William Hill, the UK’s largest high street bookmaker, is running an in-shop and experiential drive focusing on the 2009 Grand National which takes place on 4 April.

The drive has been created by William Hill’s retail agency, Billington Cartmell, to persuade the British public that William Hill is the best place to bet on the Grand National, the biggest horse race in the world.

The work breaks today (1 April) with a retail campaign in William Hill’s 2,300 outlets throughout the UK and Ireland featuring posters, staff wearing specially-created branded T-shirts and various offers available to customers, from a free bet on the Irish Lotto to a free £5 gaming machine voucher.

Alongside the core campaign, Billington Cartmell is running a dedicated drive to increase the much loved Grand National office sweepstake. The agency has devised ‘hit squad’ activity for key areas of London, with promotional staff targeting tube and train stations, offices and local businesses, encouraging them to run office sweepstakes and bet with William Hill.

The agency has also created an advertorial in Sport magazine, raising awareness of running office sweepstakes with William Hill. To increase take-up, William Hill shops will be supplied with ‘sweepstake kits’ and staff will be encouraged to give these – along with betting slips – to local businesses.