William Hill sees revenues surge to £1.1bn

William Hill is planning a major expansion both in mobile phone betting and internationally "as more governments open up their regulated gambling markets," according to its chief executive, Ralph Topping.

Britain's biggest bookmaker saw profits for the year come in at £276m as revenues surged 6 per cent to £1.1bn.

Mr Topping believes people will continue betting even as economic conditions remain tough. "He's not spending on a new car and might be cutting back on holidays, but he needs a bit of brightness in his life," he said.

The typical bet in William Hill's 2,370 shops is £3 or £4.

Mr Topping admitted he "didn't sleep" on the one Saturday last November when all the football favourites won, costing the company a fortune.