Fitzdares hires trio of commentary legends for new WhatsApp tipping service

High-end bookmaker Fitzdares has recruited three famous sports commentators to pioneer what the bookmaker claims is the world’s first in sports and betting broadcasting: a punditry service via WhatsApp voice notes.

John Motson (football), Cornelius Lysaght (horseracing) and Sir Geoffrey Boycott (cricket) have more than 100 years’ combined experience behind the mic on both TV and radio.

The exclusive and complementary voice note service, titled ‘WhatSport’, is available to Fitzdares members who choose to receive messages via the Facebook-owned mobile and desktop communications app.

Those who sign up will receive analysis of no more than a couple of minutes in the form of Motson’s notes on the top-flight football, Lysaght’s insight on the biggest race meetings and Boycott’s views on an upcoming Test.

London-based Fitzdares says it has eschewed more traditional social media like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as these platforms are filled with around 200 new pieces of ambassador-led content per week.

William Woodhams, CEO of Fitzdares, said: “At Fitzdares, we strive to do things differently for our members and we think social media has reached a point of saturation in terms of the market for punditry and opinion.

“WhatsApp creates a far more intimate environment and we are sure our members will appreciate the personal touch of hearing directly from some of the most treasured voices in sport via their smartphones.”

He added: “There’s clearly a lot of love and appreciation for the voices of our experts. The most experienced commentators in the game can now use our fun platform to break new technological ground.”

Earlier this month, Fitzdares created a ‘drive-in Derby’, allowing racegoers the chance to watch the 240^th instalment of this Classic at Epsom from a safe distance in their own cars at a 1950s-style drive-thru.