have a hint to the secrets of your success?
MJ: It’s about pretty basic stuff like great customer service and reliability. If customers can always get their bet on and are treated well when they have a problem you’ll always do well in this business.
BWorld: What do you think of the recent crackdowns by the credit card companies on Internet Gaming charges in the US? Do you consider this fair considering that most card companies still accept charges for other questionable Internet services? What effect has this had on the European credit card atmosphere?
MJ: In Europe cc processing is still no problem, with 65% of accounts funded and usually all by credit card. In the US things are becoming more pressured however the internet gambler is very sophisticated customer and very fluent in all types of payment methods.
BWorld: Where do you see the future of online payments heading? Do you see one method standing out as a standard or do you think the market will remain fragmented?
MJ: There are huge amounts of money to be made by the companies that are prepared to make a stand and fight against unfair legislation – this has always been Sportingbet's point of view. The payment companies that are prepared to work with the gaming companies over the next couple of years will undoubtedly become market leaders as they become the standard.
BWorld: You recently made several very high profile acquisitions (Sports.com, Sportingodds.com, etc). What are your plans for capitalizing on these names and using the for further expansion in the market?
MJ: Our strategy is one of strong regional brands in each market. Our marketing is very focused geographically in each market. We now operate over 40 urls across the world and we will increase this number as well as growing major brands within the portfolio such as sports.com and Sportingbet .
BWorld: What do you think are going to be major betting trends this upcoming football season based on the last couple of seasons’ downturns? Do you have any new wagering opportunities or contests to attract the football fan?
MJ: A good section of props and teasers and move towards individual parlays which most sportsbooks don’t offer
BWorld: Soccer is just beginning to touch the American market. Are you finding more U.S. customers betting soccer or inquiring about soccer matches? Do you think that the recent success of the U.S. team in the World Cup had an affect on bringing the sport to the U.S. market?
MJ: Yes, US pick up here has been very strong in both our European and US sites. Sportsbook.com actually took major turnover on the World Cup.
BWorld: You offer betting on other Internationally renowned sports such as Cricket, rugby, snooker and Formula 1 Racing. Do you see a market for these sports with the US customer base?
MJ: The major sports in Europe are horseracing and soccer. TV coverage has a big part to play, hence tennis, golf and increasingly soccer are more likely to play a bigger part in the US market.
BWorld: What do you think of the current regulatory war going on in the US with states legalizing more and more forms of gambling and yet the federal government seems to be seeking ways to slow it down or even eliminate it? It is obvious that online gambling is here to stay. What’s your take on the US’s ambiguity?
MJ: We started in the UK in 1998 where we have a fully regulated gaming industry. There is no doubt that this is the way that gaming should be controlled and licensed it’s just a case of how quickly markets like the US get there. There is much more to lose both financially and socially for the US by not bringing the industry under legal regulation.
BWorld: Many books are shying away from sharp action, something a number of serious bettors complain about. What is your policy about “professional” bettors?
MJ: We have over 650,000 customers and we do not actively target high rollers, our customers are largely the leisure gambler. Of course we pick up ‘sharpies’ or ‘wise guys’ but lots of liquidity and good trading means this is not really an issue.
BWorld: For a new player just signing up with you, what you recommend to help them become familiar with the site and wagering on the Internet in general? What should they look for when playing American football (point spreads vs. money lines, parlays and teasers, etc.).
MJ: Betting should be fun, start small and learn the ropes. I guess more complex parlays require greater knowledge and so on.
Sportingbet is a tax-free, publicly traded company on AIM, part of the London Stock Exchange with its UK Bookmakers Permit and its additional licence held by Capital Consulting Services (N.A.) N.V., a Sportingbet group company. We have over 550,000 customers from over 100 countries and have been trading since 1998. We were in fact the first company in the British Isles to offer tax free betting on the internet.
This is now our fourth season of operations which has seen an increase is the range of sports and bet types we offer, plus the addition of a recently introduced casino. Our website and systems are continually being upgraded for the customer's ease of use whilst maintaining the high standards of customer service you would expect in a secure and fully-licenced environment. Remember, bet on your favorite sport, but never on your choice of bookmaker.
With a strong market presence, differentiation, solid marketing and strategic plans, you can't go wrong with this book! They offer the most helpful, knoweldgeable customer service staff, and should you need further information, their executives are more than willing to come to the phone to help you out.
Please feel free to contact us or Sportingbet should you have any questions or if you would like further information on their services!