Module 6

Sports and Rules

Objectives

In this lesson, you will:

• List the basic rules and event information for 14 of the main sports.

Information

This module will provide background information on the different sports and events on
which we offer betting opportunities.

The module will be divided into three parts:

• Major Sports

• Other Sports

• Special Events & Numbers Betting.

Within each category of major sports, there will be four sub-sections:

• Background information: This will give an explanation of the sport and outline the
different competitions.

• Major Betting Events: Will give details of the competitions within each sport.

• Betting opportunities: Will show what bets are popular with that particular sport.

• Glossary of Terms: Will give an explanation of various terms used for that sport.

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PART ONE:

MAJOR SPORTS

HORSE RACING

GREYHOUND RACING

FOOTBALL

GOLF

CRICKET

RUGBY LEAGUE

RUGBY UNION

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HORSE RACING
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The majority of our turnover comes from horse racing, which makes it our most
important sport. Racing takes place every day of the year with the only exceptions
being Good Friday and a couple of days in the Christmas week.

There are two types of racing:

FLAT- A summer sport with no jumping involved.

NATIONAL HUNT- Races that involve horses jumping hurdles or fences.

Both are controlled by the Jockey Club.

Horse racing is televised live in our shops via SIS

Every horse has the same official birthday which is the 1st January. In flat racing
horses can begin their careers at two years old, whereas in national hunt they have
to be three years old.

In addition to the U.K. racing is also a popular sport around the world. We regularly
cover racing from Ireland and in Europe there are many important races, most of
which are run on a Sunday. Australia, Japan and the United States also have top
quality races which attract runners from the U.K and Europe. All such events have
extensive media coverage and provide additional betting opportunities for our
customers.

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

FLAT RACING:
The official Flat Racing Season runs from the end of March to the beginning of
November. During the summer it is one of our most popular sports and gets
extensive television coverage. The major meetings listed below offer top class
competitive racing and our customers can back popular horses at competitive odds.
We capitalise on this by promoting our exclusive range of multiple bets and adding
bonuses and consolations to selected races.

MARCH:
The flat season usually opens with a meeting at Doncaster near the end of the
month. The first big race of the season is The Lincoln Handicap which is also the first
leg of the spring double (the other being The Grand National).

APRIL:
This month sees the Ladbroke European Free Handicap which is at Newmarket.
This race is a competitive handicap for 3 year olds.

MAY:
This month the 1000 and 2000 Guineas are run. This is at Newmarket and these
races are the first two Classics of the season.
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JUNE:
The next two classics are The Derby and The Oaks these are held at Epsom. During
the middle of June we see Royal Ascot which is held over 4 days, and televised live
on the BBC.

JULY:
The July Cup is at Newmarket and takes place towards the end of the month at
Ascot; two of the principle races are the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
Diamond Stakes. Glorious Goodwood is also held at the end of the month, again
similar to Royal Ascot receiving extensive television coverage and includes races
such as the Stewards Cup and the Golden Mile.

AUGUST:
There is a 3 day meeting at York this month, which incorporates 3 group one races
and the Ebor Handicap.

SEPTEMBER:
The Sprint Cup is at Haydock at the beginning of the month. There is also a three
day meeting at Doncaster which sees the final classic of the season; The St. Leger.
Ayr holds its biggest meeting of the year, over 4 days, and includes the Ayr Gold
Cup. Finally, the richest day in racing is at Ascot, holding the annual Festival of
Racing Day with prize money topping the £1 million mark.

OCTOBER:
Newmarket holds 2 important meetings this month. The first is at the beginning and
sees the Cambridgeshire Handicap which is the first leg of the autumn double, and
the second meeting is at the end of the month with the Cesarewitch Handicap
concluding the second leg of the autumn double. We also see the Champion Stakes
at this meeting. Finally in this month, Europe’s richest race The Arc De Triomphe is
on the first Sunday of the month and is run at Longchamp in France.

NOVEMBER:
The flat season concludes with a 3 day meeting at Doncaster, the last big race of the
flat season is the November Handicap.

NATIONAL HUNT RACING:

The National Hunt season starts at the end of July and goes through until the end of
May / beginning of June.

NOVEMBER:
The first big race of the season is the Gold Cup at Cheltenham; this is followed by the
Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup run at Newbury.

DECEMBER:
December sees the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

JANUARY:
Leopardstown sees its richest handicap hurdle of the year, The Ladbroke, run in the
early part of the month.

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MARCH:
This month sees the Cheltenham Festival, a 3 day event which is the highlight of the
National Hunt season. At this festival we see the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the
Champion Hurdle and the Triumph Hurdle.

APRIL:
The Grand National (the2nd leg of the spring double) is the feature event this month.
Held at Aintree over 4 days, it is the busiest day of the year and and receives heavy
publicity. Many ‘once a year’ customers come into our shops and it is the one day
we can really make our customers feel valued. The service they receive will either
encourage them to bet with us more often, or turn them away until next year.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

All of the events listed provide our customers with numerous betting opportunities.
The racing is always competitive and customers have the opportunity to back their
selections at rewarding odds.

ANTE-POST BETTINNG:
Before the events are run we will offer Ante-Post odds on the big races. This applies
particularly to the 5 Classics and the big handicaps.

LADBROKES SPECIAL OFFERS:

These can include special forecasts, doubles/trebles.

MULTIPLE BETS:
These are popular during major events. With so many televised races screened live
to our customers, they will often back their selections in multiples and watch
throughout the afternoon. Many will take advantage of our Early Prices.

TOP JOCKEY:
Another betting opportunity is to back the Top Jockey at a major meeting. We offer
these prices at Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and the Cheltenham Festival.

TRICASTS:
In the big handicaps, tricasts are popular. A winning tricast can return a large payout
for a small investment.

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GLOSSARY OF RACING TERMS:

ANTE-POST:
Betting on future events. Ante-Post odds are offered on all major sporting events.
Customers can back their selection some time before the event, in a way to gain a
better price. The only disadvantage is that if their selection is withdrawn, it becomes
a losing bet.

APPRENTICE:
A term used to describe trainee jockeys. They receive a weight allowance dependant
upon the number of winners they have ridden.

BAR:
Used in betting shows. Horses not named in the show are the bar price or greater.
E.g. 20/1 bar, means that the horses not quoted are either 20/1 or more.

BLINKERS:
Blinkers are fitted to ensure the horse can only see straight ahead and therefore
concentrates on the race.

BUMPER RACES:
Another name for National Hunt flat races, where horses that have not participated in
many races, can gain valuable experience before starting to jump hurdles.

CLASSICS:
The five major races of the year
1000 GUINEAS - for fillies run at Newmarket.
2000 GUINEAS - for colts run at Newmarket.
THE DERBY- Open to both and run at Epsom.
THE OAKS - for fillies run at Epsom.
THE ST. LEGER - open to both and run at Doncaster.

COLT:
A non-castrated male horse that is under 5 years old.

CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS:
A term used in National Hunt Racing to describe trainee jockeys. The same name
applies to apprentice jockeys.

DRAW:
This applies to flat racing. A draw takes place a day before the race to determine
what stalls the horses will run from. At some racecourses, there is an advantage in
being drawn a high or low stall number.

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EARLY PRICES:
Odds are available on selected races from early in the day. This is popular with
customers who are able to enter shops in the morning, as they may not be able to
get there for the afternoon.

FENCE:
The biggest obstacle in national hunt racing.

FIELD (THE):
All the horses in a race. If a show is given ‘7/4 the field’ it means the favourite is 7/4
and the other runners are either equal or larger than this price.

FILLY:
A female horse under five years old.

FURLONG:
All races in the U.K. are measured by furlongs, a furlong is 220 yards, there are 8
furlongs in1 mile.

GELDING:
A castrated male horse. Done to improve performance.

GROUP RACES:
These are the most valuable non-handicap races. Group 1 being the highest, down
to group 3.

HANDICAP:
A race whereby horses are given different weights to carry, depending on their ability
and current form.

HOOD:
A cloth that goes over the horses head to stop distraction by noise.

HURDLES:
The smaller obstacles in National Hunt, they are easier to jump and will flatten when
hit.

JOCKEYS CHAMPIONSHIP:
A league table of successful jockeys for both the flat and national hunt seasons. The
jockey with the most wins in the season is champion.

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JOCKEY CLUB:
The Jockey Club controls both types of racing. The officials are known as Stewards,
and their role is to decide fixtures, prize money and to ensure the rules of racing are
set and obeyed.

MAIDENS:
Horses that have never won a race.

MATCH:
A race between only 2 horses.

MARE:
A female horse over 5 years old.

NOVICE:
A novice hurdler is a horse that, at the start of a season, had not won a hurdle race.
A novice chaser is a horse that has never run a steeple chase.

NURSERY:
In flat racing, these are handicap races for 2 year olds.

OBJECTION:
An incident may occur that breaks the rules of racing, when this happens, an
objection is lodged with the stewards which will lead to an enquiry.

OFF-COURSE:
Betting activity that occurs away from the racecourse.

OVERWEIGHT:
When the combined weight of jockey and saddle are over that allocated to the horse,
they are carrying ‘overweight’.

PENALTY:
The weights for races are published in advance enabling owners and trainers to
assess their chances against the opposition. If a horse runs and wins after the
publication, its form will be re-assessed by adding extra weight - ‘A penalty’.

PHOTO FINISH:
When 2 or more horses finish simultaneously, the judge will need to see a photo to
determine the winner.

SELLING RACES:
A race where the winner is put up for auction. Usually run by horses with little ability.

STEEPLECHASING:
A National Hunt race run over fences, that are bigger than hurdles.

STARTING PRICE:
The odds available on the race at the ‘off’.

STEWARD:
An official of the Jockey Club. Each racecourse has its own stewards to ensure the
rules are adhered to. If an owner, trainer or jockey disagrees with a steward’s
decision they can make an appeal to the Jockey Club.
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VISOR:
Similar to blinkers, but with slits either side to allow a little vision.

WALK OVER:
A race with only 1 runner, as usually the other runners have dropped out. This
requires the horse to go to the racecourse and walk the distance of the race with the
jockey.

WEIGH IN:
Before and after the race, the jockey is weighed with his/her saddle to ensure the
correct weight is being carried. The weigh in signal means this has been done. If a
jockey fails to wiegh-in, then the clerk of the scales will object and the horse will be
disqualified.

WEIGHT:
Each horse is allocated a weight that it has to carry. If the combined weight of the
jockey and saddle are below that allocated then lead weights are added to the
saddle.

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GREYHOUND RACING:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Greyhound racing is a popular spectator sport and is controlled by the National

Greyhound Racing Council. All the major tracks operate under licence from them.
Live greyhound racing is transmitted via SIS into our shops every afternoon. This
daily racing activity is managed by the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Services
B.A.G.S. Races are run on oval tracks and dogs are placed in numbered traps.
They wear a coloured jacket that corresponds with the trap in which they have been
drawn. The traps open when the hare passes and races can be anything from 300 to
1000 metres. Most BAGS races are for 6 runners, but certain tracks include some 8
runner races in their programme. Races are either graded or open. Graded races
are for dogs trained by a trainer licensed by the track. Open races are open to any
dog from any track. Dogs are graded according to ability. This ensures that dogs
race against others with similar times. The fastest dogs run in the top grades, and
the best ones are then entered for open races.

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

Greyhound racing takes place all year. Most of the betting activity centres on/around
the bags meetings. In addition there are a number of top class open races which
offer additional betting opportunities. Many of theses races are organised on a knock
out basis, with dogs running in heats. The first 2 or 3 going through to the next round
until you reach the final. We often offer ante-post prices on these events. Some of
the major events are:

FEBRUARY:
Ladbroke Golden Jacket held at Crayford.

MARCH/APRIL:
The Grand National at Wimbledon.

JUNE:
The Greyhound Derby at Wimbledon.

AUGUST:
The Midland Gold Cup at Monmore.

SEPTEMBER:
The Gold Cup at Oxford.

OCTOBER:
The TV Trophy at Wimbledon.

DECEMBER:
The Oaks at Wimbledon.

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BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

ANTE-POST:
For the major events we provide an opportunity for our customers to back their
selection at Ante-post odds.

FORECASTS AND FORECAST DOUBLES:

Forecasts are very popular bets with customers.

SPECIAL FORECASTS:
Ladbrokes sometimes offers odds for named greyhounds in a forecast.

TRICASTS:
A tricast enables the customer to receive a big return for a small investment.

GLOSSARY OF RACING TERMS:

DRAW:
A draw is held to decide in which traps the dogs will race. Greyhounds that tend to
run wide are seeded ‘w’ and given an outside trap.

GRADED RACES:
Races are graded according to the ability of the greyhound. The majority of races
are graded.

HANDICAP RACE:
The traps are staggered and dogs are handicapped by giving inferior rivals a head
start.

‘HARES RUNNING’:
This is when the electronic hare starts its journey and no more bets are taken.

HURDLE RACE:
Hurdles are included at some tracks as some dogs enjoy jumping. The Grand
National is the top hurdle race of the season.

JACKET:
Dogs wear coloured jackets so that they can be identified. A trap represents a colour:
TRAP 1 – RED TRAP 2 – BLUE
TRAP 3 – WHITE TRAP 4 – BLACK
TRAP 5 – ORANGE TRAP 6 – BLACK & WHITE
TRAP 7 – GREEN TRAP 8 – YELLOW & BLACK.

OPEN RACES:
These races are open to any greyhound and carry greater prize money. They provide
owners of better class dogs with an opportunity to win big prizes.

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RE-RUN RACE:
If the traps fail or the hare develops a fault, then a race may be declared void and the
stewards will order a re-run.

RESERVE:
Unlike horse racing, if there is a non-runner in a greyhound race then there are a
number of reserves that can compete in the race. This ensures that races are
consistant.

TRIALS:
Dogs that are new or have been off track due to injury have to run trials to ascertain
what grade they should run in.

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FOOTBALL
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Football is our national game. The domestic season runs from August to May. In
addition to this there are European and International competitions.

Each season we bet on all of the major football competitions, nationally the main
interest during the league season centres on top and bottom teams. There is usually
a lively battle going on to decide the championship, promotion and relegation issues.

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

ENGLISH DIVISIONS:
These consist of the Premier League, Coca Cola Championship, Coca Cola Divisions
1, 2 & 3 and the Blue Square Conference League. We also bet on the top
Premiership Goalscorer.

F.A & Johnsons Paint Trophy:

These are knockout competitions that all teams in the English divisions compete for.

SCOTTISH FOOTBALL:
There are 4 divisions that run on the same basis as the English divisions. The
divisions are: Scottish Premier League, Divisions 1, 2 & 3.
The same teams also compete for the Scottish F.A. Cup and the Scottish Coca Cola
Cup (Scottish League Cup).

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL:
The European Leagues that we bet on are Serie ‘A’(Italy), La Liga (Spain) and the
Bundesliga (Germany).

TOP PREMIERSHIP GOALSCORER

HANDICAP BETTING ON LEAGUES AT THE START OF THE SEASON.

UEFA CUP: A European cup competition for top club teams who are not eligible for
the other two European Cup competitions.

CUP WINNERS CUP: For the winners of the European domestic tournaments.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE/ EUROPEAN CUP: For the winners of the European top
domestic leagues.

In addition to betting on domestic, European and International matches we also

provide betting opportunities on the following:

THE WORLD CUP: Held every 4 years

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP: Held every 4 years.

DOMESTIC TREBLES: The League, FA Cup and League Cup.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:
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Ante-post prices are available on most of the competitions. During the domestic
season we will continue to bet on the competition as the season progresses. Some
cutomers like to combine the winners of different leagues and cups in multiple bets.

The League and Cup competitions provide us with opportunities for regular Saturday
and mid-week promotions around our football coupons that are released.

For many of the matches we offer customers the opportunity to bet on:

THE 90 MINUTE RESULT - The result at the end of 90 minutes of play.

HALF-TIME/ FULL-TIME BETTING.- The combined result of 45 minutes of play and

90 minutes of play.

FIRST GOALSCORER - The player to score first in the match.

LAST GOALSCORER - The player to score last (usually the same odds as the 1st
scorer).

CORRECT SCORE - The score at the end of the match

SCORECASTS - The first goalscorer and correct score.

HALF-TIME BETTING - For live matches we offer prices during half time.

BETTING IN RUNNING - For some matches that are televised we offer our
customers the opportunity to bet throughout the match until 80 minutes have been
played.

For major competitions we also offer the customer an opportunity to bet on teams
winning their groups, name the finalists and top goalscorer.

GLOSSARY OF FOOTBALL TERMS:

ACCUMULATOR: This is the most popular type of football bet where a customer
selects the results of matches for more than 3 teams.

ADDITIONAL MATCHES: Sometimes there will be matches that are not shown on
the coupon. These matches can usually be found on page 320 of L.E.S.

AGGREGATE SCORES: Some cup ties are decided over 2 matches. The scores are
added together givin an aggregate score that we do not bet on.

ANTE-POST: On L.E.S. there is an index of all ante-post football that we are betting
on.

AWAY WIN: Marked as a 2 on the coupon, this means the team playing away from
their home ground wins the match.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: This is contested by all the league winners from each
European country.

DRAW: This is where the teams will score the same amount of goals at the end of 90
minutes.
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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: This tournament is played every 4 years (the next
will be in the summer of 2004). Countries from all across Europe enter their national
sides.

EXTRA TIME: In certain cup ties, if the score is a draw at 90 minutes, they will play
an extra 30 minutes in an attempt to break the deadlock.

F.A. CUP: The major English domestic cup competition contested by all League and
non League clubs.

HOME WIN: This is where the team playing at their home ground wins.

INTERNATIONALS: Matches played between different countries.

NEUTRAL GROUND: This is when a match is played at a ground that doesn’t

belong to either club.

PENALTIES: In certain cup ties when the scores are drawn after 90 minutes and
extra time the outcome is decided by each team taking penalties.

PRIMERA LEAGUE: This is the equivalent of the premiership in Spain. We will bet
on the live Saturday matches, the winner of the league, but not all of the weekend
fixtures.

RELEGATION: Each season, the bottom teams in each division are demoted to the
lower league.

SERIE ‘A’: The Italian first division. We will offer outright competion betting and
betting on the main matches.

UEFA CUP: Contested all over Europe by each countries leading teams.

BLUE SQUARE CONFERENCES: The main non-league division (below English

league division 3).

WORTHINGTON CUP: Formerly known as the league cup. This is a knockout

tournament for all teams from the four divisions of the English football league.

WORLD CUP: Contested every 4 years by all the leading countries in the world. The
next world cup is in 2010.

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GOLF
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Golf is constantly growing in popularity. There are two types of event on which we bet:
Tournament golf and match play. In a tournament the winner is the player with the
lowest total score over 4 rounds. In match play, players compete against an opponent to
win each hole by taking fewer strokes. The match is won by the player who wins the
most holes during the round. Players compete against each other on a knock out basis.

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

Because of the extensive television coverage that professional golf attracts, there are
many betting opportunities throughout the year.

The four most important tournaments are known as the MAJORS.There is one British
and three American events:

APRIL: The US Masters, played in Augusta, Georgia.

JUNE: The US Open, no fixed venue.

JULY: The British Open, no fixed venue.

AUGUST: The US PGA.

OCTOBER: The Alfred Dunhill Cup.

World Matchplay.
World Cup.

THE RYDER CUP IS HELD EVERY 2 YEARS AND IS A MATCH PLAY BETWEEN
EUROPE AND THE USA.

THE GOLF GRAND SLAM = US MASTERS, US OPEN, BRITISH OPEN & US PGA.

There are generally 2 different golfing tournaments played each week. These usually
start on a Thursday and run over a period of 4 days, finishing on a Sunday.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

The British Open Golf championship is our major betting opportunity and we offer a full
range of odds. These include:

• Outright betting on the player to win the championship

• The player to win the event over 72 holes
• Winners nationality
• Top British, American & European player

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 • Three ball betting: Over the first 2 days of the tournamnet, players are grouped
into 3’s. These players play along side each other over 18 holes for 2 days. The
player with the best score at the end of the day is the winner.
• Two ball betting: After the cut, the remaining players are paired with those of
similar scores and play alongside each other.
• Match betting: Players with similar abilities are matched for betting purposes. The
player with the best score at the end of the tournament is the winner.
• Group betting: As above, but featuring a number of players with similar abilities.

The other three MAJOR tournaments and the other major betting events provide our
customers with betting opportunities although not as extensive as the range for the
British Open.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

ALBATROSS: A hole completed in 3 strokes under par.

BIRDIE: A hole completed in 1 stroke under par.

BOGEY: A hole completed in 1 stroke over par.

EAGLE: A hole completed in 2 strokes under par.

PAR: Each hole on a golf course is given a par. This is the number of strokes it should
take to get the ball in the hole.

ROUND: Around of golf is the completion of all the holes on the course. A championship
golf course has 18 holes. A competitor will play 4 rounds to finish the tournament.

SUDDEN DEATH PLAY OFF: If 2 or more players tie for the lead at the end of the
championship, they continue to play until one wins a hole outright.

THE CUT: At the end of the first 2 days a player must achieve a specific qualifying score
to be eligible to play the final 2 days. This is known as ‘The Cut’. There are a selected
number of tournaments where the cut is not carries and a golfer plays the whole
tournament.

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CRICKET
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Cricket matches fall into 2 categories:

LIMITED OVERS OR 1 DAY= Matches where the number of overs per innings is set.

UNLIMITED OR TEST: Matches played over 3, 4 or 5 days.

INNINGS= the total number of runs scored by members of one team.

The first class cricket season in this country lasts from April until September. It includes a
number of limited overs competitions, the County championship and Test matches
(internationals).

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

BENSON & HEDGES CUP: A limited overs competition. The first round is organised on
a league basis, with the rest of the competition as a knock out.

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP: This is a league comprised of county teams. The matches

are played over 3 or 4 days and points are awarded depending on the result. The
champions are the team who finish top of the league.

NATWEST TROPHY: A limited over and knock out cup competition.

NATIONAL LEAGUE: This is a Sunday league competition and is a 1 day limited overs
competition.

ONE DAY INTERNATIONALS: During the summer England will play one day
internationals, theses are limited overs series and when on tour they will play
internationals against their hosts.

TEST MATCH SERIES (E.G THE ASHES): Every summer there is a test match between
England and a visiting side. Each match is scheduled to last for 5 days and usually
consists of 5 matches.

WORLD CUP: Held every 4 years and contested by the leading cricketing nations. It is a
1 day limited overs competition.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

OUTRIGHT: For all competitions, international, tests and matches in selected

competitions.

SERIES BETTING: Prices on teams to win the test or 1 day series.

TOP BATSMAN: The batsman to make the top score for the first innings only.

TOP SERIES BATSMAN/BOWLER: As above but only offered at the start of a test
series.

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GLOSSARY OF CRICKETING TERMS:

ASHES: Whenever England and Australia play a test match they play for the ‘Ashes’.
These are the remains of the stumps that were ceremoniously burned the first time that
Australia beat England.

INNINGS: The total number of runs made by the members of one team.

OVER: An over consists of 6 balls bowled by the bowler.

RUNS: These decide a match. The team scoring the most runs will be the winner.

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RUGBY-LEAGUE & UNION

RUGBY LEAGUE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Rugby league teams have 13 players. The game is won by the team scoring the most
points. Points are scored by scoring a try, followed by a conversion or a drop goal.
This differs to union as rugby league has the 6 tackle rule. Once a team has been tackled
and gone to ground 6 times, it has to give the ball to the other team, who then get six
tackles.

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

CHALLENGE CUP: This is a knockout competition.

SUPER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: Matches are played weekly.

NORTHERN FORD PREMIERSHIP: This is a knockout competition.

INTERNATIONALS: Very often the rugby league season benefits from having an
international team visiting. Great Britain plays France on a regular basis.

RUGBY UNION
Teams have 15 players and points are scored on the same basis as rugby league.

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: This is an annual competition between the following

nations: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy.
Each country plays each other and the championship is decided on a points basis.

TETLEY BITTER CUP

WELSH CUP: An annual knock out competition for teams playing in Wales.

ALLIED DUNBAR PREMIERSHIP

EUROPEAN CUP

WORLD CUP: Played every 4 years, between all the major rugby playing countries.

GRAND SLAM: Any team winning all its matches in the 6 Nations championship is
deemed to have completed the GRAND SLAM.

TRIPLE CROWN: Involves the 4 home countries. Any team winning all its matches
against the other 3 is deemed to have completed the TRIPLE CROWN.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

OUTRIGHT BETTING: For Cup competitions and Internationals.

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HANDICAP BETTING: Available on most matches. To make the odds more attractive we
will handicap one of the teams. This means we will give the weaker team a points start.

FIRST TRYSCORER: The player to score a try first.

WINNING MARGIN BETTING: Predicting how many points a team will win by.

NON HANDICAP BETTING: Betting without any handicap starts.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

CONVERSION: When a try is scored a member of the team has the opportunity to
convert it. This is achieved by kicking the ball between the posts and above the crossbar.
They score extra points if successful.

DROP GOAL: Another way of scoring points. Any time during the game a player can kick
the ball between the posts and above the crossbar.

TRY: Scored when a player carries the ball over the goal line and touches it down
leading to an opportunity of making a conversion.

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PART TWO

OTHER SPORTS:

TENNIS…………………………………….PAGE 24

MOTOR RACING…………………………PAGE 24

SNOOKER…………………………………PAGE 25

AMERICAN FOOTBALL…………………PAGE 25

DARTS……………………………………..PAGE 26

BOXING …………………………………..PAGE 26

ATHLETICS………………………………PAGE 27

SPECIAL EVENTS……………………….PAGE 28

NUMBERS………………………………..PAGE 29

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TENNIS
MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

There are 4 major tournaments throughout the tennis season. These are the Australian,
French, U.S.A and British Open (Wimbledon). Collectively they are known as the GRAND
SLAM.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

OUTRIGHT: Players to win the competition.

MATCH BETTING: Players to win the match.

SET BETTING: The winning result at the end of the match.

TO WIN THE 1ST SET AND…: A player to win the 1st set and go on to win the match/go
on to lose the match.

TOTAL GAMES: Total number of games won in the match – either over or under a set
amount, or an odd or even number of game to be won.

TOTAL SETS: The total number of set played.

NUMBER OF ACES: The total number of aces served in the match.

WILL THERE BE A TIE BREAK IN THE MATCH? : Will any of the sets played end in a
tie break.

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MOTOR RACING
MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

The World Drivers Championship is big business. Motor racing drivers are the highest
paid sportsmen in the world. The cars they drive are known as formula one.
The start of the formula 1 season is in March and this runs through to October with a
Grand Prix taking place every 2 weeks. The drivers score points if they finish in the top 6.
The Driver with the highest score at the end of the season wins the Drivers
Championship.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Customers can bet on who will win the title.

INDIVIDUAL GRAND PRIX: Prices are available for each Grand Prix throughout the
season.

WHO WILL GAIN POLE?: Prices are available for customers to bet on who will gain pole
position in the qualifying round the day before the race.

WHO WILL GAIN POINTS FINISH?: Prices are available for who will be in the points,
the first 6.

WHO WILL BE ON THE PODIUM?: Prices are available for who will finish on the
podium.

GROUP BETTING: Drivers are divided into groups according to their ability and
customers can bet on who will win their group in the race.

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SNOOKER
MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

The British snooker season is from October through to May. There is widespread
television coverage for the most important competitions and it is a popular spectator
sport. Snooker tournaments are organised on a knock out basis. Players have to win
through a number of rounds to reach the final. Each match is won by the first player to
win the required number of frames.

The main events through the year are the:

• British Masters.
• British Open.
• World Championship.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

OUTRIGHT: The player to win the tournament.

MATCH BETTING: The player to win his individual match.

FRAME BETTING: The winning result at the end of the match.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL
MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

American Football is the second most popular sport in the United States. Its popularity is
growing outside of America due to television coverage.
The Superbowl is played annually between the two major American leagues.

The two leagues are the:

• A.F.C. = The American football conference league.

• N.F.C. = The national football conference league.

Each league has 3 divisions: East, Central and West.

The winners of each division plus the next 3 best teams from the A.F.C and N.F.C,
making 12 teams, 6 from each conference will then go on to the play-offs.
These are a series of knock out games to find the winner of each conference. The 2
winners will then meet in the Superbowl.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

OUTRIGHT BETTING: For the Superbowl and the Divisions.

MATCHES: We bet on the handicaps, winning margins, 1st touchdown & 1st scoring
player.

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DARTS

MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

Professional darts matches are played in sets, similar to bowls. Plyaers will have to win a
certain number of games to win a set, followed by the required number of sets. It is
usually the bets of 3 or 5.
The main Darts events are the:
World Championships.
World matchplay.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

OUTRIGHT: Players to win the competition.

MATCH BETTING: Players to win the match.

SET BETTING: The winning result at the end of a match.

BOXING
MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

Provided a particular boxing match is not completely one sided and remains a viable
Betting proposition, Ladbrokes will endeavour to provide prices.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

OUTRIGHT: The boxer who is declared the winner.

ROUND BETTING: The round the fight is decided in. Prices are quoted as a named
boxer to win in a specific round, so prices for each player to win in certain rounds may
vary according to their individual abilities.

POINTS: For the fight to go through all rounds with no result. The winner will then be
decided by the judges who will allocate points to each boxer according to their
performance.

ATHLETICS
MAJOR BETTING EVENTS:

We offer odds for the major competitive events such as the Olympics, held every 4 years
and the World Championship, also every 4 years. We may offer betting on other smaller
26
events if there is sufficient interest, and we will offer related novelty bets such as the
venue of the next Olympiad or a particular athlete to achieve a particular feat.

BETTING OPPORTUNITIES:

We often bet on British athletes with medal prospects. We will also offer odds on the
popular races and a number of field events.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Ladbrokes have a reputation with the general public for offering odds on many varied
events, not just sporting ones. In the 1970s we were the first company to offer odds on
the outcome of the general election.

The main betting events for political betting are:

• The General Election.

• Leadership Contests.
• Year/Month of next Election.
• Number of winning seats.
• US Presidential Election.

Ladbrokes also offer prices on the following events:

• Christmas no.1.
• Eurovision Song Contest.
• University Boat Race.
• Snow at Christmas.
• Booker prize.
• Miss World.

NUMBERS BETTING

49s BETTING:

The 49s event takes place twice a day, Monday to Saturday and on Sunday’s when there
is British horse racing. This is broadcast live on SIS and the programme will last for 2-3
minutes.

The draws take place at Lunchtime and Teatime. There are 49 balls in the draw.
7 Numbers are drawn, this includes a Bonus Ball.

Customers have the opportunity to bet with the Bonus ball= 7 ball draw, or without the
bonus ball= 6 ball draw.

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Betting opportunities for customers vary from singles up to a maximum of 5 numbers.

The Irish Lottery:

The Irish Lottery takes place twice a week.

There are two weekly draws on a Wednesday and Saturday Night.

The draws take place at approximately 8:00pm and bets are accepted up until 7:45pm.
There are 3 draws on each of these evenngs.

There are 42 balls in these draws and this event is not broadcast live.

Both draws include a bonus ball, and as for 49s the customer can choose if he/she wants
to place a bet with the bonus ball= 7 ball draw, or without = 6 ball draw.

Betting opportunities are the same as the 49s draw. Customers can bet from a single up
to a maximum of 5 numbers.

ALL NUMBERS EVENTS ARE BASED ON FIXED ODDS.

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