Sportech and ITV partnership

Sportech PLC
5 March 2002



                    Sportech plc and ITV Announce Strategic

                               Gaming Partnership


Sportech plc and ITV announce a strategic partnership between Sportech's wholly
owned gaming business, Littlewoods Leisure and ITV, whereby Littlewoods Leisure
will provide interactive betting and gaming services linked to ITV programming.
The two companies will work together to develop betting and gaming concepts to
enhance entertainment for viewers to ITV's channels across all analogue and
digital platforms.


The deal is based on a revenue sharing arrangement, with guaranteed minimum
payments to ITV over an initial five-year term, with an option to extend for a
further two-year period.


Both companies expect to benefit from the anticipated growth in interactive T.V.
gaming and betting, a market predicted to reach £2.8bn per annum by 2006 (source
KPMG).


It is envisaged that gaming opportunities will be created around a variety of
programming types, including live football, which will heighten the fun and
involvement of ITV viewers before, during and after their favourite programmes.


The agreement is in line with Sportech's strategy of providing home based gaming
opportunities to the widest audiences available. ITV will provide Littlewoods
Leisure with significant additional routes to market, complementing its existing
distribution channels, which include internet, telephone and the famous
door-to-door collector network.


Colin McGill, Managing Director, Sportech plc, said:


'This is a ground breaking deal in the gaming industry, bringing together the
major commercial television broadcaster with the UK's leading home gaming
company. This is a great brand fit. The strength of the Littlewoods Leisure
brand, product range and game management skills will complement ITV's
programming expertise. Together, we are looking forward to offering ITV's huge
viewing audience enhanced entertainment. Whether it is fun, gaming or betting
the viewer will benefit from this exciting partnership.'


Stuart Prebble, Chief Executive, ITV said:


'The deal with Littlewoods will enable ITV to provide its viewers with enjoyable
gaming and betting opportunities, using the interactive capacity which our
channels have on all digital platforms. This will be allied with ITV's sports
and other broadcasting properties to create a proposition with universal appeal
which offers something distinct from our commercial competitors.'


                                      Ends


Enquiries


Sportech

Suzanne Judge, Head of Corporate Communication

0151 288 3059


Bell Pottinger Financial

Jonathon Brill / Charles Reynolds

020 7861 3232


    ITV

    Nicola Howson, Director of Corporate Affairs

    020 7843 8092 / 07768 275509

High-resolution images are available for the media to view and download from
www.vismedia.co.uk




Notes to Editors:


ITV


* ITV is the market leader in UK commercial television. ITV1 is the UK's most
popular channel with a weekly reach of some 50 million viewers. ITV2 is the
fastest growing digital entertainment channel and is available in 9 million
homes.


Sportech PLC:


* Sportech plc is the holding company for Littlewoods Leisure, the UK gaming
company. Sportech is developing the Littlewoods gaming and leisure business,
utilising new channels of distribution to bring more games to more players in
the home, capitalising on the strength of the Littlewoods brand, namely its
association with the values of trust and integrity.


* Littlewoods Leisure is one of UK's oldest established gaming companies,
providing football pools, sports betting and lotteries. Founded in 1923 as
Littlewoods Pools, the company has a regular playing customer base covering 1.6
million households.


* Littlewoods Leisure have had a long establish relationship with football in
the UK, not only through their organisation of the largest and longest running
football pools competition but also through being the first sponsorship of the
FA Cup between 1994 and 1999. Through its links to football, including ongoing
contributions to the Football Foundation, Littlewoods Pools alone has given back
over £400 million to the UK's national game.


* Littlewoods Leisure's multi-product offering across Pools, online and
telephone sports betting and soft gaming (lotteries, scratchcards) is
complemented by its multi-channel distribution network including mail,
telephone, the Internet, 15,000 retail stores and 13,000 door-to-door
collectors.


* Bet Direct, the telephone and on line betting arm of Littlewoods Leisure, has
been one of the fastest growing sports betting services in the UK and now has
over 200,000 registered account holders. Bet Direct offers a full range of fixed
odds betting and prides itself on delivering innovative betting incentives for
its customers through daily 'Best Bets'. Bet calls are free and there is a free
£5 bet for all new customers.


* PrizeBuster is the UK first internet and interactive TV lottery, it is
available through Littlewoods' website bet247 and through Telewest's digital
network. The game involves customer matching either 3 or 4 numbers between 1 and
49, based on the National Lottery Draw, the average prize money for 3 numbers is
£800 rising to £7,000 for 4 numbers.


For more information on Sportech, please visit our website at
www.sportech-plc.co.uk








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