Our search begins to find the 2024 Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year

It may have been nearly six months since Stacey Carnell was crowned the 2023 Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year, but she still vividly remembers the shock when her name was read out.

Carnell, 33, had already received her prize from former cricketer Ryan Sidebottom for being the north and north-east regional champion in the Long Room at Lord’s cricket ground, but she was not expecting what happened next.  

“It was only when everyone on my table jumped up and starting screaming that it hit me. It was crazy, something you can’t describe because it was so surreal,” says the Ladbrokes manager from Barnsley.

“I went through the rest of the day in a bit of a daze. Everyone was congratulating me and what made the experience was being at Lord’s. Although I’m not a cricket fan, my husband Gary is, and the Long Room is such an iconic and intimate location.”

Carnell enjoyed the experience of being part of a competition she long knew about.

She says: “I had seen the competition every year since I started in the industry, but I never thought about being in it. It wasn’t until my area manager was on a visit that I found out I was. She said, ‘I’ve put you forward for Betting Shop Manager of the Year.’ I was happy to hear that.”

Recognition is a big part of any job and the chance to interact with the judges and fellow betting shop managers was something Carnell relished. Meeting the other finalists in London before the final was another opportunity to grab with both hands.

“When I got talking to the other seven finalists everyone was so nice. There was no competition or sizing each other up – we all obviously wanted to win, but it was all done in a friendly and relaxed way,” she says.

“I was nervous but I was just happy to get there. I was chuffed to get through to the final eight. There was a bit of imposter syndrome, too.”

Stacey Carnell: "I love being in my shop with the customers"Credit: JOHN GROSSICK

Overall, Carnell says it was a positive experience and has allowed her to develop as an individual and a manager.

“This has taken me out of my comfort zone and it has given me a lot of personal growth. It has made me a lot more confident – it has given me a huge boost. My area manager keeps saying how proud she is of me!”

This year’s competition is now open for managers of independent shops to enter and Carnell urges them to do so.

“My message to any manager thinking of entering this year’s competition is go for it. It’s an amazing opportunity which will help you develop. Be yourself and enjoy the experience,” she says.

Carnell is a marketplace manager with two shops – one in Barnsley town centre and the other in Hoyland – and both saw an uplift during the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National meeting.

She says: “I love this time of year with the big spring festivals and I’ve only missed one Grand National during my 15 years in the industry.

“Willie Mullins gave it an added edge this year and a lot of punters jumped on the bandwagon.”

Carnell has also just returned from Hong Kong with her husband Gary and she says they were “treated like royalty" as soon as they arrived.

She says: “The Hong Kong Jockey Club could not have done more for us during our stay. We have such happy memories of our time there.

“The highlight was Champions Day at Sha Tin. The other guests on our table were so welcoming, especially when we told them why we were there.

“When we were standing on the balcony the backdrop to the track was breathtaking. We loved every minute of our day at Sha Tin and the memories will live with us forever.”

Stacey Carnell at Sha Tin last month

The rest of their time in Hong Kong was spent sightseeing, exploring the markets and visiting the harbour, although bad weather meant they didn’t get to see the Big Buddha.

She says: “We were advised by the locals that it wasn’t worth visiting because of the weather, but it does give us an excuse to return to Hong Kong in the future!”

Since winning the competition Carnell has also visited ICE, Europe’s biggest betting and gaming show, and she was also a guest at the Greyhound Board of Great Britain awards.

“These experiences have been great as they’ve opened my eyes to different parts of the betting industry. It has given me more insight into how everything works,” she says.

As part of her prize Carnell took seven guests to Ascot’s pre-Christmas meeting, where they spent the afternoon in SIS’s box.

She says: “I had only ever been racing once before December and now I’ve been three times in the space of just a few months.”

Carnell had started area manager training before last year’s competition, something that took a back seat since claiming the prize, but it is something she has picked up again.

She says: “It is somewhere I would like to get to, but I’m not in a rush to get there as I love being in my shop with the customers.

“There are plenty of challenges that we as an industry face and there’s nothing more important than looking after our customers and making sure they're okay and gambling responsibly.”

Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Racing Post and SIS would like to thank the Hong Kong Jockey Club for its most generous sponsorship of the winner's prize for the last three years. The three managers and their partners were able to enjoy first-class hospitality watching some of Hong Kong’s best racing.

How the competition works

It is up to the major companies to determine their qualifiers. There are eight regional competitions: Ireland, Scotland, north-east, north-west and Isle of Man, Midlands and Wales, south-west and Channel Islands, Anglia and south-east, and Greater London.

In the seven British regions, Betfred, Coral, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and William Hill will be asked to put forward two nominations for each area.

In Ireland, there are two places reserved for BoyleSports, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power.

For all independent managers, they can enter by emailing their full name and shop address to bsmoty@sis.tv by Friday, May 31.

Each manager will then receive a written question paper and six per region will be chosen to go through to the next round by a judging panel.

The 48 managers through to this stage will each receive a mystery shopper visit, after which the panel will select the final 24 (three per region).

Those 24 will meet the judges for the first time before the eight regional champions are chosen.

Each regional champion, along with a key member of their shop staff, will attend the final selection, which involves a question-and-answer session with the judges on the day before the final.

The final awards lunch takes place in November and the winner will be invited to several key racing and betting events during their year as champion.

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