Most online bettors will know of Oddschecker.
It’s an odds comparison site where punters can quickly scan to see if they can get a better price for the market they want to bet on somewhere else, among others things.
Well, in July last year I wrote about how GVC Holdings (as Entain were then called) removed their two biggest sports betting brands, Ladbrokes and Coral, from the platform, citing ‘commercial reasons’.
I also theorised that the reasoning might have had just as much to do with the fact that Oddschecker had been bought by Flutter, the owner of Paddy Power, a high street competitor of Ladbrokes and Coral.
Now, Entain have announced that their two flagship brands are back on the platform, and the timing is interesting…
Who Owns Oddschecker Now?
Oddschecker have had more owners than a 2004 Vauxhall Corsa with a funny smell – but not because they smell.
So successful were the company that started in a bedroom in 1999, that they have been bought and sold in one way or another by 5 different companies.
Sky got hold of them first in 2007, then through various acquisitions and mergers they ended up owned by The Stars Group, who themselves were acquired by Flutter Entertainment in 2019.
Ladbrokes and Coral made their exit shortly afterwards and have stayed away since.
However, as of July 2021, an American investment firm called Bruin Capital own Oddschecker – judging by the look of their homepage (above) they are also trying to take over Gotham City by evil means, but that’s another story.
They paid £155 million for the company along with a few other smaller brands which Flutter was happy to let go, and low and behold, Ladbrokes and Coral are back.
Like I said – interesting timing.
Why are Ladbrokes and Coral Back on Oddschecker?
Well, personally, I think it’s because they have to pay a fee plus a royalty share to use the platform, and they weren’t happy with that money going to a direct competitor.
Now that the competitor has sold the business on, Entain are happy to pay for the service again.
“We are delighted that we have been able to arrive at a deal that works for both parties, and that Ladbrokes and Coral will be part of the service going forward,”
So said Entain’s Performance Marketing Director, Simon Gatenby.
Oddschecker were equally happy to have 2 of the UKs biggest betting brands back on its platform, since their customers would benefit and thus make the business stronger and more attractive.
Cleary, Entain rate the service Oddschecker provides and they must see increased revenues from using the platform or they wouldn’t have come back.
It must just have been a case of the bad outweighing the good when Flutter were in charge, and they may have been able to negotiate a better rate with the new owners too.
Either that, or Flutter were deliberately trying to price them out in an effort to limit their exposure and reduce traffic to their sites.
Whatever the reason, they are back on the platform now, giving punters more choice and a clearer view of the playing field.