1947 - Treble Chance Game is Introduced

Harry Sherman Of Sherman Pools in an photograpgh taken 1948. AOP

Post war, three other pools companies pop up – Brittens in Leichester, Empire in Blackpool and Sherman’s Pools in Cardiff. The pools industry gets a big boost with the inauguration of the Treble Chance game. This newly formulated game gives players a list of football matches due in the coming week and allows them to pick only eight matches per line by crossing specific boxes on a printed coupon. A points system is put in place to assess the results. Whoever scores closest to eight out of eight, wins the pool. The combined entry fee of all players is distributed as prize money among the winning tickets. The Treble Chance game eventually surpasses the popularity of Penny Points and Penny Results because of the huge potential jackpot it offers – something no other form of gambling does at this point in time. The idea of winning big from small stakes piques the punting public’s interest, shooting up participation.