Bookmakers must build on PR coup provided by Virtual Grand National
The most unusual result of the 2020 Virtual Grand National was not the 18-1 victory of Potters Corner, nor that the algorithm had outsider Aso finding unexpected reserves of stamina to hold a clear lead with just two fences to jump.
No, what was most unfamiliar about Saturday's event was it produced a public relations coup for bookmakers and the betting industry, something as rare as hen's teeth in recent years.
Thanks to cross-industry efforts by members of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) and other bookmakers, £2.6 million has been raised for NHS charities - plus the donations to charities in Ireland and those made by winning punters - while 4.8 million people had some distraction from the grim realities of being in lockdown.
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