Metro Newspaper to Launch Mobile Betting Site

Capitalising on its widespread reach across sixteen major cities in the UK, Metro, the free daily newspaper from Associated Newspapers Ltd, has partnered with mobile specialist mkodo to launch a new mobile sports betting service, MEbet.

Building on Metro's MEbet online betting service which is powered by Rank's Blue Square, the mobile version will be optimised for all mobile handsets offering customers an easy-to-use, fast and secure betting experience via their mobile phones.

Metro will promote MEbet Mobile along with its other Metro Mobile interactivity using in-paper, online and SMS channels.

Since its launch in 1999 when it was only distributed to morning commuters in London, the Metro newspaper is now available in sixteen of the UK's major cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

According to Metro, approximately 1.3 million copies of its free colour newspaper are distributed across the UK every weekday morning, making it the world's largest free newspaper and the fourth biggest newspaper in the UK. Its online service also attracts an estimated 3.2 million unique visitors each month.

Mkodo said earlier this year that is now sees nearly two million interactions per month through the mobile internet betting sites it provides for clients including Blue Square and SkyBet, with further strong growth expected in the future.