 888.com Makes Name For Itself in World Snooker Championship 888.com, the online gambling venture, was hit especially hard when they were forced out of the US market last year. But 888.com continues to rebound much nicer than another hard hit enterprise, PartyGaming, which last week announced the resignation of its CEO Mitch Garber. One of 888.com's big hits has been sponsorship of the World Snooker Championship. The event takes center stage this week.
The first-round draw
for the 888.com
World Championship
has done John
Higgins, the holder,
no favours,
according to the
Times Online.
The Scot faces
Matthew Stevens,
twice a finalist and
three times a losing
semi-finalist since
2000. “It's true
when people say
there are no easy
draws these days but
Matthew is one of
the toughest and
most experienced
players,” Higgins
said. The World Snooker Championship, currently held at the Crucible Theatre in the English city of Sheffield, is the climax of snooker's annual calendar and the most important snooker event of the year in terms of prestige, prize money and world ranking points. Recent United Kingdom legislation has placed restrictions on tobacco advertising, including sponsorship of sporting events. Embassy had a special dispensation to continue snooker sponsorship until 2005.
From one vice to
another, the
Championship is now
sponsored by
888.com,
after the company
signed a five-year
sponsorship
contract. During the
2005 Championship it
was announced that
the Championship
would remain at the
Crucible for at
least another five
years. Plans to
build a
purpose-built
billiardrome in the
city are in their
early stages. It is
anticipated that the
World Championships
will be switched to
the new venue once
the current Crucible
contract ends. ---- Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com
Originally published
March 11, 2008 11:27
pm EST |