William Hill UK owner Evoke agrees $326 million takeover by Greek lottery firm | Financial News

* Intralot offers 52p/share, a 33.8% premium to Evoke’s
pre-deal talk price

* TPG Credit, ​Oaktree, ‌OHA commit £889 million to
refinance Evoke’s debt

* Board unanimously recommends investors vote in ⁠favour
of the deal

June 5 (Reuters) – British bookmaker Evoke
agreed ⁠to be acquired by ​Greek lottery and gaming firm Bally’s
Intralot on Friday in an all-share deal valuing it
at about £243 million ($326 million), sending its shares up 14%.

Intralot’s ​offer values ‌the William Hill and 888 casino
owner at 52 pence per share, a 33.8% premium to the stock’s
closing price before Evoke confirmed discussions with the Greek
lottery and gaming firm.

Shares in the ​company, whose board unanimously backed the
deal, rose as much as 14% ‌to 45.8 pence in early trade to levels
last seen in October 2025.
The debt-laden London-listed company ‌launched a strategic review
in December after warning that UK tax hikes on gambling in
November would lead to mounting costs as it withdrew ​its
medium-term targets. Earlier this year, it announced plans to
shut around 200 betting ‌shops across the United Kingdom.

Previously known as 888 Holdings, Evoke’s £2.2-billion
acquisition of William Hill UK from Caesars Entertainment
in 2022 saddled it with high ⁠debt that ⁠stood at about
£1.86 billion at the end ‌of last year.

Additional terms include an all-share structure and a
partial cash alternative capped ​at about £117 ​million.

Private lenders led by TPG Credit, alongside Oaktree ‌and
OHA, have committed about £889 million to refinance Evoke’s
existing debt and support the deal.

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