LeoVegas returns to Oddschecker grid with BetUK

LeoVegas has launched on the Oddschecker sports betting grid via its BetUK brand in a milestone move for the brand. BetUK.com finds itself in 17th place on the grid, behind Sporting Index but ahead of the likes of Ladbrokes, Betway and LiveScore Bet. The firm also places ahead of tier-two firms including VBet, Quinnbet and Parimatch. The move onto the grid comes after Oddschecker revealed BetUK saw a 65% increase in acquisitions month-on-month in June. In May, the firm came third in Oddschecker’s ranking of best acquisition offer behind bet365 and 888. LeoVegas consultant and former Catena Media VP of international Chris Welch praised the move for the sports betting site. Welch said: “Another milestone for the UK’s fastest growing sportsbook today [as] we join Oddschecker’s odds matrix. [We are] best price the draw if you fancy a flutter on Friday’s game [Arsenal vs Crystal Palace].” LeoVegas previously appeared on the odds matrix in 2018 in with casino-led Royal Panda after acquiring the brand the previous year. Royal Panda later left the portal due to LeoVegas’ decision to pull its subsidiary from the UK market in early 2020. BetUK’s addition to the Oddschecker grid comes following the return of Entain brands Ladbrokes and Coral in December 2021. Ladbrokes, Coral and Betdaq disappeared from the service in July 2020, after Oddschecker, which was then owned by Flutter Entertainment, and Entain (then GVC) could not agree a price on a renewal agreement. Entain’s Sportingbet remained but has since left. Entain then agreed to a “mutually agreeable” deal with Oddschecker’s new owner, Bruin Capital, which saw Ladbrokes and Coral return to the grid. The grid is led by bet365, with Flutter brands Sky Bet and Paddy Power taking up the podium places. William Hill and 888sport make up the remainder of the top five. Including betting exchanges Betfair, Smarkets and Matchbook, there are now 26 brands on the grid, which is a notable increase on the 19 after Ladbrokes, Coral and Betdaq departed. The likes of Blacktype, Bethard, Marathonbet and RedZone have also left in recent years after either exiting the UK or going out of business. Earlier this year, EGR exclusively revealed Oddschecker Global Media (OGM) CEO Toby Bentall stepped down from his role at the helm of the betting odds comparison site.