HEAVY snowfall and freezing temperatures last month failed to stop gamblers placing their bets as William Hill today posted robust sales growth in its shops.
The company, which has more than 2,350 outlets in the UK and Ireland, said retail turnover grew by 4% in December and 8% in the fourth quarter despite the adverse weather - which led to 47% of scheduled UK horseracing meetings being cancelled and just one weekend of reduced football.
But the bookmaker said group revenues growth in the three months to December 28 was driven by online gambling and use of gaming machines in its shops.
William Hill said it expects full-year earnings to come in at the top end of expectations - with pre-exceptional underlying earnings of around £275 million, up from £258.6 million the previous year.
