bwin inks Man Utd; Worldlink sells stake; Hills close to announcing US head

news in briefManchester United has signed a deal with bwin for the company to become its official betting and gaming partner. The Premier League runner up has replaced Betfair with the bwin.party brand and it comes after the former’s deal came to an end after being signed way back in 2009. Bwin is a veteran in dealing with Europe’s elite clubs having been shirt sponsor of Real Madrid for some years and entering a similar deal with AC Milan before it ended in 2010.

Worldlink Sports has sold a 51 percent stake in the company to Across the Line. The firm, run by football and property entrepreneur Andrew Ellis, provided £1.3 million upfront to fund commitments across certain contracts and will pump up to £1.2 million in working capital into the firm to fund future deals. As part of the deal, which is for Worldlink’s sports and gaming division, Worldlink will receive up to 15 percent of Worldlink Sport’s future net revenues. Both parties will have a chance to purchase each other’s stake and if both want to do so it will be the party that bids the most that will prevail.

Ellis was formerly a director at Queens Park Rangers and admitted: “I am extremely pleased to be involved in Worldlink Sport. Worldlink are bringing amazing new technology to the betting and gaming sector which is going to provide sports fans a superior betting experience. We are confident that Worldlink Sport will become one of the leading companies in the sports and gaming sector with the rights that we are in the process of acquiring”

William Hill is reportedly close to announcing Nick Bogdanovich as its new director of bookmaking operations in the U.S.A. TotallyGaming.com quote “reports” in the US as stating that the well-known oddsmaker will join up with Hills along with Bob Smith and Tony Di Tommaso from Leroy’s and Lucky’s.