A look at one of the world’s most recognised gambling brands – William Hill
William Hill has had a long and varied history. It was started in 1934 by the man who gave the company its name, Mr William Hill; over the decades it has evolved from a small telephone/postal betting service to a massive worldwide company comprised of thousands of shops and a huge online operation in several countries. This evolution was, as with most business success stories, a gradual process. Betting was unregulated in the UK in the 1930s when Mr Hill began taking his first sports bets; it was only in the 1960s and the legalisation of betting shops that the William Hill name began to adorn the high streets up and down the UK. The ensuing decades saw takeovers and expansions, and by 1989, when William Hill was bought over by Brent Walker, it was the largest credit betting operation in the world.
The last couple of decades has seen a flurry of activity: William Hill went online in 1998, launching its Sportsbook betting service to internet users in the UK. In the year 2000, it added an online casino to its Internet operations. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2002. The new millennium also saw new brands coming under the William Hill umbrella, including 21Nova Casino and EuroGrand Casino. In 2016, William Hill is said to employ around 16,000 people around the world, ranking it as a bigger employer than internet giants such as Facebook and Yahoo.
William Hill today
Today William Hill offers a wide range of online gambling products – to such an extent that williamhill.com actually offers several sister sites all under one roof. These days you can find Bingo, Vegas, Games, Live Casino, Macau, Poker and Virtuals all beside the sportsbook and original online casino.
The mantra seems to be that there should be something for everyone. William Hill Casino provides hundreds of top casino games, partnering with developers like Playtech to bring blockbuster titles such as the Age of the Gods series and Marvel Games to its customers. William Hill Vegas provides players with dozens of exclusive games not available anywhere else online. The Bingo site focuses on interactivity and fun, community games. Macau has a wide range of games with an Asian theme. The Live Casino at William Hill is tailored towards those who enjoy the traditional casino games – blackjack, roulette, etc. – in a realistic setting.
William Hill Casino
The online casino operations of William Hill exists many forms, such as those mentioned above, but the most recognisable arm is William Hill Casino itself. It launched in 2000, at a time when the idea of online casinos was in its infancy. Even though it was only 16 years ago, it would be difficult to imagine at the turn of the millennium what an online casino looks like today. The expectations have certainly changed, with the demand for innovative, big jackpot and entertaining games now the norm. It is thus advisable that an online casino operator embraces new innovations, constantly looking for ways to improve the entertainment for its customers.
Thankfully, William Hill Casino has never rested on its laurels. The variety of games available today is, quite frankly, impressive. Much of this is down to the partnership with casino software developers Playtech. This allows William Hill Casino to showcase a huge range of smash hit games, including Gladiator, X-Men, Rocky, Frankie Dettori’s Magic Seven and Pink Panther. Another highlight is the development of classic casino games, revamping and enhancing the likes of blackjack, roulette and poker. Thus, for example, you can find several variations of blackjack (Blackjack Surrender, Blackjack Switch, etc.), as well as the classic version at William Hill Casino. Another popular trend is the Live Casino games at William Hill, using cutting edge technology to offer casino games with real, professional dealers. You can play Live Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat and Poker at William Hill Live Casino today.
The last word on casino games should really go the rise of progressive jackpot games, something that William Hill Casino have really embraced. If you are not familiar with a progressive jackpot game, it is where a small percentage of each player’s wagers (usually on slots) is taken to fund a ever-growing jackpot (potentially worth millions) that can be won randomly by a single player. William Hill Casino now boasts dozens of these progressive games, including those in the Marvel Games series and others like Jackpot Giant and Monty Python’s Spamalot.
William Hill Casino bonuses, promotions and Free Spins
The team behind William Hill Casino have clearly recognised that they are in an ultra-competitive industry. As such, they have positioned themselves as one of the leading online casinos for bonus offers for new and existing players. A rundown of the standard bonus and promotional offers at William Hill Casino:
- 100% matched bonus up to £150 on your first deposit. This can be worth up to £200 if you download the casino software.
- 75% matched bonus up to £100 on your second deposit.
- Refer a Friend Bonus of £50 for encouraging a friend to sign up to William Hill Casino. Both you and your friend will receive the bonus, providing you meet the requirements.
- Comp Points – essentially loyalty points where you collect points each time you play the games. These can then be exchanged for casino credit.
- A VIP club, which gives extra benefits such as special bonus offers private tables,
There is also a higher first deposit bonus available for what they term ‘High Rollers’, this is worth £300 for deposits of £1000 or more.
http://casino.williamhill.com/will also run various other ‘seasonal’ promotions throughout the year, offering players free spins on new games, enhanced deposit bonuses, etc.
The technical and support aspects of William Hill Casino
For an online casino to flourish it must have more than just great games and monetary incentives. William Hill has made sure that their online casino appeals to a broad range of player types. Thus, the website can be translated into several languages, and players can receive multilingual support. Players can deposit in a variety of currencies and through several different ways, including major credit/debit cards and internet wallets like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller.
You can get free customer service support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through free phone, email or live chat. This customer support extends both to players based in the UK and abroad. The client service team is knowledgeable, professional and friendly, available to help with big or small issues.
Where next for William Hill?
The willingness to adapt and innovate has always been a hallmark of William Hill. They have recognised that to flourish in the online gambling industry it is necessary to embrace, rather than resist, change. It is probable in the coming years that we will see much of the emphasis online casino industry shift to mobile platforms, as well as the continued development of live casino games. Advances in technology, such as with virtual reality, should allow for more interactivity for players and points to an exciting time in the online casino industry.
The fact that William Hill has always looked for ways to improve their offerings should stand them in good stead in the future. They have been in the gambling business for over 80 years, and you would not bet against them staying at the top of the industry for many more decades to come.