Bookmakers take profits in Britain's Got Talent Susan Boyle Shocker

Posted on 2009-06-01

The bookmakers raked in six-figure sums after Scottish singer Susan Boyle failed to win the final of Britain's Got Talent on the weekend.

Publicity surrounding Britain's Got Talent in the last few days saw the industry take millions in wagers as reality television programmes have become big business for bookmakers.

And the ITV show would be even more popular if the finalists were known at an earlier stage in the competition, Coral spokesman Simon Clare said.

Coral had one of the biggest days of the year yesterday with the FA Cup final coinciding with a surge of interest in the talent series.

Mr Clare said: "Five years ago the idea of a TV programme competing with the FA Cup final would have been laughable, but now we've given them equal space."

Darren Haines from Paddypower said the final of any television competition attracts new one-off voters who can produce a shock result.

Mr Haines said the popularity of reality shows drew in a whole new audience for betting. "Big Brother got the ball rolling and that really changed betting in quite a big way" he said.

"All the reality television that came after that, from your Pop Idol to X Factor and now Britain's Got Talent, brought in a completely new betting clientele. People who wouldn't have dreamt of putting a bet on the horses or a football match, but reality TV was something they knew about."

If Susan Boyle had won, it's estimated that the bookmakers would have lost close to £5 million, with the leaders Paddypower at £1 million and Coral at £100,000.

 

Sourced From : BettingZone