Poor weather disrupts horse races this winter

Whilst many were enjoying a White Christmas this May, bookmakers at William Hill had a good deal less to celebrate. Analysts at Numis Securities have revealed that the number of horse races dropped a significant 5% last month following a series of disruptions caused by the ice and snow. Fourth quarter results are due for publication later this week and it is expected that the figures will show the negative impact of the unusual weather conditions.

This year has seen the company face a series of ups and downs with successes and setback in equal measure. Last May saw William Hill announce that its retail division was on target and was due to meet full year expectations. The stability of the company contrasted with that of other firms such as Ladbrokes which showed that quarterly profits had fallen by a major 58%. The industry also suffered a knock following a series of poor football outcomes towards the beginning of the season. William Hill reported that despite losses earlier in the season, continued demand had left the company in a strong position for recovery.

The autumn proved no more favourable to William Hill. TV reality stars John and Edward Grimes survived longer than anticipated on ITV's X-Factor. Meanwhile, recent weeks have seen William Hill pay out hundreds of thousands of pounds on an estimated 30,000 white Christmas bets. Poor weather has certainly taken its toll on William Hill. Many will be anxious to monitor the weeks ahead as the fourth quarter figures await publication. The full impact of the snowfall remains to be seen as analysts and gaming enthusiasts wait with anticipation.