1934
1934
1961
1966
1971
1973
1988
1989
1989
1994
1997
1998
1999
2000
2000
2002
2003
2005
2008
2008
2009
2010
2011
2011
2012
2013
2014
2018
2019

William Hill founded the business as a postal / telephone betting service.

On 1 May 1961, betting shops become legal.

William Hill buys into betting shops and starts to acquire existing businesses. Acquisition becomes a major driver for the growth of the business over the next decades.

Mr William Hill, the company’s original founder, dies, having retired from the business in 1970. The company becomes part of the Sears Holdings Group.

The number of betting shops in the UK peaks at 14,750.

Grand Metropolitan, owners of Mecca Bookmakers, acquire William Hill and merge the two companies under the William Hill name.

Brent Walker purchases William Hill, which has 1,800 betting shops and the largest credit betting operation in the world.

William Hill is appointed Official Bookmakers to Golf's European PGA Tour.

It becomes legal to accept football pools coupons in betting shops but the introduction of the National Lottery represented a threat to William Hill’s profitability.

Nomura (through Grand Bookmaking Company Limited) purchases William Hill for £700m from Brent Walker.

William Hill goes online with the launch of the betting service, Sportsbook.

A proposed stock market float was abandoned when the Company was sold to Cinven and CVC Partners for £825 million.

William Hill launches an off-shore telephone betting service and is the first major bookmaker to offer a deduction-free betting service to UK-based clients via the internet.

William Hill launches the online casino.

William Hill floated on the London Stock Exchange on 20 June at an offer price of 225 pence per ordinary share. The offer was oversubscribed in excess of 10 times.

William Hill purchases the Brough Park Greyhound Stadium
William Hill purchases Stanley Leisure PLC's retail bookmaking ops in The UK, Republic of Ireland, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
William Hill announces combining the online business with purchased assets from online software company Playtech, to create William Hill Online.
New Sportsbook launches with Orbis technology.

Sportsbook and online fixed odds games move to Gibraltar.
William Hill sells the 50% stake of its joint venture in Spain to its partner Codere S.A. for €1, and William Hill Online establish a new Telephone betting operation based in Gibraltar

Acquisitions of American Wagering, Inc. , Cal Neva Sportsbook Operations and Brandywine Bookmaking in the US.

Sale of remaining 15 betting shops in Republic of Ireland to Boylesports for €1.5m.

William Hill becomes the first European gaming operator to be awarded a full gaming licence in Nevada by the Nevada Gaming Commission, and accordingly completes the pending acquisitions of three US land-based businesses.

Acquisition of the outstanding 29% stake in William Hill Online from JV partner Playtech plc, acquisition of Sportingbet's Australian business, and Australian online betting business, tomwaterhouse.com.

William Hill Sportsbook app passes two million downloads.

Following regulatory approvals, the Group completed the disposal of its Australian businesses to CrownBet Holdings PTY Limited for an enterprise value of A$300m, equivalent to an equity value of A$313.7m with effect from 23 April 2018.

In January 2019 the Group completed the acquisition of Mr Green & Co AB, a fast-growing European online gaming company, for c£242m. The acquisition enhanced William Hill's pan-European footprint, further increasing the Group's digital and international diversification of revenues
Our heritage
1934

William Hill founded the business as a postal / telephone betting service.
1961

On 1 May 1961, betting shops become legal.
1966

William Hill buys into betting shops and starts to acquire existing businesses. Acquisition becomes a major driver for the growth of the business over the next decades.
1971

Mr William Hill, the company’s original founder, dies, having retired from the business in 1970. The company becomes part of the Sears Holdings Group.
1973

The number of betting shops in the UK peaks at 14,750.
1988

Grand Metropolitan, owners of Mecca Bookmakers, acquire William Hill and merge the two companies under the William Hill name.
1989

Brent Walker purchases William Hill, which has 1,800 betting shops and the largest credit betting operation in the world.
1989

William Hill is appointed Official Bookmakers to Golf's European PGA Tour.
1994

It becomes legal to accept football pools coupons in betting shops but the introduction of the National Lottery represented a threat to William Hill’s profitability.
1997

Nomura (through Grand Bookmaking Company Limited) purchases William Hill for £700m from Brent Walker.
1998

William Hill goes online with the launch of the betting service, Sportsbook.
1999

A proposed stock market float was abandoned when the Company was sold to Cinven and CVC Partners for £825 million.
2000

William Hill launches an off-shore telephone betting service and is the first major bookmaker to offer a deduction-free betting service to UK-based clients via the internet.
2000

William Hill launches the online casino.
2002

William Hill floated on the London Stock Exchange on 20 June at an offer price of 225 pence per ordinary share. The offer was oversubscribed in excess of 10 times.
2003

William Hill purchases the Brough Park Greyhound Stadium
2005
William Hill purchases Stanley Leisure PLC's retail bookmaking ops in The UK, Republic of Ireland, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
2008
William Hill announces combining the online business with purchased assets from online software company Playtech, to create William Hill Online.
2008
New Sportsbook launches with Orbis technology.
2009

Sportsbook and online fixed odds games move to Gibraltar.
2010
William Hill sells the 50% stake of its joint venture in Spain to its partner Codere S.A. for €1, and William Hill Online establish a new Telephone betting operation based in Gibraltar
2011

Acquisitions of American Wagering, Inc. , Cal Neva Sportsbook Operations and Brandywine Bookmaking in the US.
2011

Sale of remaining 15 betting shops in Republic of Ireland to Boylesports for €1.5m.
2012

William Hill becomes the first European gaming operator to be awarded a full gaming licence in Nevada by the Nevada Gaming Commission, and accordingly completes the pending acquisitions of three US land-based businesses.
2013

Acquisition of the outstanding 29% stake in William Hill Online from JV partner Playtech plc, acquisition of Sportingbet's Australian business, and Australian online betting business, tomwaterhouse.com.
2014

William Hill Sportsbook app passes two million downloads.
2018

Following regulatory approvals, the Group completed the disposal of its Australian businesses to CrownBet Holdings PTY Limited for an enterprise value of A$300m, equivalent to an equity value of A$313.7m with effect from 23 April 2018.
2019

In January 2019 the Group completed the acquisition of Mr Green & Co AB, a fast-growing European online gaming company, for c£242m. The acquisition enhanced William Hill's pan-European footprint, further increasing the Group's digital and international diversification of revenues