The Global Draw, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scientific Games Corporation [Nasdaq: SGMS], has completed a five week incentive programme for its independent betting shop customers designed to help increase machine revenues.

Independent customers were invited to compete with other local Global Draw independent betting shops in the ‘Hit the Jackpot’ scheme for a chance to win a £500 cash reward.

The Global Draw monitored average weekly machine revenues and also the number of machine promotions and player demonstrations staged to help decide on its winners.

Paul Jenkins, The Global Draw’s account manager for the independent sector, said: “The incentive programme was designed to highlight the benefits that well managed and properly promoted machines can bring to an independent betting shop operator.

“We wanted managers and their teams to be proactive in generating awareness of their machines, find out what type of games their customers enjoy and encourage trial for those customers who have not played the machines before.

“The initiative resulted in an upturn in machine revenue over the period, proving to managers the importance of really engaging with their customers.  We were impressed with the effort put in and delighted to offer £500 prizes to four shops in different regions who really went the extra mile.”

The Global Draw noted 90% of participating shops requested copies of its free machine competition promotional kits to help increase awareness.  The number of machine demonstrations registered over the five week period rose by 91% to more than 6,000 across 338 shops.

Paul said: “We received an overwhelmingly positive response from participants.  Many felt putting such a strong focus on machines and the backup received from The Global Draw was helping them compete on a more level playing field with the larger national betting shop chains.

“Machine income is becoming increasingly important to betting shops and we want to help all of our customers get the best out of their machines and maximise the opportunity during these difficult trading times.

“We are totally committed to supporting our independent customers that don’t have the same internal resources as the big bookmakers and we will continue to deliver help with similar initiatives going forward.”

The £500 winning shops were CH Bloxham of Islington (London North region), Johnson Bookmakers of Gravesend (London South), TS Racing of Chard (Midlands) and Winwood and Ridley of Bowburn, Durham (North and Scotland).

Susan Ellis, who runs the Winwood and Ridley shop, said: “The promotion worked in two ways.  Not only did we experience an increase in revenue, but we have also seen completely new customers visit us who we have since retained. 

“I was always afraid of people asking me about the machines before, but putting in that extra effort over the five weeks has really made a difference to how all our staff think about them.

“It is positive to see a machines supplier supporting the independent bookmakers, now more than ever.  Hit the Jackpot was a great idea from The Global Draw and proves how promoting machines can help drive revenue.”

Founded in 1997, The Global Draw has more than 12,000 gaming terminals operating in 3,300 betting shops in the UK and Northern Ireland.  It also provides server based gaming solutions to international gaming venues in mainland Europe, the Far East, Latin America and the Caribbean.