StanJames REVIEW

In-Play betting while you watch live sport

Leading UK in-play bookmaker, offering wide range of betting opportunities on all sports. Whatever your sport. We also offer virtual racing and games. With hundreds of sports betting markets at StanJames we've got it covered. Bet 24/7 live and In-Play at our platform with hundreds of live markets!

Stan James is a British bookmaker established in 1973, and trades online under the name StanJames. The company is based in Marina Bay, Gibraltar with offices in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The companies which operate Stan James, Stan James (Gibraltar) Limited and Stan James (Abingdon) Limited, are privately-held companies. Their operations are primarily online and over the telephone with a limited number of 65 betting shops in the UK. They are considered pioneers of In-Play 'live' betting. The company was founded by Steve Fisher and James Holder, and now owned by Fisher and his wife Anne. The company was named Stan James from taking the first two letters of Steve and Anne (Stan) and from James. Stan James opened their first shop in Compton, Berkshire in 1973.

Peter and Diane Fisher, Steve and Anne's children, remain on the board of StanJames.com and are part of a joint ownership. Denis Kelly is the current CEO with Bijan Kherzi sitting as chairman of the board.

The company have sponsored numerous major sports such as the World Matchplay (since 2000) and horse racing events such as the 2,000 Guineas Stakes and King George VI Chase. In 2009 they signed a three-year partnership with Queen's Park Rangers F.C. to introduce betting kiosks to Loftus Road. Other business partners include men's magazine FHM.

In December 2007 they bought the Betdirect bookmaking company, which was established in 1998, from 32Red for £5.75 million. The Betdirect operation was merged with Stan James in February 2009. In 2008, they bought the online betting business betterbet.com from London bookmaker Better. In May 2010 they bought 27 branches of regional bookmaker Pagebet after the company went bankrupt. A website performance test in 2010 found that their website www.stanjames.com had the second-highest performance levels.

In September 2010 StanJames announced a novel sponsorship idea embracing a 'tournament' approach to National Hunt racing. By sponsoring a number of key two-mile hurdles races under the banner the Road to Cheltenham, culminating in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the company hope to "bring racing back into the public's line of vision". The Road to Cheltenham starts with the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle Racecourse, moves on to the International Hurdle at Cheltenham, then the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock Park before finally reaching the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. This portfolio will be added to with other key trials races as they become available and the format is expected to be copied in the future.

It was rumoured in February 2011 that Stan James were one of the bidders that had successfully reached the second round of bidding in the privatisation of The Tote but a spokesperson offered no comment when pressed.

Type     Plc
Industry     Gambling
Founded     1973
Headquarters     Marina Bay, Gibraltar
Key people     Denis Kelly (CEO)
Products     Bookmaking, online casino, online poker, betting shops, online gambling

TAGS

sports betting, tax free betting, in-play betting, fixed odds betting, online betting, internet betting, tax free bookie, sport wagering, football odds, horseracing odds, virtual racing, early prices