Following a difficult couple of years for the retail bookmaking industry in Britain and Ireland, we are delighted to announce that we are bringing back the Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year competition for 2022.
It is a welcome return for the well-known jointly sponsored competition that was unfortunately postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, with a special Betting Shop Champions Awards taking place instead last year.
First held in 1988, the Betting Shop Manager of the Year prize champions the hard work and dedication of leading lights within the retail industry and will be awarded for the first time since 2019, when Sandra Gilmartin of Paddy Power picked up the prize.
For SIS, the competition provides a timely opportunity to highlight the work of betting shop managers who have played a major role in getting the industry back up and running at full speed, while offering first-class customer service.
Paul Witten, Commercial Director at SIS, said.
“After a period in which the industry and its highly dedicated workforce have faced unprecedented challenges, it’s fantastic to be able to once again showcase how managers and staff have bounced back stronger than ever before,
“One of the great pleasures of co-sponsoring these awards is hearing the many stories they generate about how retail staff have gone way beyond the call of duty in providing the communities they serve with outstanding levels of service.
“It’s an honour to be a part of a competition with such a rich heritage and we very much look forward to celebrating our betting shop heroes at the awards.”
The awards night takes place in London in November, with major operators determining the nominations. A total of eight regional competitions will be held in Ireland, Scotland, north-east, north-west and Isle of Man, Midlands and Wales, south-west and Channel Islands, Anglia and south-east, and Greater London.
In the seven British regions, Betfred, Coral, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, and William Hill will put forward two nominations for each area while in Ireland, two places are reserved for BoyleSports, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, and William Hill.
All independent managers can enter by emailing their full name and shop address to bsmoty@sis.tv by May 31.
Written questions will be issued to each manager, after which six per region will be selected by the judging panel to progress to the next stage. The 48 managers making it through will each receive a mystery shopper visit, after which the panel will select the final 24 (three per region).
The finalists will then spend a day at the races at Doncaster in late October where they will meet the judges, after which eight regional champions will be selected.
London then plays host to the final selection, when each regional champion and a key member of their shop team will take part in a question-and-answer session with the judges before the final awards lunch in November.
As well as taking the title of Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year 2022, the winner will be invited to a series of top racing and sporting events during the following 12 months.
