BLOW TO PRESS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10751, 23 November 1928, Page 5

BLOW TO PRESS

FOOTBALL FORECASTS DECLARED ILLEGAL

SENSATIONAL .FALLS IN CIRr CULATION ANTICIPATED

THREE COAIPETITOR-S HAD AVON i£2O,OCO PRIZE EACH United Prea» Assn by El. Tel. Copyrtent (Australian Press Absd.i LONDON. Nov. 21. The King’s Bench Division dismissed the appeal of the Sheffield Telegraph against its conviction for printing and circulating a football forecast competition. It was pointed out that a calculation had been submitted to the magistrates to the effect that assuming 24 matches had to he correctly forecasted out of the 44 on the coupon It would be necessary to submit approximately 228,000,000 before one could be certain of correct results. As t]je outcome of the decision, London newspapers announce that that they are ceasing the. competitions forthwith.

(United Service.) (Received Nov, 23. 12.50 a.rn.) LONDON. Nov. 22.

Sensational falls in the circulation figures of many -leading newspapers are anticipated as the result of the enforced -suspension of football competitions. The most- popular form of competition was that requiring the competitor to read and correctly forecast 24 results out of 44 printed on the coupon. Despite the tremendous odd£, the first prize of £20,000 jointly offered by three newspapers, has thrice been won outright and many smaller prizes, amounting to £IO,OOO weekly have been distributed. The principal argument influencing the Court was that r any individuals paid a penny for the coupon, not for the newspaper, and therefore jt is gambling.