BoyleSports eye Hills shops in bid to significantly increase UK presence

BoyleSports have revealed they are interested in buying some or all of William Hill's betting shops in the UK.

It would mark a huge expansion into the UK market by the Irish betting group, that have just 21 shops in the country.

The sale has come about as a result of William Hill's £2.9 billion takeover by Caesars Entertainment earlier this year.

At the time that deal went through, the new owner signalled it would focus on the group's American operation and seek to offload its UK business, including around 1,400 betting shops.

A spokesperson for BoyleSports said: "BoyleSports would certainly be interested in acquiring some or all of William Hill's UK shops, or indeed any other opportunity that makes sense for our business.

"We have made no secret of our ambition to be one of the principal operators on the UK high street and believe that our retail and digital offerings represents a best in class, safe, and enjoyable proposition for the betting public.

"We already have 21 shops in the UK which, along with our 45 shops in Northern Ireland and our recently upgraded online betting site, gives us a sizeable foothold in the UK retail and online markets. The sale of the William Hill estate presents us with a rare opportunity to achieve the retail scale we have been targeting."

Analysts have suggested the sale of William Hill's UK business could earn up to £1.5bn for Caesars, a Las Vegas casino giant.

Wall Street private equity company Apollo Global Management was the main competitor to Caesars for William Hill and has been reported to be among the front-runners to buy the bookmaker's operations outside the US.

BoyleSports, founded in 1982, have long wanted to expand their UK estate and attempted to buy the Tote in 2008, only to lose out to Betfred.

Background to the sale:

William Hill UK business set to be sold after Caesars agrees £2.9bn takeover

Court clears William Hill's £2.9 billion takeover by US casino giant Caesars

Caesars Entertainment completes £2.9 billion takeover of William Hill

William Hill say betting shops still have a future despite blow from Covid-19

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