Joal ryan biography of william hill

For many this is the first name in gambling: Growing up in the days before the arrival of the Internet, William Hill betting shops were prevalent on British High Streets and those of a certain age who still like to bet online would have almost certainly used one of their shops at some point.

They aren’t necessarily the oldest bookmaker still in existence but their history stretches back over 80 years so how did it all began and how did they become the respected brand that we all know today?

Beginnings: to ’s

The company was founded in by a Mr William Hill himself and in the days before the industry was fully legalised, the official history states that it was set up as a telephone and postal service only and certainly that would have been a main focus of the operation at that time.

William Hill, like many of his contemporaries, started out in bookmaking at a young age and while working as an apprentice at the BSA motorcycle factory during World War I, he would drive around and collect bets on his bike.

Once the war had ended, Hill began to take his bookmaking activities more seriously. He set up at race courses but at that point he was some way ou