Bookmakers hopeful after Setanta demise.

NOT ideal, but not necessarily all bad.

That was the bookmakers' verdict on the likely impact on betting turnover of Setanta Sports' closure in the UK.

The channel disappeared from screens at 6pm on Tuesday and while some of the sports they had the rights to show have already been snapped up (ESPN have acquired their Premier League games), the chances are that some events will no longer be broadcast live - and punters bet more when they can see where there money is going.

Hills' Graham Sharpe said: "Of course, turnover will suffer where events are not picked up by an alternative broadcaster.

"Personally, I would be concerned about boxing, given recent suggestions that ITV may be pulling out of covering the sport, which has been enjoying a betting revival." Charlie McCann of Stan James added: "When you consider organisations as big as ITV are, reportedly, strapped for cash, it wouldn't be a big shock if some events weren't televised. The problems at Setanta and ITV Digital before may make potential suitors more wary of broadcasting live sport and some events are likely to vanish from our screens." Wayne Lincoln of Sporting Index said his firm are keen to see the Blue Square Premier and SPL games return.

"Those are the two we would miss most. On an otherwise quiet night, if there was just a Blue Square game on the box we could see surprisingly good business." However, it's not all doom and gloom according the bookmakers, several of whom have their fingers crossed that the rights to show US Tour golf will return to Sky.

Neal Wilkins of Victor Chandler said turnover could well rise if the next broadcaster was able to show the 'live' action with less of a delay than Setanta managed.

"Our traders do not feel the demise of Setanta will have a negative effect on sports turnover in general. And in the case of betting in-running on US golf it could provide an upturn.

"The Setanta coverage could be up to two minutes behind the play on Saturday and Sunday. That factor virtually killed off betting in-running on those nights." Setanta's rights to the England football team's away games also caused a stir and most layers are hoping the games are picked up by terrestrial channels.

Darren Haines of Paddy Power said: "In the case of England away games, a move back to terrestrial would have a positive impact." George Primarolo of Totesport is another who is hopeful the main events will still be available for punters to bet on, saying: "The Old Firm derby alone is probably worth someone bidding for the SPL." And Skybet's Dale Tempest said: "With digital channels looking for sporting content it's unlikely we will lose much."

CAPTION(S):

Setanta Sports has pulled the plug on its UK service