William Hill UK Shuts Down 119 Sportsbooks Permanently

• William Hill UK has closed 119 of their brick and mortar sportsbooks due to the toll the Coronavirus pandemic has taken on their shops and profit margins.
• The internet and mobile platforms for William Hill have done well in the absence of locations for sports bettors to frequent for the more than three months they were closed for business.

LONDON – The Coronavirus pandemic continues to affect business throughout the world as William Hill UK has shut down 119 of their shops for good.

Of the 119 sportsbook venues that have closed their doors, roughly 320 employees will go along with them. However, the company has managed to place all but twelve employees with other shops in the area.

So, while 119 outlets are gone, those that have been truly affected have been scaled down to the business itself and the twelve now unemployed workers.

What Do These Closings Mean For The UK Branch Of William Hill?

Within the UK, the sports betting powerhouse has over 1,500 retail locations, providing jobs for 7,000 residents in the country.

But this is not the first time that the company has faced problems with shutdowns of storefronts as last year they closed 700 locations. Yet, these recent closures stem directly from the outbreak of COVID-19.

The UK government provided William Hill with $32 million in relief funds that the business will be returning because it went unused. They made $185.5 million in profits from the wagering on sports beginning in January through June of 2020.

Much of their bets keeping them afloat during the Coronavirus have been made using their mobile and online sportsbook, making the need for so many brick-and-mortar establishments rather obsolete or a the very least, an unneeded expense.

The success of online alternatives is one reason as to why the company is not discouraged by its retail shutdowns. In fact, they look forward to profiting more as major sports are making their comeback.

“I am delighted with William Hill’s performance in these extraordinary times. Our team has been remarkable, supporting each other and our customers throughout the pandemic and I would like to thank them for their continuing efforts, ” said Ulrik Bengtsson, CEO of William Hill. “The furlough scheme provided welcome and timely support, and meant we could protect the jobs of our 7,000 UK retail colleagues. Therefore, given the strength of our recovery post-lockdown, we have decided to repay the furlough funds.”

What’s Next For William Hill?

The UK sports betting company has already seen promising numbers in the early days of major sporting events being a part of the equation again.

While the company is down 32% in revenue in terms of their 2019 numbers, recording profits of a little over $721.2 million, they attribute the losses to the Coronavirus that caused both sports and retail locations to be closed for business.

Now, as the world of sports and the world, in general, begins to open up, William Hill is positive that they will come back better than ever and once again and be a force to be reckoned with in the legal sports betting community.

News tags: Coronavirus | COVID-19 | England | UK | Ulrik Bengtsson | William Hill | William Hill UK