Media Relations Director

WILLIAM HILL BETTING WOMEN’S WORLD CUP WILL BE A WINNER
Over £5m to be gambled on tournament for first time:
WILLIAM HILL BETTING WOMEN’S WORLD CUP WILL BE A WINNER
The Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) are set to be handed up to £73,000 from William Hill to celebrate the greatest ever achievement in British women’s sport, should England win the FIFA 2011 World Cup, which gets underway this weekend, and is set to become the biggest betting event in women’s team sport.
The WSFF has teamed up with Britain’s biggest bookmaker to highlight England’s chances at the World Cup in Germany; a tournament which experts claim could prove crucial in boosting the profile of women’s sport in England, and lead to more women playing the game.
Sue Tibballs, Chief Executive of the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation, said: “If England win the World Cup it will be a real game changer for women’s sport in this country, so we’ve teamed up with William Hill to celebrate what we think would be the greatest ever moment in women’s sport.
“It couldn’t come at a better time, with women’s sport only accounting for 5% of sports newspaper coverage and the number of women playing sport falling all the time. We know that seeing our sportswomen do well, inspires women to participate, so we wish Hope Powell’s team the best of luck for the tournament – we’re backing them all the way.”
William Hill Media Relations Director Graham Sharpe said: “Women’s football is definitely on the up now – the FA Women’s Super league has had a great start and now we’re off to Germany to deliver the goods as a national team. Our customers are really getting behind England, who have been the best backed country in the tournament. We’re proud to support the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation’s vital work helping to get women into all forms of sport and fitness.”
Hills are confident that women’s football has the potential to be one of the fastest growing areas of sports betting – ‘The World Cup will definitely be the biggest betting event ever in terms of women’s football, with over £5m being gambled on the outcome industry wide for the first time’ added Sharpe ‘Only women’s tennis rivals turnover like that, but no other team sport can’
William Hill has installed England as 16/1 joint fifth favourites to win the World Cup. They make hosts, Germany Even money favourites and also offer 9/2 Brazil; 6/1 USA; 14/1 Japan; 16/1 England; France, Norway, Sweden; 25/1 Korean DPR; 40/1 Canada; 50/1 Australia; 66/1 Mexico; 80/1 Colombia; New Zealand; 150/1 Nigeria; 500/1 Equatorial Guinea.

William Hill has placed £5000 worth of bets on behalf of WSFF as follows;
£2000 on England to win the tournament (at 16/1 that would produce a £32,000 profit);
£1000 on Kelly Smith to be tournament top scorer (at 20/1 that would produce a £20,000 profit);
£1000 on Kelly Smith to be player of the tournament (at 20/1 that would produce a £20,000 profit);
£1000 that England will not have any player sent off during the tournament (at Even money that would produce a £1000 profit).
If all of these bets are successful the profit will be £73,000.

William Hill has also pledged that they will donate the stake money from any of the bets which may prove unsuccessful to the WSFF, who will therefore benefit by a minimum of £5000.
To mark the start of the World Cup, WSFF has chosen their all-time top 5 achievements in women’s sport, and would like to hear from sports fans as to what would make their list. Email info@wsff.org.uk or send a tweet @wsff_uk
If England’s women are successful, the money will be invested into inspiring more women to play sport, including activity to help increase participation.
Further information…..WSFF…..Tim Woodhouse – tim@wsff.org.uk….0207 273 1740

Graham Sharpe,
Media Relations Director, Wiliam Hill

T: 020 8918 3731
M: 07803 233702
E: gsharpe@williamhill.co.uk
Twitter- @sharpeangle

William Hill, Greenside House, 50 Station Road,
Wood Green, London, N22 7TP.