Gambling Book Of Year - Winner Announced

UK -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The first annual William Hill-Inside Edge Gambling Book of the Year Award has been won by legendary gambler Amarillo Slim's autobiography, A World Full Of Fat People, published by Yellow Jersey Press. The prize of £1000, a £500 free bet from William Hill plus a leather-bound copy of the book was presented at a ceremony at Border's Book Shop in London's Oxford Street.

The two runners-up from an original short-list of ten titles, were Elliott's Golf Form by Keith Elliott (Portway Press) and Bruce Millingtons' Definitive Guide to Betting on Sport(Raceform), both of whom received £250 plus a £250 free bet from William Hill and a leather-bound copy of their book.

The judging panel was James Eastham of Inside Edge; gambling writer and broadcaster Derek McGovern and Graham Sharpe, Media Relations Director of William Hill.

'Given the current high profile which gambling is enjoying this was an idea whose time had come' said Sharpe, 'We were very impressed with the quality of the books short-listed for this first award and are optimistic that we can help to encourage an even greater quality and quantity of writing on the varied and eternally fascinating subject of gambling. The winning book is a fantastic, hugely readable, flamboyant romp through the gambling life of the self-styled 'world's greatest gambler', for whom life has genuinely been a gamble from a very early age but who came through against all the odds to become world poker champ and a legend in the betting business.'