52-686: The Rugby Football League One (known as the Betfred League One ) is the third-highest division of rugby league in Britain . It is also the lowest level of professional rugby league in Britain. Introduced in 2003 as National League 2 it was the first time British rugby league had a third tier since the old Third and Second Divisions merged in 1998. The league was rebranded as Championship 1 in 2009, then League 1 in 2015, and League One in 2022. The current winners are Oldham who won
104-456: A High Court case against Andrew Green from Lincolnshire who had won £1.7 million in a Jackpot Game. Betfred had denied payments due to faulty software but High Court ruled against Betfred. The company are the brand owners of Thesportsman.com (The Sportsman Communications Limited), an online sports news and broadcaster established in 2017. Betfred chairman, Fred Done is a major shareholder of The Sportsman Communications Limited. Starting as
156-784: A consortium including Toronto Wolfpack founder Eric Perez, with the intention of relocating the club to Ottawa , Canada. The club would ultimately be based in Cornwall and be called Cornwall R.L.F.C. A bid to establish a team in New York was also formally considered by the RFL in March 2019. There has also been expressions of interest in joining the RFL system from Spain and Serbia through Valencia Huracanes and Red Star Belgrade RL . League 1 games have been televised only rarely and sporadically. Before
208-505: A continuing basis (which may serve the same purpose as the intended Tote racing development board)." The deal gave Betfred exclusive control over the on course betting system for seven years. In 2018, the exclusive licence taken out by Betfred officially ran out. In June 2016 the Gambling Commission required Betfred to pay more than £800,000 in compensation and in contribution towards socially responsible causes as part of
260-640: A jackpot of £212,000, having mistakenly written "Bailarico", a losing horse, on the betting slip, rather than "Bialco", a winner. The betting arbitrator IBAS ruled against him. Betfred is one of the largest sponsors of horse racing in the United Kingdom, with races spread across racecourses in the country, including the Midlands National run at Uttoxeter Racecourse , the Dante Stakes and Ebor Handicap both at York Racecourse , and
312-427: A regulatory settlement. This was in response to Betfred's failure to adhere to its anti money laundering and social responsibility policies. The Gambling Commission's investigation followed a court case that resulted in one customer of Betfred being jailed for three years and four months, after admitting to stealing from his employer. A significant proportion of the stolen money was spent with Betfred. In April 2019
364-587: A sport news website, the company stepped forward into live sport broadcasting when it signed a deal with the Rugby Football League to show a number of matches from the 2021 Challenge Cup . This was followed with a 2022 deal to show rugby league games from the Challenge Cup , League 1 , the Women's Super League and Wheelchair rugby league. Oxford Rugby League Oxford Rugby League
416-538: A three-year period as the main sponsor of rugby league's Super League , the northern hemisphere's top-level professional rugby league with ten teams spread across England, and one in France. In October 2021, Betfred signed a renewed agreement with the rugby Super League Europe Betfred sponsored the World Snooker Championships from 2009 to 2012, before losing the sponsorship rights. In 2015, it
468-653: Is in Birchwood , Warrington , and also has offices in Media City , Salford Quays , Salford . Betfred.com, the company's online gambling site, is based in Gibraltar and registered as Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited. Done Bookmakers was first established as a single shop in Ordsall , Salford in 1967. Fred Done financed the first Done Bookmakers shop with capital made from a winning bet he placed on England to win
520-675: The 1966 World Cup . In 1997, Done Bookmakers acquired the Robert Walker chain of bookmakers, taking their total to one hundred shops. A mixture of organic and acquisition growth has resulted in Betfred being the largest independent retail bookmaker in the UK. By 2000, the total number of shops nationwide had risen to two hundred, and in 2002, Done Bookmakers opened their first shop in the Greater London area. The current name Betfred
572-570: The 2002 season formed National League One, while the remaining eight formed National League Two where they were joined by two additional clubs, London Skolars from the Rugby League Conference and York City Knights , who replaced the defunct York Wasps and also joined National League Two for the inaugural season in 2003. At the end of the 2005 Super League season , an extra team was relegated to National League One in order to accommodate French side Catalans Dragons ' entry to
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#1732787189634624-564: The 2011–12 Premier League title, only for Manchester City to beat them on goal difference. It was widely reported in April 2010 that Fred Done formed part of the "Red Knights" consortium that were looking to buy English Premier League club Manchester United from the Glazer Family . The reports proved to be incorrect, but Done remained a season ticket holder at Old Trafford. As of July 2017, Betfred operated over 1,650 shops throughout
676-740: The Colorado Rockies of the MLB and Loudoun United FC of the USL Championship , which includes a jersey sponsorship. On 3 June 2011, Betfred won the auction to purchase The Tote , the government-owned betting operation, in a deal worth £265m. The counter bid was lodged by the SIP (Sports Investment Partners) consortium headed by former city banker and British Airways chairman Sir Martin Broughton . Betfred pledged £155m into racing over
728-603: The Premier League , only for Arsenal to pip United by one point. During the 2004–05 FA Premier League season , Done lost £1m to fellow bookmaker Victor Chandler after staking that amount that Manchester United would finish higher than Chelsea . The bet was offered to other high profile bookmakers yet only Chandler took him up on the offer. Chelsea finished 18 points clear of third placed Manchester United and won their first Premiership title under José Mourinho . Betfred also paid out early on Manchester United to win
780-550: The 2017 season, new members of the league, Toronto Wolfpack , announced that their games would be shown live on Canadian channel GameTV , as well as digitally on CBC Sports . Regional radio stations, including BBC Local Radio and local commercial stations, provide coverage of the League 1 clubs. Betfred Betfred Group Holdings Limited is a bookmaker based in the United Kingdom , founded by Fred Done . It
832-587: The 2018 season, in favour of creating a merged club in Bristol for 2019. This reduces the number of clubs to 14 and for 2018 the Super 8 format has been discarded and instead the teams will play a 26-game season; with home and away fixtures against all the other teams. The club top of the table after 26 games will automatically be promoted to the Championship and those finishing second to fifth will play off for
884-615: The 2022 event that they had renewed the sponsorship deal, which will see them become sponsors of the tournament until 2025. In August, 2024, Betfred was the title sponsor of the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo . Betfredsports.com, Betfred's digital and retail presence in the USA, has official partnerships with NFL teams, the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals , whilst they are partners of
936-585: The 2024 season, following London Skolars withdrawal from the league in September 2023 and Newcastle Thunders' withdrawal in October 2023. However the league was restored to nine when Newcastle were re-admitted in December 2023. *capacity for Rugby League games may differ from official stadium capacity. Teams play each other once home and away in a round robin system. There is no relegation from League 1. At
988-699: The Betfred Cesarewitch Handicap on the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket Racecourse . In 2005, Betfred became sponsors of the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock Park . The race is run over the minimum distance of five furlongs. The sponsorship ended in 2016. Betfred also sponsored the most prestigious jumps race the Cheltenham Gold Cup between the years of 2012 and 2015. In October 2016, Betfred began
1040-572: The Betfred Cup. In June 2017, Betfred was confirmed as the new official shirt sponsors of Championship side Bolton Wanderers , in an agreement which will initially last for two years. In June 2019, Betfred took over the shirt sponsorship rights for RCD Mallorca for the next two years. In July 2019, Betfred announced that it had been installed as the official sponsor for the PDC 's World Matchplay tournament until 2022. Betfred announced before
1092-420: The Championship from Championship 1 and no teams were relegated from the Championship, meaning that the 2013 Championship 1 season was contested by 9 teams. In 2014 expansion and restructure took place with 5 teams relegated from the Championship and Coventry Bears added to expand the league to 14 teams, which was then renamed League 1. A new playoff structure was also introduced with two teams being promoted to
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#17327871896341144-578: The Championship. In 2015 the League 1 Cup was introduced as an additional competition for League 1 clubs. In 2016 Toulouse Olympique joined the league, bringing the total number of teams to 15. Toronto Wolfpack joined the league in 2017, bringing the total number of teams to 16. In 2016, the Super 8s format that had been used in the Super League and Championship was introduced to League 1. Under
1196-529: The Commission ordered Betfred and Paddy Power to terminate new betting products. This followed the introduction of reduced maximum stakes on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTS) from £100 to £2. The Commission was "concerned that the new products undermine the changes made". The Guardian accused the companies of trying to circumvent the government's enforced FOBTs £2 reduction, with their new games. Betfred's "Virtual Cycling" product offered customers
1248-661: The Preliminary Final will play the winner of the 2nd semi-final in the League 1 Grand Final where the victorious team will take the second promotion spot to the Championship. All rugby league matches are governed by the laws set out by the RFL; these laws are enforced by match officials. Former Super League and International Referee Steve Ganson is the current Head of the Match Officials Department and Technical Director. League One has had four different sponsors four times since 2003. Betfred are
1300-401: The RFL indicated that no replacement team is to be sought for the time being. The team finishing top of the 11-team league after the 20-game regular season will automatically be promoted then a series of six further matches will decide the second promotion spot. Following the aborted 2020 season, the number of clubs was reduced to 10 as Newcastle Thunder were appointed to the Championship and
1352-414: The United Kingdom, after the purchase of 322 shops due to the merger between fellow bookmakers Ladbrokes and Coral in October 2016. Betfred also operates shops on fifty one racecourses around the country, including Newmarket , Epsom and Cheltenham . In August 2017, Betfred appointed former Nottingham Forest and England footballer Stuart Pearce as its brand ambassador. The company believed Pearce to be
1404-521: The United Kingdom. Betfred's five-hundredth shop opened in Cardiff in 2005. In 2013, the company established Betfred TV, an in-house channel that is available in all shops both on the high street and on the racecourse. This was the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. Fred Done was the first bookmaker to pay out early (i.e., before the result was guaranteed), when in March 1998 it paid out to gamblers who had bet that Manchester United F.C. would win
1456-467: The amended structure, the 16 League 1 clubs play a regular season of 15 rounds, playing each other once either home or away. Following the conclusion of their regular league seasons, the 16 clubs then compete in a playoff series where they split into 2 divisions of 8 based upon league position: This format remained in use for the 2017 season but on 26 October 2017, it was confirmed that Oxford Rugby League and Gloucestershire All Golds will not compete for
1508-470: The chance to wager up to £500 per stake. Both Paddy Power and Betfred withdrew their games. The Gambling Commission said it was investigating the matter and that both bookmakers could "still face regulatory action", as it investigated "key senior staff at bookmakers who are responsible for bringing those products to market". In October 2019 the Commission ordered Petfre, Betfred's parent, to pay £322,000 for money laundering failures. An investigation revealed
1560-469: The change being implemented in time for the 2009 season. South Wales Scorpions were admitted to Championship 1 for the 2010 season, increasing the number of teams in the league to 11. Blackpool Panthers left the league in 2011, once again reducing the number of teams to 10. In 2013, three new teams were admitted to the league; Hemel Stags , Gloucestershire All Golds and Oxford Rugby League . To facilitate this expansion, in 2012 four teams were promoted to
1612-656: The clubs finishing fifth and sixth, and the Qualifying Final (QF) between the clubs finishing third and fourth. For the losing team of the Elimination Final the season is over but the other three play in the semi-finals of the play-offs. In the semi-finals the 1st semi-final will be between the winning team in the EF and the losing team in the QF; while the 2nd semi-final will be between the team who finished second in
RFL League One - Misplaced Pages Continue
1664-520: The competition. In turn, an additional team was relegated from National League One to League Two, while Blackpool Panthers were elected to National League Two for the 2005 season to replace the defunct Chorley Lynx , leaving 11 teams in League Two. In order to even up the numbers, the Welsh team Celtic Crusaders were admitted to the competition in 2005, first playing in the 2006 season and increasing
1716-455: The current title sponsors. The official rugby ball supplier is Steeden . The current RFL policy is to add expansion teams to the professional structure via entry to League 1. In 2011, the RFL invited expressions of interest for four additional British teams to join the competition starting in 2013. Of the 16 interested parties, three teams, University of Gloucestershire All Golds , Hemel Stags and Oxford Rugby League were accepted to join
1768-505: The division to twelve teams. In 2009 Super League was expanded to 14 teams, with two additional teams being promoted from National League One. In turn, two additional teams were promoted from National League Two to National League One at the end of the 2008 season , reducing the number of teams in National League Two to 10. National Leagues One and Two were then rebranded as Championship and Championship 1 respectively, with
1820-460: The end of the season the team finishing first is promoted to the Championship . Various systems have been used to decide the second team to promote, the current system - in use since 2019 - is for the teams finishing between 2nd and 6th compete in a playoff competition to decide the second promotion spot. In the play-offs first round there are two matches; the Elimination Final (EF) between
1872-499: The epitome of Betfred: uncomplicated. In September 2017, Betfred celebrated their 50th year of business. A documentary film about the history of the company was released on the official channel of Betfred on YouTube . In July 2018, Betfred won a court case against HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The ruling states that Betfred overpaid Value-Added Tax (VAT), and could see a £100 million refund. In November 2018, punter David Smith took Betfred to court after he claimed to have won
1924-576: The league and began play in 2013, a fourth, the Northampton Town F.C. -linked Northampton Rebels were also accepted, but ultimately decided not to proceed. An additional team, Coventry Bears (now the Midlands Hurricanes), were also accepted in September 2012, however it was decided that they would join from the 2014 season to give them additional time to prepare. Coventry again deferred their membership in 2014, eventually joining
1976-497: The league for the 2015 season. In 2015 it was announced that Toulouse Olympique , after talks with the RFL , had accepted the proposal to rejoin the English league structure in League 1 for the 2016 season, airing their aims for promotion in their maiden League 1 season in a bid to eventually achieve Super League status. They currently play in the Championship, having earned promotion at their first opportunity in 2016. In 2016, it
2028-561: The league in 2024. Third-division rugby league competitions in the United Kingdom have existed periodically since 1991. The current incarnation was created in 2003 when the second-division competition below Super League , the Northern Ford Premiership , was split into National Leagues One and Two. Teams that finished in the top ten league positions of the Northern Ford Premiership at the end of
2080-550: The new club to Bristol with the intention of rejoining the league for the 2019 season, however this did not eventuate and in 2019 the All Golds entered the relaunched Conference League South . In addition Hemel Stags announced their withdrawal from League 1 at the end of the 2018 season in order to rejoin the Conference League South. In March 2019 it was announced that Hemel's RFL membership had been bought by
2132-556: The next seven years, as well as creating the Tote Racing Development Board, giving greater say to industry figures. In September 2016, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport "In terms of the Tote Racing Development Board, I can confirm that as a stand alone concept it has not been set up to date. Betfred has confirmed that Totepool work with race course owners and management on
RFL League One - Misplaced Pages Continue
2184-509: The operator had failed to carry out adequate "source of funds" checks on a customer who deposited £210,000, and lost £140,000, of stolen money over one twelve-day period in November 2017. The Commission said that one customer who was able to deposit and lose such significant amounts in such a short period of time clearly indicated failings in the effectiveness of Petfre's anti money laundering policies and procedures. In April 2021, Betfred lost
2236-410: The other promotion spot. The format was modified for 2019 following an RFL extraordinary general meeting in September 2018. The number of clubs in the division will be reduced to 12 and the top six teams will compete for two promotion places to the Championship. However, on 23 October 2018, Hemel Stags announced that the club was withdrawing from the league for 2019 reducing the number of teams to 11;
2288-416: The planned entry of Ottawa Aces was deferred to 2022. Over the close season of 2021–2022 Ottawa Aces decided to relocate to Cornwall and Cornwall R.L.F.C. became the division's eleventh team for 2022. A reduction to ten teams happened for 2023 as West Wales Raiders withdrew from the league in December 2022. Further reductions to the number of teams initially saw the league go from ten to eight teams for
2340-491: The regular season (and had a bye in the first round of the play-offs) and the winning team of the QF. The team winning the 2nd semi-final will have home advantage in the Grand Final while the losing team will have home advantage in the Preliminary Final. The team losing the 1st semi-final will be out of the competition while the winning team will play the team losing the 2nd semi-final in the Preliminary Final. The winner of
2392-568: The southern league, leaving Oxford to simply fold. Oxford University has had a rugby league side since 1976 and has been competing in the annual Rugby League Varsity Match against Cambridge since 1981. Grassroots rugby league began with the Oxford Sharks, formed in association with the Oxford University team. The Sharks dissolved in 1993, but the amateur Oxford Cavaliers were formed three years later. Oxford Rugby League
2444-514: Was a semi-professional rugby league club based in Oxford , England. The club was formed in 2012 and joined League 1 in 2013, playing for five seasons before agreeing to merge with Gloucestershire All Golds following the 2017 season, resulting in both clubs exiting the league in order to form a new club, Bristol Rugby League , which intended to enter League 1 from the 2019 season. However, when this didn't happen, All Golds continued on its own in
2496-473: Was announced that Toronto Wolfpack would be joining the league from the 2017 season, becoming the first team to compete in the RFL structure from outside of the UK or France. The Wolfpack won the League 1 title in their inaugural season and went on to play in the Super League. In October 2017 it was announced that Gloucestershire All Golds and Oxford would withdraw from the league, merge and relocate
2548-494: Was announced that Betfred were to become the sponsors of the tournament once again, and increase the winner's prize money to £375,000. Betfred was the official betting partner of Manchester United from 2006 to 2013. This partnership was renewed ahead of the 2022/2023 football season In May 2016, it was announced that Betfred would take over sponsorship of the Scottish League Cup for three years, rebranding it
2600-460: Was first established as a single betting shop in Ordsall , Salford , in 1967. Its turnover in 2004 was reported to be more than £3.5 billion, having risen from £550 million in 2003 and has continued to grow to over £10 billion in 2018-2019. Following a drop in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the Covid pandemic, published turnover for the year to September 2022 was £8.8 billion. It has its head office
2652-473: Was first used in 2004. In 2004, Betfred also launched their digital platform Betfred.com and offer sports betting, online casino, online games, bingo, lotto, online poker and virtual sports as well as pool betting. In November 2004, a Betfred customer became the first betting shop millionaire; a customer known only as Ken selected six winners on the totescoop6 and pocketed £1,132,657 in a Salford shop. Betfred's retail expansion continued with shops opening around
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#17327871896342704-431: Was founded in 2012 and was admitted to the semi-professional League 1 in March 2013 along with Hemel Stags and Gloucestershire All Golds as part of the league's expansion, finishing their first season in 6th position and thus qualifying for the play-offs however they were eliminated in their first match against Hemel Stags . Following a relatively successful first season, the club struggled to make progress on and off
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