Our search begins to find the 2023 Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year

James Maloney spent last weekend in Hong Kong as part of his prize for being crowned the 2022 Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year and today we launch the search to find this year’s champion.

The competition has been keenly fought by managers from across Britain and Ireland  since its launch in 1988 apart from in 2020 and 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic forced its cancellation.

When it returned last year it was Maloney, 46, from Star Sports in Mayfair who emerged victorious and he encouraged his fellow managers to take the time to enter.

“If I could give one simple message to any manager thinking of entering this year’s competition it is: just do it and enjoy it,” he says.

“I had always thought it wasn’t for me, but having taken the plunge I can confidently say the whole experience has been fantastic. It’s up to managers to stand up for the industry, which at times seems to be under constant attack. Be proud of yourself, your achievements and believe in what you bring to the role. It’s great for the industry to have an award like this.”

Maloney says that becoming Betting Shop Manager of the Year has given him “a new lease of life” and he has enjoyed the opportunities it has given him since he picked up the award in November.

“Ben [Keith, Star Sports owner] has noticed how I’ve grown as a person. I’ve been on Luck on Sunday as well as The Opening Show, and I managed to get through both relatively unscathed,” he says.

“I’ve known about the award since I started in the industry, so getting my name on the trophy has meant everything.

“I’ll always look back on this achievement because it has given me a new lease of life. The day-to-day life sometimes wears you down, but this is something that’s never going to be taken away from me.”

Maloney remembers with pride the progress he made through the competition, but he was still surprised to win and needed assistance from last year’s special guest after picking up his trophy.

“William Buick said it looked like I was going to drop the trophy, so he had to keep hold of it while I tried to take it all in and recover some composure,” he says. 

“When I went back to my table I picked up a glass of champagne and it kept spilling over the edge – I was in a state of shock.”

One aspect of the competition he made the most of was the opportunity to talk to the judges as well as the other managers about their different experiences across the industry.

He says: “I found it easy talking to the judges because it’s all about what I’ve done during my working life. I thought this part went really well. Winning was something I never even considered, so when my name was read out I couldn’t believe it.”

Maloney’s journey to the top has taken him via Coral and Jennings to his current role with Star Sports, and he says it has been interesting to say the least.

“My career has gone from one extreme to the other,” he says. “I’ve worked in deprived areas and really tough shops; it’s where you really learn about yourself. I’ve been escorted home by the police following incidents in the shops. To where I am now I couldn’t have written this journey any better.

“It is difficult now and you have to be able to handle every situation. In the 1990s you had people coming in with their weekly pay in cash in envelopes and sometimes you had to stop them from betting, so the duty of care has always been a top priority. Whether you’re betting £50 or £500 the same procedures are in place.”

Maloney therefore welcomes the publication of the gambling review white paper in Britain and hopes it will give the industry and its customers clarity and the chance to move forward.

The immediate future for Maloney and his colleagues at Star Sports is the opening of the firm’s latest shop in Curzon Street, not far from their flagship store in Deanery Street.

He says: “This new shop is exciting. We have a 16-screen video wall and is the ultimate luxury in the heart of Mayfair for our customers. This is exactly what Ben wants and everyone has taken a great deal of pride in it. 

“This is always an exciting time for our horseracing customers with the start of the Flat season and the Classics at Newmarket.

“We also have customers returning having spent the winter months in places like Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Philippines, so I’m really looking forward to the summer.”

Maloney was also able to take his shop team to Ascot at the end of March where they spent a day in the SIS box.

“Eight members of staff went with me. They all had a great time and that was the most important thing. Everyone is part of the team, so it was lovely to be able to recognise their role in winning this award,” he says.

James Maloney celebrates his victory in last year's competition Credit: Hugh Routledge

That was before his trip to Hong Kong for its Champions Day card at Sha Tin on Sunday. Maloney says: “The trip was out of this world from start to finish. The high-class hotel on Hong Kong Island offered amazing views and a great base to explore the hidden gems on offer. 

“Champions Day itself will live long in the memory. I was blown away by the location, with the mountains a wonderful backdrop, and all of the superb facilities on offer at the course. A truly memorable experience.”

Also in attendance at Sha Tin on Sunday was Sandra Gilmartin, who was the previous winner of the competition in 2019 and had to wait until this year to claim her main prize.

She says of her trip: “We had an amazing time; the city was fascinating and Sha Tin racecourse was spectacular. The overall experience is one that we will never forget.”

That experience awaits one manager and in November we will crown our latest champion to join the roll of honour.

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 Wednesday, 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 in London, 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.

Read more:

'Such a professional' - James Maloney named Betting Shop Manager of the Year 

Gambling white paper: key plans, affordability checks and what it means 

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